( The Frisky ) -- Kate Middleton 's engagement ring just so happens to be a hand-me-down from the late Princess Diana . It 's a blue sapphire surrounded by diamonds set in white gold . Although this family treasure is very dear to Prince William 's heart -- it was his mother 's engagement ring -- the superstitious may think that 28-year-old Kate should never have accepted it . Not because she does n't want to marry her Prince Charming ( literally ) , but because some believe jewelry can be cursed . Another big blue stone , the Hope Diamond , was not good luck for French royals . Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were the last royals to enjoy the stone before it was stolen and they lost their heads . The Frisky : 6 things Prince William should n't repeat from parents ' wedding . Even if you do n't believe that jewelry can be cursed , I 've heard an old wives ' tale that claims engagement rings are supposed to carry the energy of the marriage from whence they came . Meaning : it is bad luck to inherit a ring from an unhappy marriage . So , essentially , Kate is wearing the ring of a troubled princess who had a very bad marriage , not to mention a tragic end . If I were Kate , I might have hoped for something with a little bit less bad juju . And for the rest of us eyeing jewels for our big day , heed these other jewelry superstitions : . The Frisky : Found out my engagement ring was piece of junk . Diamonds , not pearls , on your wedding day . In medieval times , people believed that pearls were unlucky because they represent tears . Diamonds , however , were considered great luck because they were thought to have the power to drive away witches and also prevent the wearer from ever going insane . Hence , why wearing pearls instead of diamonds on your wedding day would be thought to predict an unhappy marriage . The Frisky : 10 things to know about Kate Middleton . Do n't remove ring ; Do n't put one on . It is considered bad luck if a woman removes her engagement ring before the wedding for fear that the wedding may not actually happen . Also , you are not supposed to let another woman try your ring on if you do n't want her to steal your man . Conversely , it is considered bad luck for a single woman to wear a ring on her engagement finger as it might curse her to be single forever . Stick to your own stone ? Some people think that it 's bad luck to wear a birthstone that is n't yours . Uh , are n't diamonds the official birthstone of the month of April ? Does that mean every bride who does n't have an April birthday is cursed ? Silver earrings keep bad spirits out . Wearing a pair of silver earrings was once thought to keep the devil away . Silver earrings were used to prevent evil spirits from entering the body through any orifices . So think about all the devils you are keeping out of your body the next time you rock a simple pair of hoops . The Frisky : 30 things every woman should quit doing by 30 . TM & © 2010 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved .
Kate Middleton 's engagement ring is same as worn by Princess Diana . Old wives ' tale : The ring may carry energy of previous owner . Marriage : If woman wears ring before wedding , wedding will not take place . Single women should not put ring on engagement finger as it might curse her to be single forever .