Kate visits the Land Rover BAR boat shed (Photo: Henry Browne – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were in Portsmouth this morning, visiting the Land Rover BAR boat shed at the America’s Cup World Series. Kate wore a familiar pair of earrings for the visit: her Kiki McDonough Lauren earrings.

Photo: Henry Browne – WPA Pool/Getty Images

The event gave us a great closer look at the earrings. Here you can really see the leaf shape of the drop — notice the way that it curves slightly, the way that a fallen leaf does.

Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

We also got an excellent view of Kate’s engagement, wedding, and eternity rings.

Kate’s sapphire and diamond cluster drop earrings (Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

The Duchess of Cambridge is rarely seen out and about in public without a pair of earrings. Today, we’re looking at one of the staples of her collection: her diamond and sapphire cluster drop earrings.

Photo: Karen Ballard – Pool/Getty Images

Here’s a good close-up of one of the earrings. The earring is made of yellow gold, with a single diamond fastened to the clasp. From that diamond, cluster drop is suspended. It features a faceted sapphire surrounded by nine more diamonds. (In some photos, these look like cabochon sapphires; however, you can clearly see a small triangle of light on the stone in the above photo that demonstrates that they are indeed faceted.)

Photo: Phil Noble – WPA Pool/Getty Images

In the past, there’s been speculation that the earrings were made by refashioning a pair once owned by the late Diana, Princess of Wales. However, no clear evidence has yet been offered to confirm that theory. As Anna points out, the similar earrings owned by Diana were set with cabochon sapphires, not faceted stones. Regardless, the earrings are surely meant to complement Kate’s engagement ring, which is also a sapphire and diamond cluster.

Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Kate’s been wearing the earrings in public since the summer of 2011, shortly after her royal wedding. Since then, they’ve become a very regular part of her earring rotation, accompanying her on royal tours and everyday engagements alike. She also often wears a similar (but smaller) pair with an emerald cluster drop.