It really didn't take long. Just hours after the news broke about Prince William and Kate Middleton's long awaited engagement, jewelers started getting calls from well-heeled women for copies of THE sapphire and diamond ring.

REFILE - A pair of photographs show Kate Middleton (L), fiance of Britain's Prince William posing in London November 16, 2010 and William's mother Diana, Princess of Wales, wearing the same engagment ring in London in an August 28, 1996 file photo. Britain's Prince William is to marry his long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton next year, after an on-off courtship lasting nearly a decade, bringing months of speculation about his intentions to an end.  REUTERS/Paul Hackett/Dan Chung (BRITAIN - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT SOCIETY ROYALS PROFILE)
Kate Middleton (left) and Princess Diana (right)

One New York jeweler, the Natural Sapphire Company has been overwhelmed with orders for reproductions. The company CEO on this news video said, "...our phones started ringing off the hook, and our server crashed!" Most of the callers have been women. 30% are from the UK with the majority of the rest from the US and Canada according to the company.

The original ring is an oval 18-carat sapphire ring set with a cluster of 14 diamonds and mounted in 18-carat white gold. Although the ring was actually a catalog design, the crown jeweler, Garrard Jewellers, created what Princess Diana wanted. How much will an 8 carat copy cost? $55,000.



Photo by: AP/AAD/starmaxinc.com  2010  11/16/10 Kate Middleton and Prince William at a photocall honoring the official announcement of their engagement. (St. James Palace, London, England)  Photo via Newscom

Much hope has been pinned on the success of this royal union as it will go a long way to revitalize the image of the Windsor dynasty after so many years of scandals and broken marriages. Be warned. The royal wedding merchandising has already begun! It'll get insane by next summer.

STOKE ON TRENT, UNITED KINGDOM - NOVEMBER 17: Workers at Aynsley China start producing commemorative plates, cups and mugs to mark the engagement between Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton on November 17, 2010 in Stoke On Trent, United Kingdom. The historic china company has rushed through production of collectable china after the announcement of their royal wedding yesterday. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

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