The Duchess of Cambridge's midas touch turns to imitation diamonds As sales of her imitation jewellery range soar, Belinda Hadden is the latest to profit from 'The Kate Effect.' While you might raise a glass to your son's graduation or the birth of a first grandchild, you'd be forgiven for splashing out on a vast crate of Moet if the Duchess of Cambridge endorsed your jewellery business. Like every belt, bow and perfectly poised fascinator, the Duchess's choice of earrings she wore to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee caused a figurative (and literal) diamond rush. Thing is, they weren't real. IN PICTURES: Kate Middleton's fashion hits and misses in pictures The Duchess's £48 pearl and cubic zirconia earrings were part of Belinda Hadden's online range of convincing, imitation jewellery. The owner of Heavenly Necklaces enjoyed a stratospheric rise in profits once internet whistleblowers www.whatkatewore.com had identified the site. While Hadden had previously catered to a small, elite client list she described to The Daily Mail as a "well kept secret," the custom of the Duchess thrust her enterprise into the limelight. Within 48 hours more orders were placed than could be expected annually. Hadden's bank froze her account, suspicious of the income hike. SEE: The Duchess of Cambridge: a year of record fashion sales The Duchess's perennial ability to spike retail profits has been well documented. Heavenly Necklaces is only the latest to bathe in what has been dubbed 'The Kate Effect' - the purchasing scrabble that Newsweek estimates to be worth £1 billion to the UK fashion industry. But while big names like Burberry, Issa and Reiss have added to their extensive corporate revenue, Hadden's business began at her kitchen table and continues to be privately owned. It's not just a question of money, though. Belinda praises the Duchess's ability to de-stigmatise celebrity endorsement of high street brands or lower-priced items. She smiles, "here was the future queen of England wearing fake diamond jewellery and everybody celebrated it." READ: Why the Duchess of Cambridge hasn't boosted Whistles' sales The demand for imitation pieces can be traced back to the 1930's when cruise ship passengers would leave precious items behind, taking their inexpensive doppelgangers onboard. The need for more practical 'bling' is still relevant to today's red-carpet globetrotters. Jay-Z proposed to Beyonce with an 18-carat diamond ring worth $5 million but made sure to provide a replica of the sparkler for his fiancé to wear on stage. Belinda Hadden is not fazed by the increasing demand for imitation jewellery claiming that "people see it as an intelligent rather than a cheap-skate thing to do."