SCIENTISTS in Oxford have got their hands on the Crown Jewels – by making their own.

Physicists at Oxford University’s crystal growth unit grew a replica of the Imperial State Crown, part of the famous jewels held in the Tower of London.

They also managed to reproduce the Duchess of Cambridge’s engagement ring from household items including drain unblocker and antiseptic cream.

The dazzlingly deceptive replicas were all grown at the Clarendon Lab on Keble Road off St Giles.

They will be displayed at the Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair next month at Birmingham NEC.

Head of the crystal growth unit Prabhakaran Dharmalingam said: “It’s been great to have the chance to get involved with the Big Bang Fair.

“Crystals are amazing – not only are they incredibly beautiful to look at, but they are also very useful.

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“I hope that this project will help get young people excited about science and inspired to take that excitement further with their studies and into their careers.”

The experiment took eight months and also marks the Queen becoming the longest-reigning monarch in British history later this year.

The “crowning glory” of the Imperial State Crown, the St Edward’s Sapphire, was made from a common cleaning powder mixed with boiling water to create a copper sulphate crystal.

The experiment, which children can try themselves in the classroom, shows the science behind acid-base reactions.

The Big Bang Fair, from March 11 to 14, will feature lab-grown crystals.