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Royal Jewels

Telescope from the Imperial Court, 1721-1917

telesdcope.jpg
 
Hi, Danny!

Thanks for the pictures of Tzar Nikolay II. The Russian royals were often photographed in such traditional clothes adorn with lots of jewels. The fist photo that comes to my mind is of Niky's sister, GD Xenia Alexandrovna, wearing lots of pearl strands and other jewels studed in her clothes. I guess that's how they showed their great wealth.

Here is another man wearling jewels - The Maharajah of Nawanagar. Today if someone wers even a single strand of pearls, he'd be considered as gay. That makes me wonder if India was still monarchy, were the present Maharajas going to wear the familly jewels?
Look at the necklace - doesn't it remind you of The Duchess of Cornwall's emeralds, shown on the previous page?

K. S. Ranjitsinhji.jpg
 
Here is a rare nice side-view of Queen Mary''s Honeysuckle tiara. The tiara''s center is detachable and can be replaced with an emerald, a pink stone (sorry, but can''t remember the name) and a sapphire(?). Queen Mary gave the tiara to her daughter-in-law Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. I think it''s the present Duchess'' favourite tiara.

QM5051b.jpg
 
And a side-view of Queen Mother''s Boucheron/Greville tiara, worn by Camilla. The shape of the tiara isn''t common, but probably that''s how a heavy tiara is held in place.

780754955.jpg
 
Date: 6/22/2009 9:59:36 AM
Author: prince.of.preslav
Hi, Lori and Danny!

First I want to apologize for my late reply, but I wasn''t in Sofia for awhile.
Second - I know that Camilla wasn''t suitable, because she wasn''t a virgin. One would think that Prince Philip is a real moralist when he insisted that. I wonder if Sarah, Duchess of York had to be certified virgin, before she could marry Prince Eduard? Or maybe it was a condition for the heir''s wife only?
However, as I''ve said before the thing that I like most about them is that the love beteen Prince Charles and Camilla never died and in 2005 they fianly achieved what they wanted.
BTW an interesting fact is that both, Princess Diana and Camilla, are descendants of Charles II.

And now the royals and their jewels!
Here is Queen Elizabrt II at the prize giving ceremony for the Golden Jubilee Stakes on Royal Ascot''s last day. The brooch she wore was in possession of her late mother. It looks like diamond grapes hanging from a sapphire bow. The company that produced it must be VCA due to the mystery setting of the sapphires. Anyone knows who gave it to QEQM, or was it a jewel that she bought herself? It''s nice to see that not only Camilla wears Queen Elizabet''s gorgeous brooches.
Click to expand...
I agree that the brooch is probably Van Cleef.It has a retro feel to it and so it could possibly be Cartier,but Im also comfortable with Van Cleef as the origin of design and manufactor.JM
 
Hi, Bobby! Thanks for the pictures and commentary.

For the record, I''d like to note what I''m sure many us know already, which is that today VC&A and Cartier are owned by same company. I''m very interested in both, and this piece not an exception, of course.
 

Date: 6/22/2009 9:59:36 AM
Author: prince.of.preslav


I wonder if Sarah, Duchess of York had to be certified virgin, before she could marry Prince Eduard?
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If she had to have been, she would never have made it to the altar with Prince Andrew! At the time of their wedding, there was quite a bit of talk about her age and her known past in comparison to Lady Diana''s. At least two of Sarah Ferguson''s former lovers attended her wedding to Prince Andrew. I am not sure whether her not needing to be a virgin was solely based on the status of whom she was marrying, however. Times continued to change and there was also Prince Andrew''s personal past to consider. In comparison to Koo Stark, an adult film actress whom he had dated, Miss Ferguson looked eligible!

AGBF
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Thanks for the replies, Danny, AGBF and Jewelerman.

I don''t know much about the former Duchess of York''s life before her mariage to Prince Andrew. I was surpriced that her ex-lovers were presented at the wedding, but I don''t think that it''s a problem at all. Andrw Parker Bowls also attended Camilla and Charles'' wedding, so maybe it''s common in royal circles (and not only)? Thanks again for letting me know that:)

Hi, Danny! Do other jewellery houses create jewels with mystery set stones? Would you post a picture or two, please?

Personally I don''t like chokes much, but every time I see a picture of that one I feel that my opinion is changing. Do you think that The Duchess of Cornwall would wear a choker from HM''s collection soon? I don''t mean the ones previously worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, but maybe some of Queen Mary''s forgotten chokes that aren''t transformed into bracelets.

82754399.jpg
 
Hi Bobby!
35.gif


I''m not overly excited about chokers, either, but would love to see photos of how they are worn....like how Diana used to wear them as headbands.

Queen Mary is one of my favorite royals. What was her personality like? Was she stern or fun loving?

How was Sofia? Where is it exactly?

Lori
 
Hi, Lori!

I've read that Diana wore the chokers as headbands, simply because she'd forgotten the tiara.

Queen Mary along with Queen Elizabet is my favourite consort and favourite royal. Unfortunately I know more about her jewels, than about her personality. What I know about her for sure is that Queen Mary was a passionate jewellery lover. I guess the best description of her was given by Sir Henry Channon. He wrote that she was "above politics ... magnificent, humorous, worldly, in fact nearly sublime, though cold and hard. But what a grand Queen." I'm sure that the present Queen has many memories from her grandmother, writen in her diary. If someday this diaries (or parts if them) are published, we can understand what QM was like.

Sofia is the capital of Bulagaria and one of the oldest cities in Europe. It is located in western Bulgaria. Sofia is 55km (34ml) from the border with Sarbia. There are beatiful buildings designed by Austrian architects and when I walk in the center I have the feeling of aristocratism. Some of them were destroyed during WWII and were replaced by new ones in 1950s. Is my reply satisfying? Feel free to ask me everything you want.

Here is a nice portrait of young Mary. HM/HRH wears the amethyst parure that was sold by Queen Elizabet, The Queen Mother.

Bobby

QueenMaryprincessTeck1.jpg
 
Date: 6/25/2009 1:43:34 PM
Author: prince.of.preslav


Hi, Danny! Do other jewellery houses create jewels with mystery set stones? Would you post a picture or two, please?
Click to expand...

Hi, Bobby! I don''t know of any and if anyone else does I would like to know about it too. The only thing I know about this is that VC&A received the patent for it. I''m not an IP expert but I think there would have been a time limit on it.
 
Date: 6/20/2009 7:24:25 AM
Author: Imdanny


Date: 6/19/2009 9:14:49 AM
Author: prince.of.preslav


Date: 6/18/2009 6:13:40 PM

Author: SanDiegoLady



Date: 6/16/2009 12:52:25 PM


Author: prince.of.preslav


This is the official photograph from HRH Camilla, DoC's 60th BD in 2007. For the occasion HM loaned her The Queen Mother's Coronation Necklace. HRH wore it again (with the Honeycomb tiara and same dress) when Nicolas Sarkozy made his first state visit to UK.


Does enyboby know anything about the bracelet? Looks like Art Deco to me.
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I love this picture.. I've not been a Camilla fan because of my fondness for Diana, but in each photo I see of Charles & Camilla, she always gazes to him lovingly.. its so wonderful to see.
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Hi, SDL!


I know we're all fond of Diana and I hope my post isn't offensive, but wasn't Diana the one that interfered in Charles and Camilla's relations? I mean that the PoW and Camilla were dating, he was probably going to propose her and then Prince Charles was sent on military mission, I belive. When he rettrned Camilla was married to his sister's ex-boyfriend and a new suitable lady was in search for the heir.
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Date: 6/19/2009 9:14:49 AM
Author: prince.of.preslav



I know we're all fond of Diana and I hope my post isn't offensive, but wasn't Diana the one that interfered in Charles and Camilla's relations? I mean that the PoW and Camilla were dating, he was probably going to propose her and then Prince Charles was sent on military mission, I belive. When he rettrned Camilla was married to his sister's ex-boyfriend and a new suitable lady was in search for the heir.
Click to expand...

Hi, Bobby, I've taken an open-minded position toward Camilla, as I hope you can appreciate. However, as you have written this, I feel that I should comment.

Diana in no way interfered with Charles and Camilla's relationship. From this perspective, it was not a 'love triangle,' as you suggest, in which Diana interfered. Diana received a wedding proposal and accepted it. That's all. The usual connection that is cited is that Diana's grandmother was the Queen Mother's lady-in-waiting.

Families have their problems and this one is no exception, and I think I'll leave it at that. Thanks, again! I'm enjoying your posts and hope to make some more myself soon.
Click to expand...
It was the Queen and Prince Phillip who interfered in Charles and Camilla's relationship since Camilla was not a "blue blood" or part of the aristocracy (although she was from the upper classes) and deemed unfit to marry Charles at the time. It's kind of sad to think about how Diana might have been alive today if the tides had turned, and Chales was allowed to marry who he pleased. We would never have known who Diana was, but at least she would have been allowed to marry someone who loved her, and lead a more quiet and private life.

Is that an aquamarine choker Camilla is wearing with her blue outfit? Very pretty piece.
 
Maybe I didn''t use the most proper words, when I said that Princess Diana interfered in Prince Charles and Camilla''s relations. I meant that The PoW was bound to marry someone else, than the woman he loved. And he chose Lady Diana. Maybe in a certain moment The Prince fell in love with Diana. We will never know what life woud be if Diana was still alive and if Charles and Diana were going to marry again in that condition. What we shoud understand is, as Danny said, that "families have their problems and this one is no exception".

P.S. Yes, TL, The Duchess of Cornwall is wearing a pearl choker with an aquamarine center.

Bobby
 
I found this in the celebrity ring thread, but it belongs in here as well. Grace Kelly''s 10ct. e-ring.

gracekelly_10.470.jpg
 
. . . and just because I love this picture of this most glamourous and beautiful lady.

gracecontent.jpg
 
Date: 6/28/2009 9:45:12 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
I found this in the celebrity ring thread, but it belongs in here as well. Grace Kelly''s 10ct. e-ring.
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Hi TL!
35.gif


This is my MOST FAVORITE RING EVER....THANK YOU FOR POSTING IT HERE!
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Grace is an angel.
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Lori
 
Thanks, TL!
 
Thank you, TL, for the pictures you posted. I belive it''s the clearest picture of the ring I''ve ever seen.
Here is my favourite of The Princess of Monaco with her gorgeous ring.

Bobby

Grace_2.jpg
 
Date: 6/28/2009 4:33:35 PM
Author: prince.of.preslav
Maybe I didn't use the most proper words, when I said that Princess Diana interfered in Prince Charles and Camilla's relations. I meant that The PoW was bound to marry someone else, than the woman he loved. And he chose Lady Diana. Maybe in a certain moment The Prince fell in love with Diana. We will never know what life woud be if Diana was still alive and if Charles and Diana were going to marry again in that condition. What we shoud understand is, as Danny said, that 'families have their problems and this one is no exception'.

P.S. Yes, TL, The Duchess of Cornwall is wearing a pearl choker with an aquamarine center.

Bobby
Click to expand...
Thanks PoP for the information on the aqua. The Queen has the most amazing aqua set I have ever seen though.

I think the rumour was that Charles was told by the Queen and Prince Philip that he had to settle down NOW (he was 30 at the time)!! He had asked some other women to be his wife in the aristocratic circles, they all said "no," and Lady Diana was the first to say "yes." I think they were just looking for a breeder instead of someone he could love. If that's true, it's very sad.
38.gif


Diana reportedly wanted to back out of the marriage when she found out who his true affection was for (Camilla), but her sister said, "Too late Duch (her nickname), your face is on the tea towels now."

Glad everyone is enjoying the pictures of Princess Grace.
 
Date: 6/26/2009 5:13:57 PM
Author: prince.of.preslav
Hi, Lori!

I''ve read that Diana wore the chokers as headbands, simply because she''d forgotten the tiara.

Queen Mary along with Queen Elizabet is my favourite consort and favourite royal. Unfortunately I know more about her jewels, than about her personality. What I know about her for sure is that Queen Mary was a passionate jewellery lover. I guess the best description of her was given by Sir Henry Channon. He wrote that she was ''above politics ... magnificent, humorous, worldly, in fact nearly sublime, though cold and hard. But what a grand Queen.'' I''m sure that the present Queen has many memories from her grandmother, writen in her diary. If someday this diaries (or parts if them) are published, we can understand what QM was like.

Sofia is the capital of Bulagaria and one of the oldest cities in Europe. It is located in western Bulgaria. Sofia is 55km (34ml) from the border with Sarbia. There are beatiful buildings designed by Austrian architects and when I walk in the center I have the feeling of aristocratism. Some of them were destroyed during WWII and were replaced by new ones in 1950s. Is my reply satisfying? Feel free to ask me everything you want.

Here is a nice portrait of young Mary. HM/HRH wears the amethyst parure that was sold by Queen Elizabet, The Queen Mother.

Bobby
Click to expand...
Does anyone know why this was sold? It is beautiful and I can''t remember anything like it in the Royal Family''s collection. Thanks.
 
Date: 6/29/2009 5:47:13 PM
Author: laurensmama
Date: 6/26/2009 5:13:57 PM

Author: prince.of.preslav

Hi, Lori!


I''ve read that Diana wore the chokers as headbands, simply because she''d forgotten the tiara.


Queen Mary along with Queen Elizabet is my favourite consort and favourite royal. Unfortunately I know more about her jewels, than about her personality. What I know about her for sure is that Queen Mary was a passionate jewellery lover. I guess the best description of her was given by Sir Henry Channon. He wrote that she was ''above politics ... magnificent, humorous, worldly, in fact nearly sublime, though cold and hard. But what a grand Queen.'' I''m sure that the present Queen has many memories from her grandmother, writen in her diary. If someday this diaries (or parts if them) are published, we can understand what QM was like.


Sofia is the capital of Bulagaria and one of the oldest cities in Europe. It is located in western Bulgaria. Sofia is 55km (34ml) from the border with Sarbia. There are beatiful buildings designed by Austrian architects and when I walk in the center I have the feeling of aristocratism. Some of them were destroyed during WWII and were replaced by new ones in 1950s. Is my reply satisfying? Feel free to ask me everything you want.


Here is a nice portrait of young Mary. HM/HRH wears the amethyst parure that was sold by Queen Elizabet, The Queen Mother.


Bobby
Click to expand...
Does anyone know why this was sold? It is beautiful and I can''t remember anything like it in the Royal Family''s collection. Thanks.
Click to expand...

From what I recall, the Queen Mother wasn''t overly fond of amethysts, and sold the parure because she disliked it. The only KNOWN large amethyst piece left in QEII''s collection are the Kent amethysts, pictured below (which, unfortunately, is very small and doesn''t do the demi-parure justice!). I believe that Queen Alexandra received an amethyst tiara and necklace (either as a wedding gift or otherwise) but it was handed off after she died intestate, and I believe it''s since been sold.
Here is a link to a picture and some info about the amethysts.

I have a better picture of the Kent amethysts in Field, once I dig it out of a box I''ll scan it here for you to see, Laurensmama.
 
I forgot to post the picture. Again.
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I also forgot to mention that HM has only worn the demi-parure once. Apparently, she follows her mother''s opinion of amethysts.

qe2amethyst.jpg
 
Date: 6/29/2009 4:39:28 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 6/28/2009 4:33:35 PM
Author: prince.of.preslav
Maybe I didn''t use the most proper words, when I said that Princess Diana interfered in Prince Charles and Camilla''s relations. I meant that The PoW was bound to marry someone else, than the woman he loved. And he chose Lady Diana. Maybe in a certain moment The Prince fell in love with Diana. We will never know what life woud be if Diana was still alive and if Charles and Diana were going to marry again in that condition. What we shoud understand is, as Danny said, that ''families have their problems and this one is no exception''.

P.S. Yes, TL, The Duchess of Cornwall is wearing a pearl choker with an aquamarine center.

Bobby
Click to expand...
Thanks PoP for the information on the aqua. The Queen has the most amazing aqua set I have ever seen though.

I think the rumour was that Charles was told by the Queen and Prince Philip that he had to settle down NOW (he was 30 at the time)!! He had asked some other women to be his wife in the aristocratic circles, they all said ''no,'' and Lady Diana was the first to say ''yes.'' I think they were just looking for a breeder instead of someone he could love. If that''s true, it''s very sad.
38.gif


Diana reportedly wanted to back out of the marriage when she found out who his true affection was for (Camilla), but her sister said, ''Too late Duch (her nickname), your face is on the tea towels now.''

Glad everyone is enjoying the pictures of Princess Grace.
Click to expand...
You''re right TL! Diana found a bracelet, meant for Camilla from Charles, with the initials F and G on it. It stood for Fred and Gladys....Charles and Camilla''s nicknames. This was just a few days before the wedding. That''s when Diana wanted to back out and her sister made the quote about her face being on the tea towels. Can you imagine what Diana must have been going through?
32.gif


Lori
 
Thank you all for the replies. I love Lady Diana''s sister''s reply "Too late Duch, your face is on the tea towels now."
I''ve heard about the bracelet, Charles gave Camilla, but never about their nicknames. Camilla''s present for Charles was a pair of cuff-links, right? I remember reading that he wore them during his and Diana''s honeymoon and that made her upset.
Thanks again for the information.

Bobby
 
Date: 6/29/2009 8:46:22 PM
Author: shadowed_rain


From what I recall, the Queen Mother wasn''t overly fond of amethysts, and sold the parure because she disliked it. The only KNOWN large amethyst piece left in QEII''s collection are the Kent amethysts, pictured below (which, unfortunately, is very small and doesn''t do the demi-parure justice!). I believe that Queen Alexandra received an amethyst tiara and necklace (either as a wedding gift or otherwise) but it was handed off after she died intestate, and I believe it''s since been sold.

Here is a link to a picture and some info about the amethysts.


I have a better picture of the Kent amethysts in Field, once I dig it out of a box I''ll scan it here for you to see, Laurensmama.
Click to expand...


You are absolutely right, shadowed rain! The late Queen Mother didn''t like amethysts and that''s why she sold the parure. I''ve seen Anna Wintour wearing the necklace once, but of course this doesn''t mean that she owns it. I''ve allways wondered why did QEQM sold them? Couldn''t she just let them collect dust in the vault like other forgotten pieces? Maybe HM not only didn''t like them, but even hated the jewels? We''ll never know...
BTW the amethyst parure may''ve been a gift hrom the Russian emperor.

Here is another of Queen Alexandra''s amethyst jewels. You can see har wearing this tiara in the link from Shadowed rain''s post. The tiara and the neklace with hexagonal amethysts passed to Princess Maud, Countess of Southesk from her mother(?) and were sold in 1946.

AV001222.jpg
 
I think that when The Queen coloured stones, she usually mathes their colour with the colour of the sash she wears. When the amethyst demi-parure was worn HM wore a mathing violet sash.
I also think that Elizabet II doesn''t share her mother''s dislike for amethysts, because she''s worn the brooch several times.
I think that HM would look better now with her gray hair and the demi-parure.

port2.jpg
 
Date: 6/30/2009 4:44:38 AM
Author: prince.of.preslav

Date: 6/29/2009 8:46:22 PM
Author: shadowed_rain


From what I recall, the Queen Mother wasn''t overly fond of amethysts, and sold the parure because she disliked it. The only KNOWN large amethyst piece left in QEII''s collection are the Kent amethysts, pictured below (which, unfortunately, is very small and doesn''t do the demi-parure justice!). I believe that Queen Alexandra received an amethyst tiara and necklace (either as a wedding gift or otherwise) but it was handed off after she died intestate, and I believe it''s since been sold.

Here is a link to a picture and some info about the amethysts.


I have a better picture of the Kent amethysts in Field, once I dig it out of a box I''ll scan it here for you to see, Laurensmama.
Click to expand...


You are absolutely right, shadowed rain! The late Queen Mother didn''t like amethysts and that''s why she sold the parure. I''ve seen Anna Wintour wearing the necklace once, but of course this doesn''t mean that she owns it. I''ve allways wondered why did QEQM sold them? Couldn''t she just let them collect dust in the vault like other forgotten pieces? Maybe HM not only didn''t like them, but even hated the jewels? We''ll never know...
BTW the amethyst parure may''ve been a gift hrom the Russian emperor.

Here is another of Queen Alexandra''s amethyst jewels. You can see har wearing this tiara in the link from Shadowed rain''s post. The tiara and the neklace with hexagonal amethysts passed to Princess Maud, Countess of Southesk from her mother(?) and were sold in 1946.
Click to expand...
If that''s true, then those amethysts were probably mined in the Ural mountains, and that mine has stopped producing for decades. It had the most amazing amethysts, and the term "Siberian amethyst" was coined from the color of these amazing reddish purple stones. Although amethyst is considered to be an inexpensive stone, the original Siberian material is valuable and rare.

The Queen owns amethyst, sapphire, ruby, aquamarine and emeralds? Are there any other types of colored gems in her collection? She should get herself a nice Brazilian paraiba suite!!
 
Hi, TL!

You're right about the Siberian amethysts. I'm a huge fan of amethysts and love the deep colour of the Siberian ones.

To the coloured stones that you mantion I'll only add The Queen's gold and jade necklace. The necklace was a wedding gift to Princess Elizabeth. HM hasn't worn it in public, and I doubt she's worn it in private.

Here is the necklace
 
That jade necklace, although very pretty, doesn''t seem like HM''s taste. I can see why she probably hasn''t worn it. Thanks for the pic!! I still think she needs to get some Paraiba tourmalines though!! They would put her aqua suite to shame!
 
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