Royal Jewels

[prince.of.preslav]

For what this is worth -

A diamond and pearl necklace that belonged to Princess Di was bought many years ago
by a Houston Texas business man. "Mattress Mac" (made his fortune in the furniture business)
He had the necklace on display at his store in Houston - under protected glass, for years.

His daughter was married last summer and she wore the necklace !! Awesome. I saw the pics
in a Texas wedding/bridal magazine. Wish I could post them.

If we're talking about the same jewel (and I have little doubt about that), then I must say that the necklace, nor the earrings, ever belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales. She allegedly asked Gerrards to make a diamond and pearl necklace and earrings for her. The Princess wore the necklace once at a gala performance and then returned it to the jewellers as the earrings were not finnished yet (at the thetre gala she wore a pair of diamond earrings of her own). As Diana died shortly after that, she never saw the complete set and actually she never payed it. That's why the set was not inherited by Diana's children. Some time after that, the jeweles were sold privately to a private (American) collector, presumably the same one you mention.

The Swan Lake necklace and earrings at the auction:

Bobby

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Bobby, in re-reading your post on the brooch, I don't think they're the same but am not sure. Looks like the Frosted Sunflower brooch is kind of covered in diamonds, but they are very similar in shape. What do you think?

I do remember Diana's white & gold military suit -- not imo one of her more successful outfits, but I don't recall seeing the Queen wear something of that style before. If she has, anyone know of pics?

--- Laurie

They're the same and I'm 100% sure about that, Laurie. Both have a diamond cluster center and diamonds on the petal. The stem is also the same. So, yes, the brooches from all four photos (2xOman, yours ans mine) are the same.

I don't think Queen Elizabeth II has worn a dress similar to the one from Oman before, but The Duchess of Cornwall has. And it's one of her favs for military occasions: http://madhattery.royalroundup.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/2010-11-20-britain-camilla.jpg

PS: It seems I was writing my reply to bebe when you've already posted yours.

Bobby

 

[JewelFreak]

Bobby -- yes, that's the necklace we were speaking of. I remember that Diana returned it to have earrings made & that she died before it was ready. The Texas guy is the one who bought the suite -- paid BP 360,000. I can't find any info on his subsequent auction of it, only that it was scheduled to be sold 9/26/10 by Guernsey auction house. Nothing after that, whether it was indeed purchased, or withdrawn, or didn't make reserve price.

Funny that brooch has 2 names & looks different -- it seems more diamond-y & sparkly in some pics. I found it called Frosted Sunflower Brooch in the Tudors Wiki, here: http://tudorswiki.sho.com/photos/album/157749/Queen+Elizabeth+II's+Brooches?offset=20&maxResults=20. Middle of the 3rd row down. No description or info given.

--- Laurie

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Thank you Laurie for the additional information about the sales of the Swan Lake jewels.
And also thanks for the link. There were some photos I'd not seen before.

Bobby

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Estonian State Visit to Sweden - Day 2 - banquet at City Hall

The Queen wore a most interesting brooch, which I've not seen before, and the pearls from the previous night:

Princess Christina was also present and wore turquoise and gold earrings and a chain and diamond peandant in gold:

Bobby

 

[JewelFreak]

Nice photo of P. Victoria, now in the UAE, wearing her pretty aquamarine earrings.

 

[JewelFreak]

Many of you know more about the Scandinavian jewels than I do - what is the history of this strange thing of Queen Margarethe's? It looks like she's set up to receive signals from outer space! (Sorry if anyone loves it, probably my poor taste.)

--- Laurie

 

[lulu]

You could make something like that yourself with aluminum foil and craft paint. Or maybe you shouldn't try this at home.

 

[Imdanny]

I'm ready to get back to jewels too!

--- Laurie

Laurie, thanks for your post and the picture! Isn't that the necklace that Diana bought for herself late in her life? Or am I mistaken?

Edit, I see that Bobby covered it. She never actually owned it. I don't mind. If she wore it then that's enough of an association for me.

Very interesting. Thanks, both, and thanks, Bebe.

 

[Principessa]

Hello everyone! I just enrolled...well actually, I'm not really new here, I've been an observer for two years now.
I would like to give you a food for thought.
This BMHO "Fairy tale", beautiful, fragile parure, must be from Prince Henrik's l'Indochine heritage. It is a parure that we can see on ancients portraits of princesses and noble women of the area of China and Vietnam.
I do not have any picture at the moment to prove it, but if you search, I'm sure you will find it.
Glad to be here, in between all of you with the same glittering obsession!

Happy New Year full of Joys! (BTW doesn't "jewellery", from French: joillerie, mean JOY in fact?!..an opinion anyone?)

Liza

 

[bebe]

For what this is worth -

A diamond and pearl necklace that belonged to Princess Di was bought many years ago
by a Houston Texas business man. "Mattress Mac" (made his fortune in the furniture business)
He had the necklace on display at his store in Houston - under protected glass, for years.

His daughter was married last summer and she wore the necklace !! Awesome. I saw the pics
in a Texas wedding/bridal magazine. Wish I could post them.

If we're talking about the same jewel (and I have little doubt about that), then I must say that the necklace, nor the earrings, ever belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales. She allegedly asked Gerrards to make a diamond and pearl necklace and earrings for her. The Princess wore the necklace once at a gala performance and then returned it to the jewellers as the earrings were not finnished yet (at the thetre gala she wore a pair of diamond earrings of her own). As Diana died shortly after that, she never saw the complete set and actually she never payed it. That's why the set was not inherited by Diana's children. Some time after that, the jeweles were sold privately to a private (American) collector, presumably the same one you mention.

The Swan Lake necklace and earrings at the auction:

Bobby

Really ? wow. Great information thanks for clearing that up.

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Many of you know more about the Scandinavian jewels than I do - what is the history of this strange thing of Queen Margarethe's? It looks like she's set up to receive signals from outer space! (Sorry if anyone loves it, probably my poor taste.)

--- Laurie

LOL! I don't really like the Golden Popies, but when the right amount is worn, I think they're passable. The parure was made for Queen Margrethe II in the 1970s with gold, diamonds and opals.

Bobby

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Danny & Bebe, you're welcome!

Bobby

 

[Principessa]

What splendid pictures! Thank you Bobby!
since the Queen is an artist and designer in her own right, I wonder, if she suggested this design, or designed herself , based on some
oriental royal portraits?
Would you have any information of that, please?
thank you
Liza

 

[JewelFreak]

I don't really like the Golden Popies, but when the right amount is worn, I think they're passable. The parure was made for Queen Margrethe II in the 1970s with gold, diamonds and opals.

The materials are really beautiful; the gold is gorgeous. However, in Bobby's photo it just looks like one of those things they put on you to trade your brain into someone else's head in a SciFi movie. For me it's the Star Trek Tiara from now on!

--- Laurie

 

[JewelFreak]

BTW, Welcome, Liza! Glad you decided to join & speak up! All jewel addicts are admitted.

--- Laurie

 

[Principessa]

LOL!!!!!! ..but sticking with my "Fairy - tale" ! ..and Thank you for your welcome!
Liza

 

[LadyMaria]

I love it when new people join!

So which is more outlandish: The golden poppies or Queen Sonja's Xena Warrier Princess tiara?

http://d.imagehost.org/view/0121/Sonja_nouveau_diad_me_1

 

[prince.of.preslav]

I can't tell. For me both the poppies and the gold tiara have passable versions - when only one or two poppies are worn and when the golden tiara is worn with the green center. I certanly hate Queen Sonja's gold choker with the red center and Queen Margrethe's earrings. I think that someday Mary/Marie with her dark hair will be able to pull off the poppies (just a couple of them in one time), whereas I'm not sure if someone would ever look good with the Xenia WP parure (certanly not Mette-Marit)...

If only Queen Margrethe II could use only one of the pendants of the earrings, insted of the whole thing:

Bobby

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Hello everyone! I just enrolled...well actually, I'm not really new here, I've been an observer for two years now.
I would like to give you a food for thought.
This BMHO "Fairy tale", beautiful, fragile parure, must be from Prince Henrik's l'Indochine heritage. It is a parure that we can see on ancients portraits of princesses and noble women of the area of China and Vietnam.
I do not have any picture at the moment to prove it, but if you search, I'm sure you will find it.
Glad to be here, in between all of you with the same glittering obsession!

Happy New Year full of Joys! (BTW doesn't "jewellery", from French: joillerie, mean JOY in fact?!..an opinion anyone?)

Liza

Welcome Liza! It's nice to have new members here!

Do you mean the fact that The Prince Consort spent part of his childhood in Vietnam? That could be, but I hope it's not right as it would mean that both Prince Henrik and King Harald have questionable taste... I'd rather think was Queen Daisy's artistic mind that created the poppies.
At least his daughters-in-law got some very nice jewels from him

Bobby

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Here's a photo of Queen Silvia drom last night's return banquet offered by the President of Estonia and his wife to their Swedish hosts. The Queen wore her V-shaped diamond necklace and circle earrings.
I'm happy that we wont see the dress at galas anymore The new version looks more suitable for this kind of events.

Bobby

 

[Cordata]

Hello everyone! I just enrolled...well actually, I'm not really new here, I've been an observer for two years now.
I would like to give you a food for thought.
This BMHO "Fairy tale", beautiful, fragile parure, must be from Prince Henrik's l'Indochine heritage. It is a parure that we can see on ancients portraits of princesses and noble women of the area of China and Vietnam.
I do not have any picture at the moment to prove it, but if you search, I'm sure you will find it.
Glad to be here, in between all of you with the same glittering obsession!

Happy New Year full of Joys! (BTW doesn't "jewellery", from French: joillerie, mean JOY in fact?!..an opinion anyone?)

Liza

That is interesting! The "tiara" was made for the Queen in 1976 by Arje Griest and was part of a tiara exibition ( http://www.bodilbinner.dk/tiara/galleri.html# ) which also had the Midnight tiara which is now sometimes worn by CP Mary.
I would really like to see some of the traditional Asian headdresses. If the Golden Poppies are really inspired by Vietnamese traditions, that thing would at least make some sense to me. Even though I still wouldn't find it beautiful when worn as a whole. As Bobby stated, the effect can be quite nice when one or two poppies are worn in the hair. I've once seen a photoshopped picture of Mary with two poppies in her hair and the effect was beautiful on her dark hair.

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Nice to see you back, Cordata, and thanks for the link. The caption bolow the photo of the poppies sais: By Arje Grieg - lent by Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II. Manufactured in 1976.
Hårsmykket is of 21 karat gold hammered thin plates, and each flower is equipped with a baroque pearl and four stamens, and terminating in diamonds. Moon Stone and aquamarines are attached to the leaves, which portrays the dewdrops. The flowers teeming with insects, created by oriental pearls, crystals, opals, moonstones and diamonds. Rear seen eight ravhjerter.*

*translated with the generous help of GoogleTranslate

The tiara in the middle of the 3rd row was worn by Crown Princess Mary's lady-in-waiting at the opera gala for Margrethe II's 70th birthday last April. I have a photo somewhere.

Bobby

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Today two royal ladies have reasons to celebrate - HRH The Countess of Wessex and HRH Princess Mathilde of Belgium celebrate the anniversary of their births. Lets hope they'll shine in their jewels for many more years!

Bobby

 

[Principessa]

I am truly happy you do, Lady Maria! Thank you, it's very kind of you!

To your quiz question: IMO, the Queen Sonia's tiara is far from any tale; fairy, or other.(and you make me laugh! that's a funny, accurate nickname!). So the Queen of Denmark wins!...in my realm that is. But really...I do not recall any other tiara to be less feminine.
I think this tiara is inspired by the traditional head pieces the Queen wears with the national costumes(mostly very beautiful) that she dons
for some National celebrations. But to translate the fabric into metal, no matter how precious, seams to be complicated.
What do you think?

 

[JewelFreak]

Queen Sonja's tiara is not the most successful, is it? Warrior Queen indeed! Awkward design & unflattering shape. Like you used to get as a kid for sending in a cereal box-top. But I do like Queen Silvia's silver & sparkly suit (dress?). Looks good on her.

--- Laurie

 

[Cordata]

Nice to see you back, Cordata, and thanks for the link. The caption bolow the photo of the poppies sais: By Arje Grieg - lent by Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II. Manufactured in 1976.
Hårsmykket is of 21 karat gold hammered thin plates, and each flower is equipped with a baroque pearl and four stamens, and terminating in diamonds. Moon Stone and aquamarines are attached to the leaves, which portrays the dewdrops. The flowers teeming with insects, created by oriental pearls, crystals, opals, moonstones and diamonds. Rear seen eight ravhjerter.*

*translated with the generous help of GoogleTranslate

The tiara in the middle of the 3rd row was worn by Crown Princess Mary's lady-in-waiting at the opera gala for Margrethe II's 70th birthday last April. I have a photo somewhere.

Bobby

Here is the picture of Caroline Heering at the opera gala which I already posted months ago. The thread has grown so long that it becomes very difficult to find older posts, lol, so I post it again.
It would be nice if Princess Marie would also be able to borrow a tiara from a jeweller from time to time, like Mary does with the Midnight tiara. Marie really could to with a second tiara. May the small daisy tiara which Georg Jensen made for the exhibition would be an option? It's just small and not very sparkling, but those enamel daisies have a long tradition in Denmark and with court Jeweller Georg Jensen.
All the other modern tiaras of the exhibition are more or less awful, imho.

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Thanks for reposting the photo, Cordata! BTW, isn't this an ex-lady-in-waiting now? I think Caroline Heering is now Mary's Private Secretary.

A photo of Queen Victoria with her Regal Circlet for Laurie:

Bobby

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Does somebody here know it Count Carl Johan Bernadotte (formerly HRH The Duke of Dalarna ) inherited a tiara from his mother, or any other jewellery with Swedish royal connection? I believe the only tiara his current wife now wears is from her own family.

Bobby

 

[Cordata]

Thanks for reposting the photo, Cordata! BTW, isn't this an ex-lady-in-waiting now? I think Caroline Heering is now Mary's Private Secretary.

Bobby

Isn't she sharing the duties LiW with Tania Doky, while also being private secretary? I'm not sure, but you might be right.