Royal Jewels

[prince.of.preslav]

Today i saw (on-line) a very nice exhibition of Marcus Adams' photos of the British Royal Family. There are some interesting photographs of the royals, but two photographs caught my eye because of the jewellery worn.
The first one is of the Duchess of York (later HM The Queen Mother) wearing her sapphire engagement ring - http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/m...meid=1945&object=2943408&row=3&detail=magnify
The second is a portrait of Princess Elizabeth (now HM The Queen) with baby Charles in 1949. HM is wearing the Queens Anne & Caroline pearl necklaces and The Duchess of Teck’s pearl earrings - http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/m...meid=1944&object=2943737&row=1&detail=magnify

You can see the exhibition here - http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/microsites/MAphh/default.asp

Bobby

 

[laurensmama]

Interesting, I thought I read somewhere that the Queen Mum had aquamarines for her engagement ring, was surprised to read it was a sapphire.

 

[JewelFreak]

Big sapphire. Doesn't QEII look fresh & young & pretty? Nice picture & the pearls are just right on her.

--- Laurie

 

[Principessa]

Beautiful pictures, Bobby!! Thank you!

Here are two more pictures of Q. Mary, in the color photo we can see all the Cullinans one under another...

 

[Principessa]

I forgot to attach this diamond feast!

 

[JewelFreak]

Principessa, great photos of QM. The colored (colorized?) one really shows how huge the Cullinans are. QM had such an ability to get all covered in jewels & look majestic. (I would look simply silly!) It's a special talent you gotta be born with, don't think you can learn it. Though I'd sure be willing to try.

--- Laurie

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Interesting, I thought I read somewhere that the Queen Mum had aquamarines for her engagement ring, was surprised to read it was a sapphire.

Yes, Prince Albert (Goerge VI) proposed to her with a sapphire ring. I don't think Queen Elizabeth owned many aquamarines. The aquamarine tiara comes to mind, and I once read in an list of Her late Majesty's bracelets on RJWMB that she also owned a diamond and aquamarine bracelet. Have never seen a photo of it, though.

Bobby

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Beautiful pictures, Bobby!! Thank you!

Here are two more pictures of Q. Mary, in the color photo we can see all the Cullinans one under another...

You're welcome, Principessa!

I just calculated the total weight of the largest stones Queen Mary is wearing in the colour photo. It's nearly 1111carats!!! and that's without the weight of the diamonds in the rivieres, the Garter insignia, the bracelets, earrings and the stones (without the two largest ones) in the circlet and posstibly rings. With all of them, maybe the total diamond weight will go to 2000 carats... I'm almost speachles (but I still can write)...

Bobby

 

[neil31uk]

Interesting, I thought I read somewhere that the Queen Mum had aquamarines for her engagement ring, was surprised to read it was a sapphire.

Yes, Prince Albert (Goerge VI) proposed to her with a sapphire ring. I don't think Queen Elizabeth owned many aquamarines. The aquamarine tiara comes to mind, and I once read in an list of Her late Majesty's bracelets on RJWMB that she also owned a diamond and aquamarine bracelet. Have never seen a photo of it, though.

Bobby

Hi Bobby,

This is a link to the aquamarine braclete http://www.royal-magazin.de/england/queen/aquamarines-bracelet-tiara.htm

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Hi Neil!

I was reffering to a bracelet in the Queen Mother's possesion, who died in 2002. The diamond and aquamarine bracelet that Elizabeth II wore at King Constantine II's birthday last year was, apparently, in HM's possesion in 1987, when Field's book was published.
It is possible that Queen Elizabeth gave this bracelet to her elder daughter prior to 1987.

BTW, the link provedes us with a very nice front view of HM's (lovely) smaller aqua tiara, saddly broken years ago. Thanks!

Bobby

 

[neil31uk]

Interesting, I thought I read somewhere that the Queen Mum had aquamarines for her engagement ring, was surprised to read it was a sapphire.

Yes, Prince Albert (Goerge VI) proposed to her with a sapphire ring. I don't think Queen Elizabeth owned many aquamarines. The aquamarine tiara comes to mind, and I once read in an list of Her late Majesty's bracelets on RJWMB that she also owned a diamond and aquamarine bracelet. Have never seen a photo of it, though.

Bobby

Hi,

An interesting quote from the auction catalogue for the Princess Margaret Jewellery sale in 2006:

Lot Notes
Both H.R.H. The Princess Margaret and H.M. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother were introduced to John Donald in the 1960s by Lord Snowdon. H.R.H. The Princess Margaret developed a regular patronage of the craftsman-jeweller while the H.M. Queen Elizabeth The Mother bought the occasional aquamarine-set piece, and usually for her daughter. In this brooch, the striking setting is designed to compliment the unusual aquamarine faceted personally by John Donald to achieve a naturalistic effect.
Link here http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/...8032&sid=52c154fa-328f-4a7a-b7fe-765742585317

It is an example not only of the popularity of aquarmarine's in the family, but also as an exampl of the personal involvement some royal's have in the design of jewels. According to the auction catalogue, both HM QEQM and HRH Princess Margaret liked to buy the work of "craftsmen jewelers" for whom the jewels are as much art as precious objects and that they were more interested int he design than the intrinsic value.

HM QEII has of course also been involved in the design of her own jewels, such as her aquamarine jewels and a sapphire set that was a gift from he father HM KGVI. Of course her involvement was witht he crown jewellers rather that a craftsman, maybe displaying their tastes more than anything. And of course we discussed the bracelet designed by HRH DoE a couple of weeks ago, and he also designed HM QEII's engagement ring.

 

[neil31uk]

Hi Neil!

I was reffering to a bracelet in the Queen Mother's possesion, who died in 2002. The diamond and aquamarine bracelet that Elizabeth II wore at King Constantine II's birthday last year was, apparently, in HM's possesion in 1987, when Field's book was published.
It is possible that Queen Elizabeth gave this bracelet to her elder daughter prior to 1987.

BTW, the link provedes us with a very nice front view of HM's (lovely) smaller aqua tiara, saddly broken years ago. Thanks!

Bobby

If I am reading the various accounts of this small aquamarine tiara correctly, it was a gift from the Govenor of Saul Paulo and later the scroll orniments (or scrolls made fromt he parts of the tiara) were added to the larger aquamarine tiara made for the Queen. Shame in a way as the smaller tiara would suit the Countess of Wessex I think.

 

[prince.of.preslav]

If I am reading the various accounts of this small aquamarine tiara correctly, it was a gift from the Govenor of Saul Paulo and later the scroll orniments (or scrolls made fromt he parts of the tiara) were added to the larger aquamarine tiara made for the Queen. Shame in a way as the smaller tiara would suit the Countess of Wessex I think.

You're reading the accounts correctly, Neli, or at least that's how I'm also reading them Obviosly the small 1968 tiara suited The Queen more (and was prettier) than any of the other aquamarine tiaras HM owns/owned. In my opinion breking this tiara was Elizabeth II's biggest mistake as far as jewellery is concerned.

Bobby

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Hi,

An interesting quote from the auction catalogue for the Princess Margaret Jewellery sale in 2006:

Thanks, that's an interesting information. I didn't know Queen Elizabeth bought the brooch for Princess Margaret.

Looking for a photo of Princess Margaret with the aquamarine brooch in my files (without success), I saw this photo of the Princess' wedding dress with the Poltimore tiara (a copy of it I suppose). Does anybody know who owns the copy - the Royal Famuly (The Queen) or HRH's children?

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Yesterday I came across this in a way strange photo of the previous Princess of Wales. She is wearing the emerald pendant earrings from her husband and the necklace with the sapphire pendant from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, it seems. If I'm not mistaken, the gown is in (emerald) green.
Does anybody know why she mixed colours and is there a colour version of this photograph?

Bobby

 

[prince.of.preslav]

My mistake. The gown is blue, not green.Bobby

 

[JewelFreak]

Are we sure these were taken on the same occasion? Or am I seeing things? In the first picture it does look like the Saudi pendant; in the second, the PoW feathers pendant to which she attached the emerald drop.

--- Laurie

 

[prince.of.preslav]

You're not seeing things, Laurie! Diana is indeed wearing different pendants in the two photos. The second photograph I uploaded to show the colour of the dress. So, these are two separate occasions.

Bobby

 

[alexander1917]

Hi,

An interesting quote from the auction catalogue for the Princess Margaret Jewellery sale in 2006:

Thanks, that's an interesting information. I didn't know Queen Elizabeth bought the brooch for Princess Margaret.

Looking for a photo of Princess Margaret with the aquamarine brooch in my files (without success), I saw this photo of the Princess' wedding dress with the Poltimore tiara (a copy of it I suppose). Does anybody know who owns the copy - the Royal Famuly (The Queen) or HRH's children?[attachment=0]WeddingDressMuseumofLondon.jpg[/attachment]

the royal dress collection (Kensington Palace) show some different outfits of the RF (f.e. wedding dresses, QM coronation robe, QM evening dresses from the 1930's) all are displayed with paste jewels of the original pieces which were worn with the dresses.
which I remember were crowns, Empress MF saphire brooch, Lover's knot tiara etc...

 

[alexander1917]

here some pics from the Royal Dresss Collection

in the background of the Coronation Robe, you can see some of QM day dresses

 

[QueenShelly]

Oh my that is alot

 

[QueenShelly]

Were is the web page on the dress above

 

[JewelFreak]

Sorry, Bobby, didn't mean to sound critical about the pendants -- I only wondered if my eyes were crazy! Odd that Diana mixed stones, but she did like to have fun with jewels. I can't think of another reason.

Alexander, wonderful pics of the RF gowns, thanks for putting them up. The coronation robe is so sumptuous, I would love to touch it.

--- Laurie

 

[alexander1917]

Sorry, Bobby, didn't mean to sound critical about the pendants -- I only wondered if my eyes were crazy! Odd that Diana mixed stones, but she did like to have fun with jewels. I can't think of another reason.

Alexander, wonderful pics of the RF gowns, thanks for putting them up. The coronation robe is so sumptuous, I would love to touch it.

--- Laurie

When I remember right, they were on diplay behind glass (climate for old fabrics) and could'n be touched or photographed. thos were made for the exhibitions and circulate the web. search for Royal Dress and so on. they also have some dresses from the Queen Charlotte ara..

f. e. the coronation dress is from 1911. worn twice. during the Westminster service and the dehli durbar

 

[neil31uk]

HM KGV and HM QM at the Dehli Durbar. I think Mary may have added a velvet cap to the diadem, but no ermin trim. Very clever of her having a diadem made rather than another crown, because as it wasn't part of the crown jewels (so it could leave the UK) it meant she could have it altered as she wished and worn so many way. I think in the form that the Duchess of Cornwall wears it in it flares out more near the top than when it was first made.

 

[Imdanny]

The gown is blue, not green.Bobby

I haven't seen this picture of Diana, Princess of Wales before. Thanks.

 

[QueenShelly]

I would Really like to know were I can find more pictures of the dresses above

 

[alexander1917]

may you could use google picture search. f.e. a search for "queen mary dress" or "royal ceremonial dress collection" and you will found some pics. just try it.

 

[QueenShelly]

Thank u I have been looking but really nothing of the older history is coming up, I will keep looking

 

[prince.of.preslav]

the royal dress collection (Kensington Palace) show some different outfits of the RF (f.e. wedding dresses, QM coronation robe, QM evening dresses from the 1930's) all are displayed with paste jewels of the original pieces which were worn with the dresses.
which I remember were crowns, Empress MF saphire brooch, Lover's knot tiara etc...

Thanks you, Alexander. This are interesting info and photos. I'd love to see the copies of the jewels and to understand which firm makes them.
Does anybody happen to know if Princess Margaret's wedding dress was on loan from her children?