Royal Jewels

[Sithathoriunet]

The Emerald Belt
This belt is woven of gold and can be seen in photographs of Nasseridin Shah Qajar from the second half of the 19th century. The belt band is 119 cm. and was therefore probably made for Nasseridin Shah, or his father, Mohammad Shah. It could not have been built for Fathali Shah, who was known to have a narrow waist.

The oval-shaped emerald on the beltbuckle is surrounded by diamonds, and has been estimated to be 5 cm. tall and weigh 175 cts. It may have been previously used as part of another decoration. Not much is known of the history of the gem, but for one reference from the court of Jahangir, the Mughul Emperor of India, dated 1616. It could have been brought to Iran following Nader Shah''s conquest of Delhi.

The same belt band was used on the occasion of Reza Shah Pahlavi''s coronation, but a different band was used on the occasion of the coronation of his son, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the last Shah.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

The Sea of Light Diamond "Darya-e Noor"
One of the largest diamonds in the world, this pink diamond and the Koh-e Noor (Mountain of Light) diamond were both brought back from India by Nader Shah in 1739. After the death of Nader Shah, Ahmad Shah Durrani took the Koh-e Noor to Afghanistan, where it passed onto Shah Shuja. He, in turn, was defeated by Ranjit Singh, the Lion of the Punjab. Eventually, it fell into the hands of the East India Company, which presented it to Queen Victoria. The Koh-e Noor is now incorporated in the Queen Mother''s crown. The Koh-e Noor is said to bear a curse since all the male owners of the Kohi Noor suffered terrible fates.

This Darya-e Noor (Sea of Light) diamond, however, has a different story.

After Nader Shah''s death, the Darya-e Noor was inherited by Shahrokh Mirza, his grandson. It then came into the possession of Alam Khan Khozeimeh, and later, Lotfoli Khan Zand, a member of Iran''s Zand Dynasty.

Agha Mohammad Khan, cruel founder of Qajar dynasty, defeated the Zands, and so it came into the possession of the Qajars.

Fathali Shah Qajar had his name inscribed on one facet. Later, Nasseridin Shah Qajar believed that that this diamond was one of the gems decorating the crown of Cyrus the Great, so he often wore it on an armband. When armbands fell from royal fashion, he wore it as brooch. On occasion, the gem would be left in the care of high personages of the land, as a sign of honor, though it was eventually kept hidden in the Golestan Palace treasury museum until Mozzafaridin Shah''s time, when he wore it as a hat decoration while visiting Europe in 1902.

Reza Shah, the founder of the Pahlavi dynasty, wore it as a decoration on his military hat during his coronation in 1926, and it was used in Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi''s coronation ceremony in 1967.

There is no doubt that the diamond was taken from the Golkandeh mines of southern India. In 1965, a Canadian team which was conducting research on the Imperial jewels concluded that this Darya-e Noor may have been part of a large pink diamond which was incorporated in the throne of the Moghul emporor Shah Jehan and described in the journal of the French jeweller Tavernier in 1642, who called it the "Diamanta Grande Table" in his journal. This diamond may have been cut into two pieces; the larger part is the Sea of Light, and the smaller part of is believed to be the Noor-ol Ein diamond which is presently incorporated in a tiara in Iranian imperial jewel collection.

Including the frame, it is 7.2 cm. high and 5.3 cm. wide. It is believed to weigh between 182 to 186 cts. Fathali Shah''s name is inscribed on one facet.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

The Empress''s Crown
Once Muhammad Reza Shah placed the Pahlavi crown on his own head during his coronation ceremony in 1967, he placed this crown on the head of his wife, the Empress Farah. Until that date, the wives of Persian monarchs were not crowned, and so it became necessary to design a new crown for the occasion. That honor was bestowed on the French jewellers, Van Cleef & Arpel.

In accordance with tradition, the gems used in this crown were selected from loose gems in the treasury. The crown is made of green velvet, and white gold. It has more than 38 emeralds, 105 pearls, 34 rubies, 2 spinels, and 1,469 diamonds. The total weight of the crown is 1,481 grams. The largest emerald is located in the center of the sunburst on the front of the crown, and weighs approximately 91.32 cts. The two largest spinels are approximately 83 cts., and the largest pearl is approximately 22 mm. long.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

Emerald Display Case
This display case contains a number of items, mostly constiting of emeralds. A short sword, called a yataghan is in the center of the lower shelf, which has a handle made of ivory, and a scabbard encrusted with emeralds. It is 73 cm. long and was a gift from Reza Gholi Khan to Naser o-Din Mirza, prior to his coronation as Nasseridin Shah.

Above the sword, there are a couple of epaulets which are covered with over 300 diamonds, and large emeralds. They are seen worn by Nasseridin Shah in a portrait photograph which was taken in the Forty Columns (Chehel Sotoon) Palace in Isfahan. There are also a number of pins, brooches and other items of emerald on the lower shelf.

The upper shelf contains hunreds of loose emeralds, as well as a panel displaying 13 large emerald rings.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

The Noor-ol-Ain Tiara
The centerpiece of this tiara is the Noor-ol-Ain diamond, which is one of the largest pink diamonds in the world. The diamond may have been brought from India, along with the Sea of Light diamond. The diamond is set in platinum, and is surrounded by pink, clear and yellow diamonds. The Noor-ol-Ain is a brilliant cut, almost tear shaped diamond of approximately 60 cts.; the other diamonds range from 14 to 19 cts. each.

The tiara was designed by Harry Winston for the occasion of the Empress Farah''s wedding to the the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, in 1958.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

Royal Dish Cover
Since the royal kitchens were far removed from the royal dining room, dish covers were needed to keep the bowls of food warm, and to make sure no one put poison in the King''s food. The particular dish cover seen in this picture is only one of the many jewel-studded dish covers in the treasury. They are all shaped the same, with a broad lip that covered the dish, and a dome-shaped center which acted as a handle. The dish cover is made of solid gold. Eight pearls surrounding a diamond decorate the very top of the dish cover. The rest of item is studded with emeralds, spinels, diamonds and rubies.

The diameter of the dish cover is 19 cm. and its height is 10 cm. The largest four rubies are 12 cts. each, the largest emerald is 30 cts., and the largest spinel is 25 cts.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

tiara ....

 

[Sithathoriunet]

this is farah''s fav tiara, the info for some reason does not want to post i''ve tried about 20 times now! so i''m hand typing it all again....
this was designed by harry winston, new york jeweller..for the occasion of the marriage of empress farah and reze shah in 1958. she wore it a lot! she even wore it for her visit to usa and canada in 1965.
the lower band is platinum above which there are yellow clear and pink diamonds, there are also 7 large emeralds framed by diamonds at the top. the brilliant cuts are recuts from the 19th century loose indian diamonds which were in the treasury, the emeralds from south america, they were cut sometime before shah''s campaign in india. the diamonds around the emeralds are probably from south africa.
the largest emerald in the center is 65 carats..the smallest end ones are 10 each, the two largest diamonds are 15 carats each.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

delighted diana!

 

[T L]

The Persian Royal Collection is breathtaking. Those emeralds are probably some of the finest in the world.

I love this picture of Katherine of Aragon as a young girl. She was the first wife and Queen of Henry VIII, and this portrait dates to the early 1500's. She was the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain and related to the powerful Hapsbergs of Europe. Her nephew, the Holy Roman Emperor, was the most powerful man in Europe, and Henry could not divorce Katherine to marry Anne Boleyn that easily because he needed a Papal dispensation, and the Holy Roman Emperor had power over the Pope and shut down the divorce proceedings.

The necklace she wears is probably Spanish and I love the intertwining K's with pearls and flowers. It was common practice back then to wear one's initials, just like the famous Anne Boleyn "B" necklace.

ETA: Queen Mary Tudor was her daughter (Bloody Mary)

 

[T L]

Another Princess, besides Diana, that was a legend.

 

[prince.of.preslav]

This diamon & platinum necklace is olso a part of the Iranian Crown jewels. The biggest briolet diamond is over 45 carats

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Another royal iranian item - The pearl chest

 

[prince.of.preslav]

It seems that the Iranian royal jewels includes a vast collection of big emeralds

 

[prince.of.preslav]

This emerald, canary and white diamonds and pearls necklace was made for the Shahbanou of Iran - Farah Diba. She wore it during her coronation as Empress of Iran.

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Well this dagger is not Iranian but has big emeralds. This is the Sultan''s Dagger from Topkapi Palace, Ottoman Crown Jewels. I think someone has posted pics of if before.

 

[prince.of.preslav]

The Sultan''s Dagger

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Grand Duchess Vladimir (The one with QEII''s tiara) has had a large collection of jewels including some big emeralds. After her death they were acquireà by american heiress Barbara Huton and set in a tiara/necklace.

 

[prince.of.preslav]

The original necklace and brooch

 

[AdiS]

I love the new pics! And oh, those gorgeous emeralds...

 

[prince.of.preslav]

EMERALDS AND DIAMONDS ARE A GREAT COMBINATION!
This is my favourite photo of QMary. Here she is wearing the full set of The Cambridge emeralds: The Delhi Durbar tiara and necklace, the chooker,the stomackher with the Culian V&VIII diamonds, a pear of earrings and a carved emerald brooch. The Queen is also wearing 3 diamond rivieras and the bar brooch.

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Oops! I forgot the photo

 

[prince.of.preslav]

This is a very simple but nice necklace of Princess Diana. It can be worn with or without the emerald drop.
P.S. I'm sorry if some of the pics have been posted before!

 

[prince.of.preslav]

THR the Prince and Princess of Wales on a formal event where HerRH is wearing the feather necklace without the emerald drop.

 

[jewelerman]

Date: 10/8/2008 12:12:27 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Another Princess, besides Diana, that was a legend.

Be still my heart!Have pearls been worn by a more beautiful woman...she was stunning in Rear Window and to catch a thief...she had a beautiful collection of jewels also.

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Date: 10/9/2008 1:56:30 AM
Author: jewelerman

Date: 10/8/2008 12:12:27 AM

Author: tourmaline_lover

Another Princess, besides Diana, that was a legend.

Be still my heart!Have pearls been worn by a more beautiful woman...she was stunning in Rear Window and to catch a thief...she had a beautiful collection of jewels also.

Isn''t that Grace Kelly?

 

[jewelerman]

Date: 10/9/2008 4:32:21 AM
Author: prince.of.preslav

Date: 10/9/2008 1:56:30 AM
Author: jewelerman

Date: 10/8/2008 12:12:27 AM

Author: tourmaline_lover

Another Princess, besides Diana, that was a legend.

Be still my heart!Have pearls been worn by a more beautiful woman...she was stunning in Rear Window and to catch a thief...she had a beautiful collection of jewels also.

Isn''t that Grace Kelly?

sorry thought i hit the picture of Grace Kelly in the thread.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

i just thought i''d continue to post some lovely ancient royal jewels! these great bracelets are made of solid gold and the stones are the favs of the pharaohs, lapis, carnelian and turquoise. these two bracelets belinged to queen ahhotep. 18th dynasty, egypt.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

of course this ancient egyptian beautiful pectoral i have posted pics of before, these pics are some more i had ..i love this fabulous jewel! it belonged to the princess sithathoriunet of the 12th dynasty. the size is approx 4.5 cm high and 8 cm from wing tip to wing tip. this jewel marks perhaps the epitome of egyptian jewel making .. such refinement and taste. simple and yet amply full of story and detail. most egyptian pectorals were surrounded by design, a temple kiosk if you will, but in this example, the first one of it''s kind ever produced, the kiosk is abandoned and the figures support the design themselves becoming the entire work. this was the first of the two done for this princess like this. this one being worn durng the reign of her father, sesostris II or his real egyptian name kakhepere...they had many names for each pharaoh, but that''s a whole new story!!!! LOL
i''ll post some more of this one from the reverse as well..the last photo i had of the back was small, this new one should be better...
jenna enjoy!

 

[Sithathoriunet]

and the reverse...