Royal Jewels

[Sithathoriunet]

Pearl and Diamond Tiara

This tiara, from an aristocratic collection sold for 301,000 Swiss francs ($286,76, including buyer''s premium. Set with diamonds, it is designed as a garland of stylized myrtle leaves and is embellished with seven pearls, and part of the garland detaches to be worn as a brooch.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

Diamond Devant De Corsage

The design of this mid-19th century brooch was inspired by nature. It sold for 75,400 Swiss francs ($71,835). It is from the estate of Henriette de l''Espine, S.A.S. la Princesse Louis de Croÿ.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

Count Scheel-Plessen''s Diamond-Encrusted Tiara

This tiara, decorated with diamonds and dating from circa 1900, sold for 94,600 Swiss francs ($90,127). The central diamond rivière is believed to have been commissioned by Carl, Count Scheel-Plessen, either circa 1882 (for the occasion of his marriage to his wife, Louise) or in 1896, when his Danish title of greve (count) was recognized by Prussia.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

Henriette de l''Espine, S.A.S. la Princesse Louis de Croÿ

This very fine pink topaz and diamond bracelet sold for 181,000 Swiss francs ($172,442). It was made around 1830.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

this is a 14th century wedding ring, that was hidden underground..for centuries it lay there, until it was recently discoved by an 11th century sinagogue...where it had been buried to hide it from invaders of the time. it is jewish.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

Queen revisits Wedding Day memories

The Queen viewed poignant reminders of her wedding day as she toured an exhibition celebrating the 60th anniversary of her marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh.

For what was believed to be the first time in years, she set eyes on the bridal gown she wore as she walked down the aisle in 1947 to wed Prince Philip of Greece.

Sir Hugh Roberts, director of the Royal Collection, said it was "lovely" for the monarch to come face to face with the intricate Norman Hartnell dress once again and that it would have brought the memories flooding back.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

Here comes the bride: the Queen and Prince Philip walking down the aisle in 1947

 

[Sithathoriunet]

Royal bridal jewels, including the dazzling 1919 Russian fringe tiara that secured the Queen''s veil, were also on show

 

[Sithathoriunet]

The summer exhibition at Buckingham Palace ran until September 25

 

[Sithathoriunet]

the queens necklace. wow.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

we have see this magnificant dagger before, love the emeralds! but here is a different view...

 

[Sithathoriunet]

£8.1m diamond is 12-year-old Chloe''s best friend
Diamonds, as famously noted by Marilyn Monroe, are a girl''s best friend. Even, it now seems, if you are as young as twelve years old.

When the world''s largest diamond ever to appear at auction was snapped up for £8.1million last night, the first thing its new owner did was to name it after his young daughter, Chloe.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

Princess Aspacia, Prince Christopher and Dowager Queen of Greece

 

[Imdanny]

So great. Thank you so much. The Queen's necklace is especially formidable. Wow.

Btw, has anyone actually seen the Crown Jewels? What do those of you who have seen them remember? I was lucky to be able to see them when I was fourteen. I remember the Black Prince's Ruby (spinel), and the Culllinan II, and the crown they're in, and the Cullinan I (and the scepter). I wish I could remember more (I think that's too young to visit ideally) but in particular my memory of the Cullinan I is vivid. It seems to me as if it happened yesterday. If you get the chance to see it, please do. I would like to be able to go back when I would notice more, know more what to look for, and remember more, not that I see that happening for me.

 

[Imdanny]

Date: 4/3/2009 10:53:36 AM
Author: Sithathoriunet
we have see this magnificant dagger before, love the emeralds! but here is a different view...

and to whom does it belong, Jenna? I don't remember. TIA.

 

[Imdanny]

Date: 4/2/2009 8:12:56 AM
Author: prince.of.preslav
You''re welcome, Imdanny!

 

[AGBF]

I've just been catching up on this thread. You've all been very busy writing and it has been a pleasure to read! If I had known there was so much drama (I refer to discussions that left the realm of royal jewelry and somehow traveled to New Zealand and embroiled my friend, Holly) I would have made an effort to return sooner!

I went through a phase of worshipping Eleanor of Aquitaine, reading as many biographies as I could get my hands on. Although it may not be completely historically faithful, I think that the movie,"The Lion in Winter" in extremely evocative of her and her times (and, therefore of the time of Henry II, of course). If anyone has not seen it, I highly recommend it for the sheer entertainment value and the beautiful music!

Here is a clip from YouTube of Eleanor's arrival at the fictitious Christmas court at Chinon. Listen to the Latin and the music!!!


AGBF

 

[Sithathoriunet]

Date: 4/3/2009 7:02:25 PM
Author: Imdanny

Date: 4/3/2009 10:53:36 AM

Author: Sithathoriunet

we have see this magnificant dagger before, love the emeralds! but here is a different view...

and to whom does it belong, Jenna? I don''t remember. TIA.

Emerald Dagger, Topkapi Palace, Ottoman Crown Jewels

Origin of name

The Topkapi Emerald Dagger is the renowned jewel-studded dagger of mid-18th century origin, preserved and displayed for public viewing at the treasury of the Topkapi Palace Museum, in Istanbul, Turkey. One side of the handle of the dagger is set with three large Colombian emeralds of good color and clarity whose size and prominence undoubtedly gave the dagger its popular name. The exquisitely crafted jewel-studded dagger was actually one of several other valuable gifts that was carried by an embassy of Sultan Mahmud I (1730-54) to Iran, to be gifted to the mighty Iranian conqueror Nadir Shah, but unfortunately was not delivered as Nadir Shah was assassinated, when the embassy just crossed the borders of the Ottoman Empire into Iranian territory. The gifts including the jewel-studded dagger were then returned to the treasury at Istanbul, and eventually became one of the most celebrated treasures in the treasury of the Topkapi Palace Museum. The popularity of the dagger, as well as the museum that holds it, were given a major boost worldwide, when it was made the subject of a popular Hollywood heist film in 1964, based on Eric Ambler''s novel "The Light of Day."


Characteristics of the emerald dagger

The three emeralds on the handle are large, deep green stones with good clarity and transparency. The emeralds are mounted on the handle on one side. The upper and lower emeralds have an identical pear-shaped cut, with almost identical sizes and set with their pointed ends facing each other. The middle emerald is a rectangular cushion-cut stone, whose width is slightly less than the width of the pear-shaped stones. The outline of this vertical arrangement of emeralds seem to coincide with the conventional biconcave shape of a dagger, which gives a firm grip on its handle. The emeralds are interspersed with smaller diamonds placed at the four corners of the rectangle in the middle and the four corners of the trapezia situated above and below the rectangle. At the end of the handle is an octagonal-shaped emerald, set as a cover, which when opened revealed a small watch. Around this cover and the sides of the handle are rows of smaller diamonds, the smallest on the dagger. The backside of the handle is done in enamel and mother-of-pearls.

The Topkapi Emerald Dagger from the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul, Turkey

The entire length of the dagger is about 35 cm, inclusive of its handle. The curved blade of the dagger alone may be just over two-thirds of its length, and closely fits into curved sheath. The sheath is made out of gold with enameled flower motifs and encrusted with diamonds. The enameled flower motif at the center of the sheath represents a bouquet of flowers placed in a vase. The diamonds encrusted on the sheath also form a design on either side of the enameled flower motif, one towards the base and the other towards the tip of the sheath. The diamond motif at the base of the sheath consists of 31 diamonds, mostly rectangular in shape arranged in a symmetrical pattern. The other diamond motif towards the tip of the sheath is made up of 21 diamonds, also placed symmetrically. The tip of the curved sheath is occupied by a large emerald.

Overall the emerald dagger and its enclosing sheath represent a masterpiece of the highest artistic traditions, and the art of jewelry making, that reached a highly refined status in the 17th century Ottoman Empire. A diamond-studded gold chain attached to the handle of the dagger enhances the ornamental value of this artistic creation.


History of the Emerald Dagger
Source of the emeralds

The source of the emeralds mounted on items of jewelry, daggers, jewel-encrusted ornaments, the peacock throne etc. which were gifts of ambassadors, enthronement gifts and purchases of the Sultans themselves, and are presently exhibited in the treasury of the Topkapi Museum, are said to be the ancient Muzo and Somondoco (Chivor) mines of Colombia. The Muzo mines which were discovered by the Spanish in 1594 continued production until the mid-18th century, when a disastrous fire stopped all mining activity, and the mine had to be abandoned. Production in the Muzo mines resumed again only after the Colombia had gained its independence from the Spanish in 1819. The Somondoco (Chivor) mines which started production in the mid-16th century, remained in production only for about 125 years, and in the year 1675, was closed down permanently, by royal decree issued by King Charles II, due to the cruel and and barbaric treatment meted out to the indigenous Indian working population. The mines that were overgrown with jungle were rediscovered only in the year 1896 and production resumed in 1911. Thus any emeralds that reached Istanbul, the capital of Ottoman Turkey before 1675, would have either originated in the Muzo or Somondoco emerald mines. However, those emeralds that reached Istanbul after 1675, until around the year 1750, must necessarily have originated in the Muzo mines of Colombia.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

and there are more!
dagger and sheath , ottoman , c 1664 steel , gold , diamond , emerald , enamel topkapi palace museum this dagger was a gift from hatice turhan sultan to her son mehmet 4th ( reigned 1648 1687 ) at the opening of the new mosque in eminonu istanbul on friday 8 february 1664

 

[Sithathoriunet]

another view, nice emerald...

 

[Sithathoriunet]

now, she isn''t royal...well, perhaps in hollywood, but she got to wear this set of emeralds that would be right at home in the royal jewels! WOW my goodness! what a set of stones those emeralds are! angelina, where are they now???

 

[Sithathoriunet]

ok, i want to put my name in for those earrings!

 

[Sithathoriunet]

i think that set should come home for the week with me..i could totally find a place for them here!!!!!!!!! LOL

 

[Sithathoriunet]

Emerald and Diamond Box Iranian Crown Jewels
perhaps a place to keep those emeralds angelina was wearing?

 

[Sithathoriunet]

A fine art deco emerald, diamond and rock crystal necklace (Top) and a matching bracelete, formerly belonging to Anita Delgado, the fifth wife of Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala, is displayed at Christie''s auction house in central London, 03 December 2007. The necklace is one of eight jewels once belonging to Anita Delgado, and together are expected to fetch in the region of GBP 200,000, (approx 281,366 euros/412,809 USD) at the "Magnificent Jewels" auction at Christie''s 12 December in London.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

another view

 

[Sithathoriunet]

and one more

 

[Sithathoriunet]

Emerald and Diamond Rigid bracelet Russian Crown Jewels

 

[Sithathoriunet]

Emerald Tiara once part of the Russian Imperial Families Collection of Jewels

 

[Sithathoriunet]

oh, here''s one more of that emerlad necklace....just found it...