Masterpiece of the Week: The Queen Mother’s Ruby Necklace, 1907

Necklace
Boucheron, 1907
Rubies, Diamonds, Gold
The Royal Collection

A close friend of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, and King George VI, the Honorable Mrs. Ronald Greville was known for her beauty, style and impeccable taste. Mrs. Greville was a keen collector of jewels, and during her life amassed an unprecedented assortment of diamond and gemstone pieces.


Upon her death in 1942, Mrs. Greville bequeathed her amazing collection to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother presented her daughter (now Queen Elizabeth II) with many of the pieces from Mrs. Greville’s collection on the day of her wedding in 1947.

This magnificent necklace was among those jewels given to Her Majesty on her wedding day. Created specifically for Mrs. Greville by Boucheron in Paris in 1907, the necklace of diamonds and bold red rubies is the epitome of Edwardian style with its floral pattern and dense settings.

The only change to the necklace since being presented to the Queen in 1947 is that it has been shortened by the two smallest, uppermost, flower clusters.

Mastery of Design: An Ivory and Diamond Ring, 1750-1800

Ivory and Diamond Ring
Gold, Crystal, Diamonds, Ivory and, possibly, shell.
1750-1800
Possibly German.
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In the late Eighteenth Century, ivory was prized as an exotic and valuable medium. Ivory found its way into a variety of uses from household items to jewelry. Due to its durability and its ability to be carved into delicate and intricate patterns, ivory was a highly desirable material.


This ring by an unknown maker probably comes from Germany between 1750 and 1800. German jewelers were known for their fine ivory carvings and rings such as this were often imported into Britain. Housed behind a crystal dome, an ivory carving shows an intricate pastoral scene. Ethereal in its frame of diamonds, the piece has been set in gold.

For a ring like this to survive this long is quite remarkable. Very often, the crystal was broken from daily wear. This example is in exquisite condition.

Gifts of Grandeur: Queen Elizabeth’s Star of the Order of the Garter

Star of the Order of the Garter
English, 1923
Diamonds, Enamel
The Royal Collection

Traditionally, when a member of the Royal family of Britain marries, a new title or honor is bestowed on either one or both of the betrothed. We saw this most recently when Prince William of Wales and Katherine Middleton were created the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge respectively on the day of their wedding.


When the future King George VI married Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later known as “The Queen Mother”) in 1923, he was given this star upon his investiture with the Order of the Garter. George VI presented his daughter, Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II), with this star upon her investiture with the Order of the Garter prior to her 1947 wedding.

HM Queen Elizabeth II
Cecil Beaton, 1968
The Royal Collection

A masterpiece of diamonds and enamel, the Queen often wears this garter star—as seen in this photograph by Cecil Beaton from 1968.

Mastery of Design: Queen Elizabeth II’s Ruby and Diamond Necklace, 1964

Ruby and Diamond Necklace
English, 1964
The Royal Collection

Before being given to Her Majesty, the Queen, in 1964, this exquisite necklace of flat-cut rubies and brilliant-cut diamond clusters was actually a simple necklace, separate pendant and pair of earrings from the famed Baring Collection of jewels. The earrings and pendant were adapted into the design of the necklace in 1964.


One of several pieces of rubies and diamonds owned by the Queen, this is, by far, one of the most extravagant. Still worn by Her Majesty, this necklace is one of the few pieces in regular rotation in her wardrobe.

Mastery of Design: A Platinum and Diamond Commemorative Brooch, 1937

"Thunderbolt" Diamond Brooch, 1937
Platinum set with Diamonds
England
The Victoria & Albert Museum

The combination of diamonds and platinum defined the look of the jewelry of the 1930’s. Designers created elegant pieces which not only served as ornaments, but lasting reminders of important events.


This platinum and diamond brooch from 1937 was created to commemorate the breaking of the World Land Speed Record by Captain George Eyston in 1937. Beneath rolling clouds, we see Eyston’s car, Thunderbolt, which Captain Eyston designed, built and drove himself. Powered by two aero engines made by the firm of Rolls-Royce, the car was celebrated not only for its speed, but its beauty.

As a token of their appreciation for the good press from this event, Rolls Royce presented this stunning brooch to Captain Eyston’s wife. It’s mighty nifty. Who says driving fast won’t win you anything?

Gifts of Grandeur: Queen Elizabeth II’s Aquamarine and Diamond Tiara, 1957

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II happens to have quite a few tiaras at her disposal. She also happens to wear all of them, though not at once. A good many of them were gifts—particularly from her grandmother, Mary of Teck. This particular one wasn’t a gift, per se, but it was crafted from several gifts given to the Queen for her 1953 coronation.

Aquamarine and Diamond Tiara
1957-1971
Adapted by R. & S. Garrard & Co.
The Royal Collection

When originally constructed in 1957, this tiara featured three upright stones which matched the central portion of the tiara. All three were detachable and could be worn as brooches. The stones rose gracefully from a simple platinum and diamond band.

As a Coronation gift from the people of Brazil, Queen Elizabeth II was given a luxurious suite of aquamarine pieces. In 1971, the Queen had several of these aquamarine pieces adapted into additions to this tiara. The two flanking stones were removed in favor of these aquamarine and diamond scrolls and the central stone was replaced with the centerpiece from a particularly beautiful diamond and aquamarine necklace from the Brazilian suite.

The resulting tiara incorporates the original head-band with these adapted pieces, creating an unusual work of dazzling blue and sparkling diamonds. Her majesty frequently wears this tiara with the remaining pieces from the Brazilian suite and other items from her collection of aquamarines.

Mastery of Design: A Diamond Snuff Box, 1770

Table Snuff Box, 1770
German
Bloodstone, gold, diamonds
The Royal Collection

Over three thousand diamonds backed in silver, pink and yellow foil adorn this bloodstone snuff box. German in origin, the box was made for Frederick II of Prussia who had a collection of over three hundred snuff boxes.


Heralded for its magnificent use of gold mounts and the clarity of its diamonds, the box was considered one of the great treasures of Prussia. In 1917, it was seized by Soviet authorities and, as these things often did, somehow ended up in the hands of Mary of Teck.

Saturday Sparkle: Queen Elizabeth II’s Wedding Bracelet, 1947

Diamond Bracelet
Philip Antrobus, 1947
English
The Royal Collection

For their 1947 wedding, Prince Philip (now the Duke of Edinburgh) wanted to present his bride (now Queen Elizabeth II) with a fitting token of his affection. Philip’s mother, Princess Andrew of Greece, offered her son the brilliant-cut diamonds from one of her tiaras so that they could be reset into a new piece of jewelry for the woman who would become Queen of England.


Prince Philip commissioned London jeweler Philip Antrobus (of 6 Old Bond Street) to create this magnificent bracelet in a very late-1940’s style. The diamonds are gorgeous in their platinum setting and show that despite his gruff exterior, Prince Philip might just have some of the artistic sensibility demonstrated by Prince Albert in the mid Nineteenth Century.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Dorset Bow Brooch, 1893 (Reposted from May 12, 2011)

The Dorset Bow Fan
English, 1893
The Royal Collection

This exceptionally fine diamond brooch helped start a trend in jewelry design, giving rise to the popularity of “bow brooches,” a style which endures to this day. The brooch was a gift to Mary of Teck on the occasion of her marriage (to the future King George V) in 1893.


When Mary’s granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) married in 1947, this was among the many exquisite diamond pieces which Queen Mary lavished on the young bride.

Mastery of Design: A Pendant with Tassie Cameos of George III and Charlotte, 1780 (Reposted from May 12, 2011)

This delicate pendant gold, enamel, glass cameo and pearls bears the likenesses of King George III and Queen Charlotte. The cameos are referred to as “Tassie Cameos” because they are made in the style of William Tassie who perfected a means of crafting sparkling silhouettes in glass of famous people.

Pendant with Tassie Cameos
of King George III and
Queen Charlotte
1780
The Royal Collection

The pendant, created in 1780, was given by King George III and Queen Charlotte to the Honorable Georgiana Townsend, daughter of the 1st Viscount Sydney—the Leader of the House of Commons who was largely responsible for reaching terms of peace with the United States in 1783 following the American Revolution. It was interesting the Sydney was so instrumental in smoothing things over with the Colonies considering that the whole kerfuffle started with the Stamp Act of 1765—an act passed by Sydney’s cousin, Charles Townsend.

Georgiana had spent most of her life in the favor of the Royal Court and was a favorite of Queen Charlotte. Later in her life, Georgiana was appointed to the sinecure of State Housekeeper at Windsor, a position she held until the end of her life. She lived in the Norman Tower at Windsor Castle until her death.

In 1915, most of the items in the Sydney collection were auctioned off. Mary of Teck purchased this pendant at that auction as part of her quest to return as many Royal objects as possible to the Royal Collection.

Saturday Sparkle: Queen Mary’s Stomacher, circa 1920

Queen Mary's Stomacher
Circa 1920
Gold and Diamonds
The Royal Collection

I love the word “stomacher.” The term often refers to a decorative fabric panel of a triangular shape that fits into the front of a woman’s gown at the bodice. It also refers to a similarly shaped piece of jewelry which is worn in the same spot on a gown.


This stomacher was made for Mary of Teck around 1920, possible by Garrard’s. This magnificent work of gold and diamonds is actually three brooches that can be worn as one piece or individually. It was constructed from the large diamonds from two of her wedding presents: the “Kapurthala” stomacher and the ‘Town of Swansea’ crescent, both given in 1893. Queen Mary wore the stomacher frequently and made it a gift to her granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) on her wedding day in 1947.

Gifts of Grandeur: Queen Mary’s Diamond Bangles, 1893

Pair of Gold and Diamond Bangles
Presented to Mary of Teck in 1893
The Royal Collection

In 1893, as a wedding gift, Mary of Teck (after 1911, known as Queen Mary), was presented with a gorgeous pair of gold and diamond bangles by the Bombay Presidency. Knowing how much Mary loved sparkly things, I’m pretty sure she liked them.


There were two things that Queen Mary cared for more than art and jewels—her family and her country. In 1947, she presented these bangles to her granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Queen Mother’s Diamond Chandelier Earrings, 1918

Pair of Diamond Chandelier Earrings
Cartier, 1918 and 1922
Commissioned by The Hon. Mrs. R. Greville
Bequeathed to the Queen Mother, 1942
Presented to Queen Elizabeth II, 1947
The Royal Collection

The original owner of these magnificent earrings was the Honorable Mrs. Ronald Greville who asked Cartier to create the pair using every conceivable cut of diamond. In 1918, Cartier presented Mrs. Greville with the earring sans the six large pear-shaped drops. In 1922, the jewelers are Cartier added the drops, giving the finished product an astonishing variety of modern diamond cuts: half moon, trapeze, square, pear, baguette and emerald.


These were among the magnificent collection of jewelry which Mrs. Greville bequeathed to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, upon her passing in 1942. In 1947, the Queen Mother gifted the earrings to her daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth II, as a wedding gift.