Her Majesty: 70 Years of Jewellery

As the country looks forward to celebrating 70 years since Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne in 1952, we thought we would take a quick peek at the world of the Queen’s Jewels. Not the formal Crown Jewels that are worn purely for coronation and state purposes, but the jewels that the Queen wears and are part of her extensive and dazzling jewellery box.

 

Princess Elizabeth’s marriage to Prince Philip in 1947, showed the future queen in some of the family heirlooms. The Queen Mary Fringe Tiara was made for Queen Mary in 1919, and lent to our Queen by her mother on her wedding day, as her “something borrowed”. As the future Queen was dressed for the occasion, the tiara snapped, but thankfully the court jeweller was on standby to make the necessary repairs, and the tiara made it to the wedding on time.

This wasn’t the only jewellery mishap on the big day. The two strands of pearls, the Queen Anne and the Queen Caroline necklaces, had been on display at St James Palace prior to the wedding, but in a royal oversight, they were forgotten. The Queen’s Private Secretary had to commandeer the use of King Haakon VII of Norway’s limo, and try to get across London and back. But even the mighty limo got stuck in the wedding traffic, and he had to sprint the last bit to make sure the Princess got her pearls!

 

 

At the opening of the Italian Film Festival in 1954, the Queen wore the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara. This mouthful of a name derives from the “Girls” who gave it as a gift to Queen Mary in 1893, and was then gifted as a wedding present to Princess Elizabeth. It is one of the most recognizable tiara’s as it is has been used for portraits of the monarch on British banknotes and coinage.

 

 

The Queen owns a collection of three ribbon bow brooches, all in different sizes. They were originally made for her Great Grandmother, Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria preferred to wear them altogether, but our Queen quite wisely wears one at a time, seen here at a garden party in the 1960’s.

 

 

In 1977, to celebrate her Silver Jubilee, the Queen visited 36 counties over 10 weeks, as well as travelling 56,000 miles around the globe to Commonwealth Countries. And of course her jewels travelled with her. On her green jacket she wears the Cullinan V Brooch, a mere 18.80cts Heart Shaped diamond, cut from the original Cullinan rough.

 

 

It’s not all diamonds in the Queens jewellery box. This beautiful classic sapphire cluster brooch was a wedding gift from Prince Albert to Queen Victoria.

 

 

Time to bring out the big rocks. This amazing brooch consists of the Cullinan III and IV. Cullinan III is 94.4cts pear shape that swings nonchalantly beneath the 63.6ct cushion cut. The Cullinan is the largest gem quality rough diamond ever found, weighing in at a staggering 3,106.75cts. The largest Cullinan I, 530cts is in the crown jewels in the Sceptre and Cross. On a state visit to the Netherlands in 1958, the Queen revealed that Cullinan III and IV are known within the family as “Granny’s Chips” as it was Queen Mary who had these stones made into a brooch. While in the Netherlands, the royal couple visited the Asscher Diamond Company where the Cullinan had been cut 50 years earlier. She unpinned the brooch and allowed Louis Asscher, brother of Joseph Asscher who had originally cut the diamond, to examine. Louis was elderly and almost blind, but it was a deeply moving gesture. This is potentially the most expensive brooch in the world.

 

 

Most of the Queen’s collection of jewellery are family heirlooms, passed down through the generations of royalty. The Brazil Parure is a newcomer to the royal collection. In 1953 the president of Brazil presented the queen with a coronation gift of a necklace and matching ear-rings in aquamarine. It comprises of nine rectangular aquamarine, and an even bigger aquamarine pendant drop. She was so delighted with the set, that in 1957 she had a tiara made to match. And when the Government of Brazil saw how much she liked it, they presented her with a matching bracelet and brooch. So now the Parure is a complete set.