Duchess of Cornwall Jewellery 5: November 2007 - February 2008

[noldorlord]

Does anyone else want to see the ruby necklace and earrings that the Queen Mum used to wear that belonged to Queen Victoria--I'm hoping they are coming next!!!

Or the QM's Emeralds I have not seen them in a lng time.

 

[jcbcode99]

I think Camilla wears most of the royal jewels well, and has the personality and charisma to carry them off. She looks great in both the Boucheron and Delhi Durbar tiaras, and the Queen Mothers diamond necklace that she wore to her 60th birthday party. These jewels have the potential to develop into her signature pieces.

That said, I thought some of the very large pieces she has worn probably did come across as a bit over the top, and perhaps inappropriate for the occassions on which they were worn. I am specifically referring to the Saudi ruby necklace and the Greville 5 strand necklace she wore in Uganda. They would perhaps fit in better if they were worn at a state banquet, or if Charles and Camilla accompanied HM and the DoE to the state opening of parliament as Charles and Diana used to.

My other observation has been that the UK press has generally been very supportive of Camilla's use of the QMs jewellery. Again, the two occassions where the press was less than complimentary was when Camilla wore the Saudi ruby necklace and the Greville 5 strand in Uganda.

My own (and completely unsubstantiated) view is that Charles probably takes a very keen interest in the jewels that Camilla wears, and probably pushed for her to be given access to a lot of the major pieces. Similarly when it came to the CHOGM in Uganda, I suspect it was Charles who probably wanted Camilla to wear the Greville 5 strand, with a view to sending out the message to the Commonwealth at large about her senior position in the royal family, and of the Queen's support of Camilla. The trip to the CHOGM was very much part of Charles' campaign to position himself as the successor to the Queen as the head of the Commonwealth.

Not just Charles' campaign, but also his mother's campaign to position him as the successor to the monarchy;
I will have to say that I did not care for the "Ruby Breastplate' but I do like the other Saudi necklace she received.

 

[noldorlord]

I love the rubys! But do feel That because of the trouble that these not so poor stones caused, they might be cut down and perhaps a complete set could be made.

 

[jcbcode99]

I think the piece was impressive to be sure, but the simpler design of the other Saudi necklace was perfect for Camilla.
Those are an awful lot of rubies---
The workmanship is lovely, but I think there is just too much dangle there (ironic as I loved the Greville necklace on HRH) but I don't know if she would dismantle a piece and redo it--
BUT if she did, what coud we get out of this piece? At first I thought the collar part, with its geometric type design would be a nice necklace on its own, but you can seperate the other rubies and create a ruby necklace not unlike the Queen Mum's. The long diamond links could become bracelets, and some drop earrings could be made as well.
but, she must love it to have totted it across the pond to wear in the US!

 

[andrew]

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Although it is a huuuge piece, I think it looked gracious. It just looked good on Camilla!
The Queen had a similar ruby necklace in dimensions, the Burmese wedding gift, but she never wore it and dismantled it. The result is the not so gracious Burmese ruby tiara!

 

[jcbcode99]

Although it is a huuuge piece, I think it looked gracious. It just looked good on Camilla!
The Queen had a similar ruby necklace in dimensions, the Burmese wedding gift, but she never wore it and dismantled it. The result is the not so gracious Burmese ruby tiara!

So true! That ruby tiara is not the most attractive the Queen owns--

 

[BeatrixFan]

Oh I disagree. I rather like it. Very big, very bold, makes a statement. What's the point of having the wealth to wear a tiara and wearing something so tiny that it disappears behind bangs? No, money should show money. Adore the Burmese. The tiara, not the junta.

 

[jcbcode99]

Oh I disagree. I rather like it. Very big, very bold, makes a statement. What's the point of having the wealth to wear a tiara and wearing something so tiny that it disappears behind bangs? No, money should show money. Adore the Burmese. The tiara, not the junta.

I prefer the sapphire tiara--although I used to hate it. I guess it grew on me. I would like to see HM stop wearing that ugly ruby necklace with the Burmese tiara, though---oh wait, this is the DoC jewels thread, right??

Ok--back on track--I would love to see a turquoise tiara on the Duchess--similar to Margaret's or the Duchess of Gloucester's---such a shame there aren't any turquoise parues in the Royal Family (that we know of, anyway). I think they would suit HRH.

 

[muriel]

I think the piece was impressive to be sure, but the simpler design of the other Saudi necklace was perfect for Camilla.
Those are an awful lot of rubies---
http://merryroyals.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/camillaacademyofmusic-1.jpg
The workmanship is lovely, but I think there is just too much dangle there (ironic as I loved the Greville necklace on HRH) but I don't know if she would dismantle a piece and redo it--
BUT if she did, what coud we get out of this piece? At first I thought the collar part, with its geometric type design would be a nice necklace on its own, but you can seperate the other rubies and create a ruby necklace not unlike the Queen Mum's. The long diamond links could become bracelets, and some drop earrings could be made as well.
but, she must love it to have totted it across the pond to wear in the US!

One idea may be for Camilla to have the Saudi ruby necklace converted into a tiara - in concept not to dissimilar to the fringe tiara, or perhaps the the Queen's Kokoshnik diamond tiara before it was altered. In size and stature, I am sure the resultant tiara can be similar to the Boucheron or the Durbar. What say? Could one of the photoshop experts on the forum please have a go?

 

[LadyK]

I did convert it to a tiara a few months ago. I think as a tiara it looks a bit... Disney-ish? Definately weird, and not so pretty. I agree with Janet (jcbcode99) that a large turquoise tiara would look nice in Camilla- I just can't remember if there is one in the BRF's collection.
Aquamarines or Sapphires would probably look lovely on Camilla (although not that aquamarine tiara horror HM QEII has :gag. She'd also probably look good with amethysts or maybe even emeralds.

I just think she needs something big enough to balance out that hair!

 

[BeatrixFan]

I'd love to see Camilla in Amethysts. I really think they'd suit her.

 

[Thomas Parkman]

i too love amethysts. I think she would look magnificent in a completel parure of them. Much as I adore rubies the massive breastplate is just overdone. but taking it apart and making other thingies with it might not accomplish much either so let us enjoy its glorious excess. Just what tiara would you put with it. Perhaps some of our photoshopping genii would put a tiara etc on with the massive ruby contraption so I could then eat my words at the sight of all that massive conglomeration of diamonds and rubies. I agree she would look fabulous in emeralds. Everybody looks fabulous in emeralds. I have even campaigned to get Brad Pitt bedecked in emeralds, which could only brring about al massive improvement. I would look fabulous in emeralds too. If you have any extra send them to me COD. Cheers.

 

[muriel]

I did convert it to a tiara a few months ago. I think as a tiara it looks a bit... Disney-ish? Definately weird, and not so pretty. I agree with Janet (jcbcode99) that a large turquoise tiara would look nice in Camilla- I just can't remember if there is one in the BRF's collection.
Aquamarines or Sapphires would probably look lovely on Camilla (although not that aquamarine tiara horror HM QEII has :gag. She'd also probably look good with amethysts or maybe even emeralds.

I just think she needs something big enough to balance out that hair!

An acquamarine tiara would look lovely on Camilla, and I agree, it would need to be quite big to offset Camilla's hair

 

[andrew]

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An interesting brooch was worn by the Duchess, it seems like a balerina.
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa4/andrewcs/79290623.jpg

picture from getty images

 

[BeatrixFan]

Indeed it is a ballerina. I've never seen it before - I think it's quite beautiful.

 

[Cordonez]

Ballerina Close Up

Fotobanka isifa image service

The first picture of this series has a nice close up of the new brooch.

 

[sgl]

I like this brooch. It looks like something from the 1950s. Very demure and sweet.

 

[andrew]

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Did this brooch belong to the Queen Mother, too?
Maybe a gift from a cultural institute ?

 

[muriel]

I guess the next big state occassion in the UK will be when Sarkozy visits in March on a state visit. Would be great if we get to see Camilla in the Saudi emeralds, which have still not had a public outing. Any others we would like to see?

 

[andrew]

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Well, there would be the other emerald necklace(Greville), Queen Alexandra's necklace(in its elaborate version!), the Rundell tiara, the Teck tiara...
And I lack some serious bracelets! The Duchess most of the time wears her twisted gold bracelets and at the banquets I didnt really noticed a bracelet at all! The QMother had sooo many!

 

[andrew]

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I think there is a better one earlier in this thread. Don't know exactly the page.

 

[LadyK]

So back to Camilla.....

I'm voting for a beautiful tiara. Ideally, a new one!

 

[Madame Royale]

It won't happen (well, I don't think it very likely) but I'd love to see her wear a smaller tiara to the French State Banquet, accompanied by the Queen Mother's diamond drop earrings and a brooch in the middle of her bodice

I'm a firm believer that a necklace need not be worn to every white tie event, and I think it would be a nice change if her décolletage remained bare...

 

[LadyK]

After twelve pages, it is time to close this thread and open a new one for the Duchess of Cornwall's Jewelry. The new thread can be found here.

Also, let's not bring the discussion of Madame Sarkozy over to the new thread. Further discussion of the marriage of the French President and his new wife should be conducted in the this thread over in the Members' Corner.

Hope to see you in the new thread!

LadyK, Royal Jewels Moderator