Queen Elizabeth II: Tiaras, Necklaces etc 2: November 2007-

[IloveCP]

The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor: Flashback Friday: State Opening Bling

I love every necklace here of course. They are all stunning! Queen Victoria's necklace is exquisite!

[Baroness of Books]

That triple-row diamond necklace is incredible; wish I had loose stones lying around to create a sumptuous necklace like that! Thanks, CP.

[Artemisia]

All the necklaces are quite amazing but Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee Necklace is definitely a winner for me.
Absolutely love its style; you can hardly go more regal than that with a necklace.

[Artemisia]

The Queen's bling-bling of a jubilee! Priceless tiaras, necklaces and brooches. The ultimate diamond collection is revealed for the first time

Some had to be smuggled past a revolutionary mob. Some had to be prised from the grasp of a royal mistress. The majority were presented as tokens of esteem, reverence and — for the most part — love. Together, they comprise surely the finest collection of diamonds in the world. And now, in honour of her Diamond Jubilee, the Queen has authorised the first public study and display of these dazzling symbols of majesty.

Most, if not all pieces in this article are well-known but it does contain some of the best and clearest pictures of them I've seen.

- The Greville Tiara
- The Vladimir Tiara
- The Girls Of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara

- Queen Mary's stomacher

- The Flame Lily Brooch
- The Maple Leaf Brooch
- The Lover's Knot Brooch
- The Emperor of Austria Brooch
- The Williamson Pink Diamond Brooch
- The Nizam of Hyderbad Rose Brooch

- The Delhi Durbar Necklace
- The Nizam of Hyderbad Necklace

[Baroness of Books]

Finally, the royal jewel vault is thrown open! This sounds like a wonderful book to add to any jewelophile's collection. I've never seen the Emperor of Austria brooch and can only imagine what other jewels must be stored away. And, on another note, I didn't know that HM's dress designer, Angela Kelly, was also curator of the Queen's jewels.

Thank you, Artemisia!

[Artemisia]

You are welcome.
I'd really love to have a glimpse at Her Majesty's entire private jewellery collection; my imagination just goes overboard trying to imagine the stunning pieces doomed to see the daylight only a couple of times a decade, if that. Those beauties should be permanently on display. Now, Queen Mary understood that; shame no one has taken her mantle! I had high hopes for Camilla (she chose to wear some pretty stunning tiaras, necklaces and brooches, most from royal collection), but lately she just wears her the same trusty pieces.

[Baroness of Books]

I have high hopes for Camilla in the future and hope that she dusts off seldom-seen pieces and trots them out for us to drool over. Imagine having all those jewels at your disposal, but just wearing the tried-and-true pieces. There just aren't the grand occasions now as there were back in the days of Queens Alexandra and Mary to wear these jewels. Hopefully, this book will be a complete inventory and will finally solve some of the mysteries of what happened to long-missing items.

[ldmemail]

The "Emperor of Austria" brooch looks like it is the Duchess of Teck's tassel brooch, apparently the Queen knows it as her "happy brooch"! HM has worn it countless times over the years. Notably in the official photographs taken by Beaton after the birth of Prince Andrew.
Angela Kelly is the Queen's Dresser so I guess she must look after the jewels - Bobo MacDonald always did too. I had never read this before either.

[EIIR]

Those pictures are drool-worthy.

This may be an unpopular opinion, but given that stomachers aren't worn nowadays, I'd take Queen Mary's stomacher apart and make a new tiara out of it. Otherwise, it's just likely to sit in BP's underground vault.

[ldmemail]

What a good idea!

[EIIR]

I also feel, perhaps incorrectly, that HM's brooches won't be worn nearly so often when she's no longer with us. I'd leave the really historic ones as they are but take a few of the less special ones (if that's even possible) and re-work the stones into more wearable necklaces or bracelets.

Camilla will use them I'm sure, but I just don't see Kate as a big brooch wearer. I hate the thought of them sitting in the vault never worn.

[MichelleQ2]

I think part of Kate's reticence with jewels is trying to be respectful of her place - not too much bling in her 1st yr...but we have seen some flashes. Kate may not be a big brooch person, but they could be used in her hair or some other repurposed use. And who knows.... She could dust off some other long lost treasures.... maybe she will resurrect the stomacher (which would look fabulous on her!)

[EIIR]

You could well be right Michelle. I'm a couple of years younger than Kate, and maybe it's a generational thing, but I don't wear brooches and don't know anyone my age who does. I know Kate has worn the maple leaf brooch and the shamrock for the Irish Guards, but I just can't see her wearing brooches on a daily basis.

Queen Mary's stomacher is such a stunningly beautiful piece, it deserves to be worn. Those diamonds are amazing and I just think if it was re-made into a tiara or necklace and bracelet, it would get a lot more use.

[muriel]

HM is wearing the three string George VI collet necklace at the State Opening of Parliament today

[muriel]

Originally Posted by Artemisia

You are welcome.
I'd really love to have a glimpse at Her Majesty's entire private jewellery collection; my imagination just goes overboard trying to imagine the stunning pieces doomed to see the daylight only a couple of times a decade, if that. Those beauties should be permanently on display. Now, Queen Mary understood that; shame no one has taken her mantle! I had high hopes for Camilla (she chose to wear some pretty stunning tiaras, necklaces and brooches, most from royal collection), but lately she just wears her the same trusty pieces.

Now how likely is that? Much as I like to see the jewels, I think there is somethign to be said for the mystery surrounding what may or may not emerge from the vaults every now and then.

Originally Posted by Artemisia

You are welcome.
I had high hopes for Camilla (she chose to wear some pretty stunning tiaras, necklaces and brooches, most from royal collection), but lately she just wears her the same trusty pieces.

I agree, Camilla does have potential, but in recent years appears to have retreated to the trusted favourites. Part of this may be because of the economic environment, and part of it may be driven by the negative press Camilla gets every time she wears a really OTT piece (eg: Saudi ruby breastplate in the US, Greville 5 string necklace in Kampala)

[ldmemail]

Does anyone recognise the earrings Her Majesty wore to the State Opening of Parliament today? I wonder if they are new as I do not recognise them at all!!!

[Artemisia]

I certainly don't. Without the close up, I thought those were either Queen Mary’s Pendant Earrings, or Diamond Pendant Earrings.
However, from the close up this pair looks completely different (and new) to me.

[Grandduchess24]

In a time special magazine entitled " weird but true" I was flipping through and came upon an article and it had a picture of Queen Mary(may) and apparently one of the diamond brooches is cursed except that it has saved and some monarchs have been immune to this curse : queen victoria, Queen Mary and queen Elizabeth II it is now at the tower of London with the other royal jewels. Its name escapes me at the movement but it's interesting .

[ldmemail]

Oh...I think you are referring to the Kohinoor (anglicised spelling) brooch.

[EIIR]

Yes, the Koh i Noor apparently brings bad luck to any man who wears it. So it's only ever been worn by Queens in the BRF. It's currently in what was the Queen Mother's crown.