Royal Ruby Jewellery

[branchg]

Originally Posted by COUNTESS

I agree with you. I doubt it was given to Charles as an engagement ring for Camilla. But, the Queen Mother adored Charles and could have ear marked certain pieces to go to him, through his mother to avoid taxes. What he did with them would be his business.

Given The Queen Mother's well-known feelings about Charles marrying Camilla, I highly doubt she left The Queen personal instructions to give him any of her jewels after her death.

More likely, she simply left everything to her surviving daughter with no thought of what The Queen would choose to do afterward.

[Menarue]

Originally Posted by branchg

Given The Queen Mother's well-known feelings about Charles marrying Camilla, I highly doubt she left The Queen personal instructions to give him any of her jewels after her death.

More likely, she simply left everything to her surviving daughter with no thought of what The Queen would choose to do afterward.

At the time the Queen mother died she had no idea that Prince Charles even intended to marry Camilla. She was his mistress at that time and it came as a surprise to most people when he announced that he was going to marry her. The Queen mother died in 2002 and it was only in 2005 that Prince Charles astounded the world by becoming engaged.
When the Queen mother left him her ring it would be with the intention that it would be for his future wife, but I doubt she would have ever dreamt that this wife would be Camilla.

[NotAPretender]

Now that July is coming around and with rubies being the birthstone, I would imagine this is a timely topic.

The only ruby ring I recall in the British royal family was given by then-Prince Andrew to his intended, Sarah Ferguson. She still wears it. What are opinions on that piece? I thought it looked very, very similar to Diana's engagement ring with a ruby substitute. Anyone else?

[Elspeth]

I don't think there were as many diamonds as Diana's ring, and if I remember right, the shape or setting of the diamonds was different because they didn't appear to be round.

You can see the ring in this post

Royal Engagement Rings

[MARG]

Originally Posted by Elspeth

I suppose it's possible that she gave Charles the diamond ring before her death, to be used as Camilla's engagement ring, but that doesn't really match the stories about how Charles and Camilla couldn't marry till after her death because she didn't approve.

How credible is the evidence about the Queen Mother's antipathy/hatred? I seem to remember hearing that the Queen herself bearly tolerated Camilla and all but boycotted the marriage etc. and yet the Delhi Durbar and Bucheron would seem to give the lie to that!

[Menarue]

Perhaps, but Camilla is the legal wife of the heir to the throne and as such probably has the right to some royal jewelleryalthough I don´t think that the lending of a royal tiara is a sign that all is sweetness and love.
Actually I thought it strange Camilla appearing with a tiara twice the size of the Queen´s. It is a gorgeous tiara but outshining the Queen doesn´t seem to be very polite but she did look good in it. Incidentally I think anyone would look good in that tiara.

[MARG]

Originally Posted by Menarue

Perhaps, but Camilla is the legal wife of the heir to the throne and as such probably has the right to some royal jewellery . . . .

The Deli Durbar is far more than just "some royal jewelery", it has history and it stands for something. It was designed for a Queen and our Queen is nothing if not astute. She might have lent her any substantial tiara in the collection. Heaven knows there are more than enough and yet she chose the Durbar, and if that didn't get the message through, she underscored it with the Bucheron which is inextricably iconically linked to her own mother.

For me, well I am dying to see Camilla in some really fabulous rubies. I am sure the much lauded "Vaults" can run to that!

Ps. The ghastly red thing gifted to her doesn't count!

[LadyK]

Let's leave the discussion of British Royal Family's opinion of Camilla to the British Royals area. Let's get back to Royal Ruby Jewellery.

[Menarue]

What is the ghastly red thing? I haven´t seen anything red on Camilla yet.
Rubies? Any photo to post?

[Boris]

The "ghastly red thing"? It has to be the 'ruby breastplate' necklace, a Saudi-Arabian gift if I remember correctly:
IBL Bildbyrå | 0435 44 07 65
Ghastly is the right word. Add 'tacky'. This thing might have looked just right in a ridiculously overproduced ‘Cleopatra’ silent movie ca. 1923, but not on any Royal, ever. These days, it strikes me as too ‘Noveau riche’ looking even compared to other pieces of certain Arab Royal families known for their dislike of subtlety in jewelry design.
At least the Duchess had the good sense to wear a simple dress with it, but it still rests like a gaudy millstone on her, errhhh, décolleté.
Leaving this jewelry mine in the vaults for a polite ten years in order to break it up afterwards and design something decent with the beautiful stones is the only sensible solution here.

[Warren]

Originally Posted by Menarue

I haven´t seen anything red on Camilla yet. Rubies?

Yes, rubies, and lots of them. How could you have missed this? (January 2007)

[Menarue]

True that would be very difficult to miss. It reminds me of the Duchess of Windor´s turquoise, diamond and amethyst "bib" necklace by Cartier.
Thanks Warren I was certainly missing out on something. You could have a competition, how many diamonds?

[MARG]

Originally Posted by Boris

Ghastly is the right word. Add 'tacky'. This thing might have looked just right in a ridiculously overproduced ‘Cleopatra’ silent movie ca. 1923, but not on any Royal, ever. . . . . . . . At least the Duchess had the good sense to wear a simple dress with it, but it still rests like a gaudy millstone on her, errhhh, décolleté.

Well spotted Boris.

Originally Posted by Boris

Leaving this jewelry mine in the vaults for a polite ten years in order to break it up afterwards and design something decent with the beautiful stones is the only sensible solution here.

I heartily agree. It is the best idea I have heard for it. Most others have suggested more immediate and terminal fates for it, having had their retina's seared by it's full "glory"!

ps: Apologies LadyK, I got a little carried away.

[jcbcode99]

"reinas seared" I love it,Marg. That was too accurate.
The rubies themselves are unquestionably beautiful, but "bib" is an appropriate description. I think that this thing could be broken up and necklaces, brooches, earrings, and a ring could be made--and maybe a tiara. I think something designed along the lines of the Swedish amethyst pieces would look nice.

[a1sspiked]

http://render1.snapfish.com/render2/.../of=50,590,365

Wurttemberg Ruby Star Tiara

[RubyPrincess168]

Are we going to bemoan this one again?! I happen to love it!

[muriel]

Originally Posted by jcbcode99

"reinas seared" I love it,Marg. That was too accurate.
The rubies themselves are unquestionably beautiful, but "bib" is an appropriate description. I think that this thing could be broken up and necklaces, brooches, earrings, and a ring could be made--and maybe a tiara. I think something designed along the lines of the Swedish amethyst pieces would look nice.

I think the best useof the Saudi ruby breastplate / bib / call it what you may would be to convert it into a grand ruby tiara - upturned, like a fringe tiara, similar in scale and stature to the Kokoshnik or the Delhi Durbar. Any left over stones could be used to make a necklace or a bracelet or earrings or a brooch.... Are any of our photoshopping experts willing to oblige, please???

[RubyPrincess168]

I agree. I think you could take a few rows off for necklace, earring and bracelet and still have enough left over for a respectable tiara.