The Duchess of Gloucester Jewellery

[Thomas Parkman]

Oh, I don't know. If you've got it, flaunt it. Now if we could just put that into Latin it would be the motto for sure of the fabulous Queen Mary. Now there was a queen. You should go and look at some pictures of her. She would have merely put more re-enforcement into her ample bodice and hung the thing somewhere. Cheers. Thomas Parkman
PS. I have just got to quit slobbering, but right now I just can't help myself.

[bluebess]

I think the thing that makes this piece a bit unworkable is the use of it as a pendant on a shorter diamond chain. It looks awkward when worn like this and I wish she would just wear it as a brooch in the middle of her bodice. It certainly is lovely though but I find the diamond necklaces so close to it a distraction.

[Thomas Parkman]

Diamonds, my dear, are NEVER a distraction. While it may be dated and not to the current taste it is certainly an eye-catching contraption. By all means wear it as a brooch ie a stomacher-and have the two strands of diamonds as a necklance. I myself am a firm proponent of stomachers. It gives you someplace else to hang more diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, rubies, pearls, amethysts and the gold kitchen sink if your support bodice is sturdy enougn to suport them without your clothes falling off. The sailors in the royal navy dubbed the much bedecked and much beloved bosom of the noble Queen Mary (she did after all have six children) Cartier's counter. She did have her dresses re-enforced to be able to support all the jewels.

In any case, in this day and age women are going around practically a la Cretienne, (ie like the Cretans, or rather Minoans) and much worse. Go look at some of the pictures and statues of women and goddesses from ancient Knossos and you will see what I mean. But they were elegant. Tf that were to happen here 90% of the male population, who are such vulnerable creatures, given their fixation with the female bosom, would die of exhaustion from over stimulation or possibly disappointment. So a well placed and dignified stomacher is just the order of the day say I. And the glorious D of G fits the bill to perfection. Perhaps the noble Warren could dig up some examples of stomachers from his vast storehouse or storebarn of goodies and start a thread???? Cheeers. Thomas Parkman

[bluebess]

I certainly didn't mean to suggest she should remove any of her diamond necklaces!!!!!I would never condone or encourage that . I'd just like to see the pendant/brooch detached and set a little lower so it looks more balanced. It's so huge and beautiful.

[dbarn67]

Could it be that the Duchess is selling her beautiful diamond cross necklace? I
certainly hope not.

From Sotheby's auction site: You may need to register with Sotheby's online to view. Its lot 349 (last page) of the Fine Jewellery auction taking place in London on Oct. 6th.

http://search.sothebys.com/jsps/live...t_id=159261495

Here she is wearing it from getty images

http://editorial.gettyimages.com/sou...%7c0&p=3&tag=5

Sorry for the unsophicated attachments. I am woefully inept at this stuff.

[Warren]

Some very serious cabochon emeralds worn by the Duchess of Gloucester to the Queen's 80th birthday dinner at the Ritz Hotel, London, December 2006.
Necklace, earrings, ring, bracelets (x 2!), stomacher...

Pic originally posted by Avalon in the Queen & Duke current events thread pt 14: Gloucester Emeralds

(not to be confused with her other diamond & emerald parure of tiara, necklace...)

[Jackswife]

WOW! That is one awesome set of emeralds ! Very reminiscent of a set Queen Anne-Marie has, and like A-M, the Duchess has the class and elegance to wear them with style. Fantastic!

[Thomas Parkman]

Well, good people, it only goes to prove that you can never, or hardly every, go wrong with emeralds. The Queen Rania black gold emerald thingie aside of course. The D of G looks just fabulous and is a wonderful personality to boot. A jewel wearing jewels if you will. Yes, I know I am starting to slobber and drool again so I shall desist. But you must admit the good woman does have a fabulous collection of goodies indeed and the panache to wear them. A source in immense delight and gladness. Cheers

[CasiraghiTrio]

Originally Posted by Warren

I think six tiaras have been counted.

I have only seen the Duchess of Gloucester wearing three! With one of them, she changes the gem, sometimes a large emerald and another times, a large pink gem, I suppose a pink diamond?
I think she does not at all like the Turquoise parure. I don't blame her if so. I do not like Turquoise gems at all. I have only seen her wearing that once, but forgive me because I am not as avid a jewel watcher as so many of you!

[CasiraghiTrio]

I just counted four tiaras for the Duchess of Gloucester....
I missing two at least? I will go and do some more hunting. I love this duchess. She is so pretty and classy, and deliciously understated. And 60 years old! She honestly does not look a day over 50. She looks like my mom's age, and my mom is just under 50, and a very young just under 50; most people think my mom is like 40, so this duchess is doing well!

[Zonk]

The Duchess of Gloucester (one of my favorite British royal ladies) always has lovely jewelery. Since her late father in law was a third son...where did they get it from. Was it the late Princess Louise and another Princess ---- didn't the present Duke inherit it from her?)

[Elspeth]

Originally Posted by CasiraghiTrio

I have only seen the Duchess of Gloucester wearing three! With one of them, she changes the gem, sometimes a large emerald and another times, a large pink gem, I suppose a pink diamond?

The pink gem is a kunzite, not a diamond. I think a diamond that size would be bigger than Granny's Chips!

I think she does not at all like the Turquoise parure. I don't blame her if so. I do not like Turquoise gems at all. I have only seen her wearing that once, but forgive me because I am not as avid a jewel watcher as so many of you!

With the bright colours of the stones, the turquoise tiara probably isn't very easy to match with her gowns. It's also a fairly big tiara, like the one she inherited from Princess Marie Louise, which she hardly ever wears either, so maybe she just prefers the smaller ones.

[CasiraghiTrio]

Originally Posted by Elspeth

The pink gem is a kunzite, not a diamond. I think a diamond that size would be bigger than Granny's Chips!

Kunzite! Now there is a gem one doesn't hear about from the ordinary course of things! Quite right, a diamond as large as that

[Alexander]

Originally Posted by CasiraghiTrio

Kunzite! Now there is a gem one doesn't hear about from the ordinary course of things! Quite right, a diamond as large as that

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Spodumene is a pyroxene mineral consisting of lithium aluminium inosilicate - LiAl(SiO3)2 - and is a source of lithium. It occurs as colourless to yellowish, purplish or lilac kunzite (see below), yellowish-green or emerald-green hiddenite, prismatic crystals, often of great size. Single crystals over 10 m in size are reported from the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Crystals form in the monoclinic system and are typically heavily striated parallel to the principal axis. Crystal faces are often etched and pitted with triangular markings.
Spodumene is derived from the Greek, meaning "burnt to ashes," owing to the opaque, ash-grey appearance of material refined for use in industry.
Spodumene occurs in lithium rich granites and pegmatites. Transparent material has long been used as a gemstone with varieties kunzite and hiddenite noted for their strong pleochroism. Source localities include Brazil, Madagascar, USA (North Carolina, California), Afghanistan, and Pakistan.


I remembered to read somewhere that Queen Mary gave the Palmette Tiara to Alice, Duchess of Glouchester and the Sapphire to someone other (maybe Maragaret, but I'm not sure)

[Alexander]

Originally Posted by tiaraprin

I do agree with you, but each child has to have some piece of their heritage. They are still family and will probably attend private events where the Jewels and Tiaras come out. I believe each Royal Duchess and Princess Michael should bequeath certain things back to the crown, and give the others to their respective children.

I think Queen Mary (she gave most of the pieces) had one piont in her head by doing so. She gave all her children a complete set of jewels with the conection of her family background of the "old royal family". She couldn't know that not only fasion altered in such modern style and that tiaras came mostly out of fashion. ( only worn during state events etc.)
And that the 3rd and 4th generation would became only "lady" or so and merry commoners was in my opinion unthinkable.

[Prince of Chota]

QM would have definitely known about that last bit, because it was her own husband that made that change (prior to this great-grandchildren of a british sovereign were princes styled "HH).

[angela]

I read in the book "The Queen's Jewels" that the pink stone is a beryl.

[branchg]

Queen Mary's intent was for each of her children to have pieces of the royal collection for their future descendants (with the obvious exception of The Duke of Windsor). Given all of the jewels she collected during her long reign as Queen Consort and Dowager Queen, she had plenty to pass on.