Mellerio Shell Taiara

This tiara was commissioned by HM Queen Isabella II of Spain for the wedding of one of her two daughters. Which daughter is unknown. The shell tiara, looks like it is made after the beautiful waves of the ocean. The tiara along with another tiara commisioned by Mellerio for the family, was put on display in Paris in 1906.

1. Here is an official portriat of HM Queen Sofia wearing it, this photo used to be on the official spanish royal family site.
2. Here is a close-up of the tiara
3. Seems as though this is one of HM favorite tiaras to wear, she wears it quite often.
4. Presidential visit from Uzbekistan, the queen wears the tiara once again.

picture from www.corbis.com

from Royal Splendour

Engagement of son Felipe to Letizia Ortiz

Greeting First Lady Lauren Bush
Wedding of daughter Elena to Jaime de Marichalar

i love Sofia's cabochon ruby parure. I wonder why it has never been worn again by her, or at least lent to the infantas. Pity its stored away somewhere.

For a while that is being said that the rubi set of Queen Sofia is reserved to the Princess of Asturias ;) So, the most likely is that Letizia will be the next user of those wonderful jewels :flower:

I really can't stand her not so royal and historical necklaces.
She doesn't seem to have many necklaces like those worn by Queen Elizabeth, Queen Anne-Marie and Queen Margrethe.

Both pictures are from the State visit of the German (not Uzbeki) President to Spain in Nov 2002. They show the Royal couple with HE President Johannes Rau and wife Christine.

I doubt this tiara will be given to Letizia, as it seems this tiara is "reserved" for the Queen. King Juan Carlos' mother, the Countess of Barcelona, never wore this tiara.

from when she was young

here are a few more photos


i would like to see what kind of necklaces she got

attending prince Hamzah's wedding
another colorful necklace

I love her necklace , earings and bracelet ...beautiful colours :o

Here's an article from Elmundo about some of the jewels belonging to the Spainsh Royal House:

http://www.el-mundo.es/magazine/2004...077896913.html

Yes they are lovely jewelries but I prefer this colourful jewelry on princess Christina, I think it is too colourful for the queen in her age, but the Oriental mariage event (which also often colourful) she had attended might have excused it;)

There it is! I love her necklace and earrings from Van Cleef & Arpels, absolutely beautiful! Not often seen but definitely worth the waiting. It was a wedding gift from Greek tycoon Satvros Niarchos. It is formed by a chain composed by links of large cabochon rubies, surrounded by diamonds and a row of smaller rubies.

It can be used as a short necklace, a two turn necklace or as a large sautoir that reaches the waist. Its design allows to use it as a one or two rows tiara, as Her Majesty did on her official visit to Luxembourg.

1.- Those earrings make a perfect combination with her tiara. This tiara was bought in France in 1862 as a gift from Isabel II to her daugther, Infanta Isabel. It imitates the foamy crest of a wave complimented by pear pearl drops.
2.- Sapphire necklace and earrings. Personal gift from His Majesty King Juan Carlos.
3.- Large diamond necklace and diamond and pearl tiara made by Cartier. Originally belonged to Queen Victoria Eugenia. Her necklace or "rivière" is composed by 30 large, round diamonds set in a Russian style.
4.- Floral tiara. Attending the wedding of Prince Haakon and Mette Marit. A magnificent wedding gift from Franco and the people of Spain.
5.- Fleur-de-lys tiara. The lily flower is the heraldist emblem of the royal house of Borbon.
6.- Pearl necklace.

Here, worn on the King's and Queen's official visit to Paris in 1985. Those jewels are stunning!

I would like to point that her necklaces are historical, not all of them, that's true, but some of them are and have passed from Queen to Queen. It is very important to say that most royal jewels disappeared in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War and that is the main reason why Her Majesty doesn't have many historical necklaces indeed. Also, I would like to say that absolutely all of the jewels that Queen Sofia wears are of her own property, as Spain doesn't have State jewels. She could sell all of them if she wanted to, unlike many of Queen Elizabeth's jewels, that actually belong to the State, not to herself.