Kent Jewels


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Marinas sapphire brooches

Spheno that is a beautiful closeup photo of an amethyst brooch. Looks like Princes Michael of Kent wearing it, but it is not the one I am talking about.
Do you have any information about the brooch you posted?
 
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According to RJWMB, the brooch Princess Michael wore is identical (bar for the colour) to the brooches that were seen on Crown Princess Maxima and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. The brooches may be Kiki McDonough creations. At any rate, they are certainly contemporary pieces and not some kind of heirlooms.

I've attached pictures of the brooches as worn by all three ladies:
- The brooch as worn by Princess Michael (in amethyst)
- The brooch as worn by Princess Maxima (in black?)
- The brooch as worn by Queen Beatrix (in citrine)


Images cropped from original and constitute less than 20% of the originals.
 

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Thank you for that info Artemisia. The amethyst one looks best to me.
 
I'm not a huge fan of carved gems (except scarabs and cameos) - but these are FINE! Imagine the rock each of these came from - formidable!
 
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thanks Artemesia. I love amethysts and pansies, so guess which got my vote!
 
What a beautiful pansy brooch; the purple is just so intense a color. I wonder if that's enamel or some other material. And for me, I just love the Festoon tiara worn with the diamond base.
 
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The black one definitely looks like onyx to me as well.
 
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A couple of Jewels from the Kent collection, both now sold:
Princess Marina's Diamond Bow Brooch
Princess Marina’s Diamond Girandole Earrings

The earrings are just incredibly beautiful! No wonder Marina loved them so much. The brooch is amazing as well and is of Russian provenance; it belonged to Grand Duchess Elena (Marina's mother) and possibly Grand Duchess Vladimir (Elena's mother) too.

I'll be covering more of Kent Jewels this week, so check the blog from time to time. :)


Pictures courtesy of Sotheby's and SJ Philips

 

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I love bow brooches and this is particularly lovely, and what gorgeous earrings.
 
I believe that the earrings are of Russian provenance as well - I read once on the Web that they were a wedding gift from a relative. Also it seems that although they are very pretty, they were also very delicate, and it wasn't comfortable to wear them - one fast and curt head movement and the bottom part could just "unlock" and fall on the floor:D
 
I believe that the earrings are of Russian provenance as well - I read once on the Web that they were a wedding gift from a relative. Also it seems that although they are very pretty, they were also very delicate, and it wasn't comfortable to wear them - one fast and curt head movement and the bottom part could just "unlock" and fall on the floor:D

They were a wedding gift from Princess Nicholas of Greece, believed to be Romanov heirlooms.
 
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Thanks for that information, ldmemail and snowflower! :flowers:

Another gem from the Kent collection: Cambridge Sapphire Parure
I must confess the new version of the tiara leaves me completely cold. Then again, I hate all button tiaras...

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Artemisia , I think the Duke of Kent sold a stunning tiara and this one is made from a necklace ?
 
Artemisia , I think the Duke of Kent sold a stunning tiara and this one is made from a necklace ?
It is. If you read the article, the original sapphire parure was sold but they did make a second tiara from the necklace (that came with the parure) by taking out the five largest sapphire and diamond clusters. :)
 
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Thanks for that information, ldmemail and snowflower! :flowers:

Another gem from the Kent collection: Cambridge Sapphire Parure
I must confess the new version of the tiara leaves me completely cold. Then again, I hate all button tiaras...

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With the exception of the stunning color, this tiara doesn't do anything for me. I'm also not a proponent of button tiaras, and this looks just like buttons stuck on a frame to me.
 
All the tiaras and hair pieces in the Kent collection (that I am aware of):

Kent Festoon Tiara
Kent Aquamarine Tiara
Cambridge Sapphire Parure
Kent Diamond and Pearl Tiara
Kent Diamond Circles Bandeau
Kent City of London Fringe Tiara *
Princess Alexandra’s Tiara and Parure
Other Hair Pieces and Tiaras of the Kent Family

* A little note on the Kent Fringe Tiara: it is popularly believed to be the tiara that Marina wore on her wedding day but that's incorrect. Marina in fact wore her mother's (very similar) fringe tiara. You can find side-by-side pictures in the article.
 
Now that's an interesting circle bandeau. It looks better suited as a necklace, though I do like how Princess Marina wears in the photo. I love the setting and the size of the pearls are just magnificent. The Festoon tiara is quite imposing as well. Thanks for posting all that luscious jewelry, Artemisia.
 
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Thank you Artemesia - wonderful collection.

I prefer the Aquamarine in its original form - beautiful; and the Festoon is my favourite.

Sad to think that there are few occasions when the Kents can wear these and so I think that the majority, over time, will be sold.
 
I think Princess Alexandra still wear a great deal of her jewels when she attends The Royal Diplomatic Corps Reception and State Banquets. Unforunately, pictures and videos at these events are very limited and you don't see the royals in their regalia.

Princess Michael of Kent also wear her jewels.
 
Great photo's and information above,I never realized that Princess Alexandra only has the use of 1 tiara,seems unfair that her mother left the bulk of her jewels to her 2 sons.
 
But over time these occasions will go as none of the Kents will carry out royal duties - same with the Gloucesters. Sad - it will be the passing of an era for both families.
 
But over time these occasions will go as none of the Kents will carry out royal duties - same with the Gloucesters. Sad - it will be the passing of an era for both families.

Yes that's true as after the deaths of the present Dukes of Kent and Gloucester,they will no longer be royal dukedoms!

Wonder what will become of all those jewels?
 
I hope they don't suffer the sad fate of other jewels that get sold out of noble families, many times due to the state of finances or because there's just no need for these magnificent jewels any longer.
 
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My guess is that a great deal of the jewels will go back to The Queen. I think since the minor royals won't be wearing the jewels in the future, we might see some of them used by Camilla, Catherine and Sophie.
 
Only if the Queen buys them - the Kent jewels belong to the individual Kents, not the Queen
 
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