August 16, 2016

The Baden Palmette Tiara

August 16, 2016/ Kathleen Marino

This romantic tiara is an heirloom with a long history.
The tiara is originally German. It was made in the 19th century by Koch. It was a wedding gift from King Wilhelm of Prussia to his daughter, Princess Louise, for her marriage to Grand Duke Frederick of Baden in 1856.
The tiara then migrated to Stockholm when Frederick and Louise's daughter, Victoria, married King Gustaf V of Sweden in 1881. On Victoria's death in 1930, her granddaughter, Princess Ingrid, inherited the tiara. When Ingrid married Frederik IX of Denmark five years later, the tiara moved with her to Denmark.
When Queen Ingrid died in 2000, her vast jewel collection passed into the royal families of Denmark, Greece, and Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.
Queen Margrethe was the lucky duck who inherited the lovely petite tiara.
The tiara itself is sweet and romantic. It features hearts shaped palmette motifs with small diamond flowers with yellow-toned centers in-between the hearts.
The romantic feel makes the tiara perfect for weddings. It's also smaller (and more comfortable) than most of the show stopping tiaras owned by the queen, so it makes frequent appearances.

April 29, 2016

The Cullinan Diamond

April 29, 2016/ Kathleen Marino

April is almost over, but I feel like I would be remiss to let this diamond birthstone month pass without mentioning perhaps the most famous diamond ever discovered, the Cullinan diamond.
The Cullinan diamond was discovered at a mine in the area that was known as the Transvaal in South Africa, in 1905. Weighing 3,106 carats (1.3lb), it was originally cast aside, believed to be too big for any use. The stone is named after the mine’s (then) chairman Thomas Cullinan.
However a buyer for the massive stone was not be found. The stone was then purchased by the Transvaal government for £150,000 and was presented to King Edward VII on his 66th birthday. When the diamond was eventually transported to England it traveled by way of the ordinary parcel post while a decoy was sent on a heavily guarded ship.

left to Right: Thomas Cullinan with the rough diamond, King Edward VII, Joseph Asscher cutting the Cullinan, Models of the rough Cullinan diamond and the stones cut from it

The Cullinan was cut into three large parts by Asscher Brothers of Amsterdam, and a number of smaller fragments. There is a story that the diamond cleaver Joseph Asscher promptly fainted after splitting the diamond in half, but this is likely just a myth intended to dramatize the stone's history. Ultimately the rough diamond was cut into nine major stones and ninety-six smaller ones. The two largest were incorporated into the Crown Jewels.

Cullinan I, the Star of Africa
This is the largest stone cut from the Cullinan. The diamond measures 5.9 centimetres (2.3 in) long and weighs 530.4 carats (106.08 g). It is a pear-shaped diamond and is set in the head of the Sovereign's Scepter with Cross. It may be taken out of the scepter and worn as a pendant or suspended from Cullinan II to make a brooch. (Can you imagine the neck ache the pendant would give you!?)

Cullinan II, the Second Star of Africa
This rectangular cushion-cut stone weighs 317.4 carats. It is set in the front cross of the Imperial State Crown, just below the Black Prince's Ruby (which is actually a large spinel).

Left to Right: Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation with the scepter and crown containing the Cullinan I & II, Cullinan I in the scepter, Cullinan II in the crown

Cullinan III & IV:
Cullinan III is a pear-cut, 94.4-carat diamond. Cullinan IV is square-cushion-cut and weighs 63.6 carats. They are both known as the Lesser Stars of Africa. They are also affectionately called "Granny's Chips" by Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Mary, the queen consort of George V, had Cullinan III and IV set in the surmounting cross of her newly acquired crown for her coronation in 1911. In 1914, they were removed and replaced by crystal models. Cullinan III is most frequently worn as a brooch, in combination with Cullinan IV. (Both stones could be placed back into the crown, but since Queen Mary's death on 24 March 1953 her crown has remained unworn.)

Left to Right: Cullinan III & IV in the brooch setting, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth II wearing "Granny's Chips" at her Diamond Jubilee Celebration

Culinan V:
This is a heart-shaped diamond that weighs 18.8-carats. It is set into the centre of a platinum brooch. The brooch was originally part of a stomacher made for Queen Mary to wear at the Delhi Durbar in 1911.
The mounting of the jewel was designed to be as adaptable as possible. It can be suspended from the VIII brooch and can be used to suspend the VII pendant. It was left all the brooches to Elizabeth II when she died in 1953.

Left to Right: Cullinan V in the brooch setting, Queen Mary in the Dehli Dubar Parurue, Queen Elizabeth II wearing the Cullinan V brooch.

Cullinan VI, VII, & VIII:
Like the V the Cullinan VI-VIII were set with the Delhi Dubar in mind and are all subsequently part of what is called the Dehli Dubar Parure (see above photo).
Cullinan VI is marquise-cut and weighs 8.8 carats. It unusually hangs from the brooch containing Cullinan VIII. Along with the V they formed part of the stomacher of the Delhi Durbar parure.
Cullinan VII is also marquise-cut and weighs 11.5 carats. It was originally given by Edward VII to Queen Alexandra. After his death she gave the stone to Queen Mary, who had it set as a pendant hanging from the diamond and emerald Delhi Durbar Necklace, of the Delhi Durbar parure.
Cullinan VIII is a cushion-cut diamond weighing 6.8 carats. It is set in the centre of a brooch forming part of the stomacher of the Delhi Durbar parure. As mentioned earlier it can be paired with Cullinan VI to form a brooch. Queen Elizabeth II is rarely seen wearing this brooch, however she has worn the Cullinan V many times.

Left to Right:  Cullinan VI and VIII together as a brooch, Queen Elizabeth II wearing VI and VIII, Cullinan VII as a pendant in the Dehli Dubar (diamond and emerald) necklace, QEII in the Dehli Dubar Parure, Queen Mary in the Dehli Dubar Parure — Left to Right: Cullinan VI and VIII together as a brooch, Queen Elizabeth II wearing VI and VIII, Cullinan VII as a pendant in the Dehli Dubar (diamond and emerald) necklace, QEII in the Dehli Dubar Parure, Queen Mary in the Dehli Dubar Parure

Cullinan IX:
This was the last large diamond that was cut from the Cullinan. It is pear-cut and weighs 4.4 carats. It was mounted into an openwork 12-claw platinum ring setting for Queen Mary.

April 21, 2016

Queen Elizabeth II's Engagement and Wedding Rings

April 21, 2016/ Kathleen Marino

Queen Elizabeth’s engagement ring might not be the grandest piece of jewelry in her arsenal, but it has a history. The diamonds in the ring are from a tiara that belonged to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh’s mother Princess Alice of Battenberg (great granddaughter of Queen Victoria).

Her wedding band is made of Welsh gold. In 1923, the Windsors were given a nugget of gold that was from the Clogau St. David’s mine in Bontddu Wales. The gold was used to make Elizabeth’s ring, as well as the wedding rings worn by Princess Margaret, Princess Anne, and Princess Diana. Later rings, including those worn by the Duchess of York, the Countess of Wessex, the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duchess of Cambridge, have also been made from Welsh gold.

December 13, 2015

Pearl Poiré Tiara and a Crown of Light

December 13, 2015/ Kathleen Marino

Today is Luciadgen day (St. Lucy's Day). The girl chosen to represent St. Lucy wears a crown of candles so I thought that the Pearl Poiré Tiara from Denmark would be an appropriate piece to feature today.

Pearl Poiré Tiara

Queen Louise (with King Frederik VIII) in the Tiara

The tiara is thought to have been made around 1825 in Berlin at the request of King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia. The tiara was a wedding gift for his daughter Louise, who was marrying Prince Frederik of the Netherlands. The tiara features 18 drop pearls (poiré pearls) dangling from tall diamond arches. The Prussian king also commissioned a look-alike tiara for his son Prince Albrecht's bride, Princess Marianne of the Netherlands; however, the second tiara's current whereabouts are unknown.
The current version of the (now) Danish tiara wandered through various Scandinavian royal owners before it found its home in Denmark. The original owner, Princess Louise (1808-1870), left the tiara to her oldest daughter, also named Louise, who was Queen of Sweden and Norway. Queen Louise (1828-1871) died shortly after inheriting the tiara and it then passed to her daughter, who was also named Louise (1851-1926). This Louise married the future King Frederik VIII of Denmark in 1869, and the tiara arrived at its final home. That is a lot of Louise's, I know!

Queen Louise of Denmark wore the tiara with a few other pearl and diamond pieces consisting of a demi-parure of a necklace and earrings (a wedding present from the Khedive of Egypt), and a brooch that came from her grandmother. The assembled parure (set) is still worn together today.
Louise made sure that the parure stayed in Denmark by leaving it to the Danish Royal Property Trust. This means the pieces are not the personal property of any particular royal, so they will pass from monarch to monarch without being sold. And so the parure has been worn by Louise's daughter-in-law Queen Alexandrine (1879-1952); Alexandrine's daughter-in-law Queen Ingrid (1910-2000); and Ingrid's daughter Queen Margrethe, who wears them today.

Queen Ingrid

Queen Margrethe

This tiara is frequently worn at the annual New Year's Court gala by Queen Margrethe. The tiara has also worn it to big events like her jubilee celebrations and Crown Princess Victoria's wedding. It also features prominently in many well-known portraits. The tiara is very rarely loaned as this is one of the pieces that has historically been kept for the queen. The exception was made for on the occasion of two British coronations: Ingrid, while still Crown Princess, at the 1937 coronation of George VI and Elizabeth, and Princess Margarethe at the 1953 coronation of Elizabeth II).

Luciadagen (Saint Lucia Day)

Luciadagen, or Saint Lucy's Day, is also called the Feast of Saint Lucy. It is a Christian feast day celebrated on December 13, in Advent and commemorates the martyr Saint Lucy who (according to legend) brought "food and aid to Christians hiding in the catacombs" using a candle-lit wreath to light her way while leaving her hands free to carry food. Her feast once coincided with the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year before calendar reforms, so her feast day has become a festival of light. St. Lucy's Day is also viewed as an event signaling the arrival of Christmastide.

St. Lucy’s Day is celebrated most commonly in Scandinavia, with their long dark winters. It is also popular in Italy, where it emphasizes a different aspect of the story.

In Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland, Lucia is venerated on December 13 in a ceremony where a girl is elected to portray Lucia. Wearing a white gown with a red sash and a crown of candles on her head, she walks at the head of a procession of women, each holding a candle. The candles symbolize the fire that refused to take St. Lucy's life when she was sentenced to be burned. The women sing a Lucia song while entering the room, to the melody of the traditional Neapolitan song Santa Lucia; the Italian lyrics describe the view from Santa Lucia in Naples, the various Scandinavian lyrics are fashioned for the occasion, describing the light with which Lucia overcomes the darkness. Each Scandinavian country has lyrics in their native tongues. In both Norway and Sweden, girls dressed as Lucy carry rolls and cookies in procession as songs are sung. Even boys take part in the procession as well, playing different roles associated with Christmas. After finishing this song, the procession sings Christmas carols or more songs about Lucia.

In Denmark, the Day of Lucy (Luciadag) was first celebrated on December 13, 1944. The tradition was directly imported from Sweden by initiative of Franz Wend, secretary of Föreningen Norden, as an attempt "to bring light in a time of darkness”. During the German occupation of Scandinavian countries during the Second World War it was widely regarded as a means of passive protest. Today schools and kindergartens also use the occasion to mark the event as a special day for children on one of the final days before the Christmas holidays.
There are also a number of additional historical traditions connected with the celebration, which are not widely observed. The night before candles are lit and all electrical lights are turned off, and on the Sunday closest to December 13 participants traditionally attend church.

Sankta Lucia (Norwegian Lyrics)
Svart senker natten seg i stall og stuer.
Solen har gått sin vei, skyggene truer.
Inn i vårt mørke hus stiger med tente lys,
Sankta Lucia, Sankta Lucia!
Natten er mørk og stum. Med ett det suser
i alle tyste rom som vinger bruser.
Se på vår terskel står, hvitkledd med lys i hår,
Sankta Lucia, Sankta Lucia!

Saint Lucia (English translation)
Black night is falling in stables and homes.
The Sun has gone away, the shadows are threatening.
Into our dark house enters with lit candles,
Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia!
The night is dark and silent; suddenly a rush
in all quiet rooms, like the waving of wings.
See, at our threshold stands, dressed in white with lights in her hair,
Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia!