Archives for 2016

Another Auction Purchase for Crown Princess Mary

04.03.2016 by The Court Jeweller // Leave a Comment

Her new Edwardian tiara/necklace wasn’t the only piece from Crown Princess Mary’s jewelry box that appeared at Bruun Rasmussen’s auction in March 2012. Thanks to sleuthing by Arthur from the Royal Jewels of the World Message Board, we can trace Mary’s diamond and morganite pendant to the same source.

From the Bruun Rasmussen auction catalogue

The pendant was Lot #311 at the auction. Here’s how the piece is described in the catalogue:

A morganite and diamond pendant set with a pear-shaped morganite weighing app. 39.00 ct. encircled by numerous brilliant and old mine-cut diamonds weighing app. 2.10 ct., mounted in gold and silver.

The pendant is 5.6 centimeters long, and the catalogue estimates that it was created around 1930. And it was quite a bargain: the price estimate for the piece was 535 euros, or just about $600 at today’s exchange rate.

Mary wore the pendant on her pearl necklace at a state banquet for the President of Turkey in 2014, pairing the necklace with her wedding tiara.

She also wore the pendant with her pearls in January for one of the annual New Year’s receptions.

This Week in Royal Jewels: March 25-31

04.01.2016 by The Court Jeweller // Leave a Comment

March 25-31, 2016

A bit of a casual week when it comes to royal jewels — but there’s also a definite trend happening in the earring department. Be sure to vote for your favorite in the poll below!

Photos: Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images

10. To kick things off, we’re reaching back to an event we didn’t cover last week: the visit of the grand ducal family of Luxembourg to the Vatican. All three of the grand ducal daughters-in-law were in attendance. Hereditary Grand Duchess Stephanie wore a delicate pair of pendant earrings; Princess Claire donned an intriguing pair of stud earrings, and Princess Tessy selected a classic pair of pearl drop earrings.

Photo: Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images

9. Grand Duchess Maria Teresa (holding her granddaughter, Princess Amalia) wore a pair of drop earrings with round pearls for the papal visit. Note that she’s wearing white, while her daughters-in-law are wearing black; as the wife of a Catholic monarch, Maria Teresa has the right to exercise the privilege du blanc.

Photo: Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty Images

8. King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium were also in Vatican City this week. For an outdoor mass in St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday, Paola wore a pair of diamond and pearl stud earrings, plus a delicate necklace and bracelets.

Photo: Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images

7. Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco observed Good Friday at the Palais Princier; Charlene wore a delicate cross necklace and a pair of trendy back-to-front earrings.

Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth – WPA Pool/Getty Images

6. Also in back-to-front earrings: the Countess of Wessex, who wore a pair on Easter Sunday at Windsor.

Photo: Khalil Mazraawi/AFP/Getty Images

5, On the same day, Queen Rania of Jordan wore a pair of marbleized back-to-front earrings (reportedly from Dior) as she welcomed UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to the Royal Palace in Amman.

Photo: Jaime Reina/AFP/Getty Images

4. For an Easter Sunday mass in Palma de Mallorca, Queen Letizia of Spain wore her unusual gold hoop earrings with interior filagree detail.

Photo: Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images

3. On Wednesday, Letizia chose her diamond sunburst earrings by Yanes for a microfinance event in Madrid.

Photo: Cati Cladera – Pool/Getty Images

2. Queen Sofia of Spain loaded up the necklaces and bracelets for Easter mass, including her whimsical Easter egg necklace.

Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth – WPA Pool/Getty Images

1. It was a wild and windy Easter morning at Windsor, but Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom still glittered in one of her favorite pieces: the Frosted Sunflower Brooch.

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Crown Princess Mary’s New Tiara is an Antique

03.31.2016 by The Court Jeweller // Leave a Comment

Crown Princess Mary wears the necklace and earrings at Aarhus on 8 Apr 2015 (Photo: Henning Bagger/AFP/Getty)

We’ve got even more provenance news about the new tiara/necklace worn by Crown Princess Mary! Turns out the rumors from Billed-Bladet were correct: it is an antique, it was purchased at auction, and it’s actually a part of a set! Even more exciting? There are rubies and spinels sprinkled throughout this jewel…

Image of the necklace/tiara from the Bruun Rasmussen auction catalogue

The tiara — and the pair of earrings that Mary has been wearing with it — were both auctioned at Bruun Rasmussen in Copenhagen on March 1, 2012. The auction catalogue notes offer information on the pieces’ condition and provenance:

Lot 289: A diamond jewellery set comprising a necklace and a pair of later ear screws set with numerous rose and old mine-cut diamonds, circular-cut rubies and spinels, mounted in 14k gold and silver. L. necklace 47 cm. L. ear screws 3 cm. One stone missing. Circa 1900-1910.

Left: the earrings depicted in the Bruun Rasmussen auction catalogue; Right: Crown Princess Mary wears the earrings on April 8, 2015 (Photo: Henning Bagger/AFP/Getty)

The catalogue also notes: “The necklace was originally used as a tiara.” The set was accompanied by a case; auction estimates for the set were between 4,000 and 5,350 euros (today, that’s about $4500-$6000 in USD).

Detail of the tiara/necklace from the Bruun Rasmussen auction catalogue

If Mary bought the tiara and earrings herself (as Billed-Bladet suggests) in 2012, there was certainly a gap between the purchase and her first public outing of the set, which was in April 2015. But, as the condition reports note, the tiara/necklace wasn’t in perfect shape. Diamonds had to be replaced, and as a tiara frame wasn’t advertised as a part of the lot, it’s possible a new one had to be made.

Thanks to @european_royals for sending me the link to the catalogue!