Archives for April 2017

King’s Day Concert Jewels in Tilburg

04.05.2017 by The Court Jeweller // Leave a Comment

MERLIN DALEMAN/AFP/Getty Images

The annual King’s Day festivities kicked off in the Netherlands on Monday with a concert in Tilburg. Various events will culminate in the King’s Day celebrations on April 27.

MERLIN DALEMAN/AFP/Getty Images

Queen Maxima wore a modern pair of earrings that we’ve seen before, including during the recent visit to New Zealand. (Check out our previous discussion over here!)

MERLIN DALEMAN/AFP/Getty Images

She also wore two of her favorite bracelets, plus her engagement and wedding rings.

ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN/AFP/Getty Images

Here’s a look at her floral gown.

MERLIN DALEMAN/AFP/Getty Images

We also got a glimpse of Princess Beatrix’s jewels during the concert, including an interesting bangle that appears to be studded with seed pearls.

The Pink Star Shatters Records

04.05.2017 by The Court Jeweller // Leave a Comment

JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images

I wrote here recently about the scheduled sale of the Pink Star Diamond, one of the rarest pink diamonds in the world. Yesterday, the diamond was auctioned in Hong Kong, and the results were staggering.

JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images

Bidding for the stone at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong began at $56 million. After only five minutes of bidding, the gemstone was sold for $71.2 million, making it the most expensive gemstone ever sold at auction. The BBC reports that “the record until now was held by the Oppenheimer Blue, which sold for $50m last May.”

Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Sotheby’s

Press information from Sotheby’s named the gemstone’s new owner as the Hong Kong-based jewelry retailer Chow Tai Fook. The stone has been sold multiple times before; an American buyer bid $83 million on the stone in 2013, but that transaction was never completed. You can read much more about the diamond’s history in our previous post!

Charles and Camilla in Italy: Vatican Visit

04.04.2017 by The Court Jeweller // Leave a Comment

Tim Rooke – Pool / Getty Images

After arriving in Rome on Tuesday, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall popped over to the Vatican for an official visit with Pope Francis.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Camilla changed her outfit, switching to a golden Anna Valentine ensemble. She also swapped her brooch for one of her signature pearl choker necklaces. This four-stranded choker features an elaborate diamond clasp with a cross design.

ALESSANDRO BIANCHI/AFP/Getty Images

Here’s a better look at the outfit, taken during a tour of the Vatican’s secret archives.

Tim Rooke – Pool / Getty Images

Charles and Camilla brought Pope Francis a basket of goodies from the Highgrove estate. Rebecca English reported that Charles quipped, “It’s difficult to know what to give Your Holiness.”