Don’t Miss a Single Sparkling Moment! Sign up for The Court Jeweller Newsletter

The Court Jeweller

Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Luxembourg State Dinner Glitter in France

by // Leave a Comment

BENOIT TESSIER/AFP/Getty Images

Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg are currently on a state visit to France, where they were the guests of honor at a state dinner on Monday evening.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

President Emanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, were hosted the grand ducal couple at the Elysee Palace in Paris for the dinner. Unfortunately, white-tie/black-tie state dinners largely went out of favor in France years ago, so there were no tiaras to spot on this occasion.

BENOIT TESSIER/AFP/Getty Images

But Grand Duchess Maria Teresa did delve into the family’s collection of diamond and emerald jewelry for the dinner, wearing the diamond and emerald choker necklace that belonged to Queen Astrid of Belgium. (I’ll direct you to our friends at Luxarazzi for more on the necklace.) She paired the necklace, which can also be worn as a bracelet or a bandeau, with elaborate diamond and emerald earrings.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

She also wore more diamonds and emeralds on her left wrist. From some angles, this bracelet looks like it might be a diamond and emerald evening watch.

BENOIT TESSIER/AFP/Getty Images

Brigitte Macron was especially chic for the dinner. Check out that cocktail ring on her left hand!

BENOIT TESSIER/AFP/Getty Images

Here’s a look at the four major players’ entire ensembles for the evening.

Jewel History: Gems of Marie Antoinette Sold by Auction in London (1928)

by // Leave a Comment

Detail of Martin van Meytens’s portrait of Marie Antoinette, ca. 1768 (Wikimedia Commons)
“Gems of Marie Antoinette Sold by Auction in London”
(originally appeared in the Winnipeg Evening Tribune, 3 Mar 1928)

LONDON, March 3 — Precious stones said to have belonged to Queen Marie Antoinette [1], recently figured in a notable jewel sale at Christie’s.

These stones, which are the property of Sir Godfrey Baring [2], are rubies and diamonds, and have been made up into a tiara and necklace, each of unusually attractive design. The two pieces were offered separately [3].

Detail of a portrait of Marie Antoinette wearing pearls by Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun (Wikimedia Commons)

Many other costly gems — including hundreds of pearls — were offered at this sale, the catalogue of which might have served as an inventory of Aladdin’s Cave.

There were twelve pearl necklaces, including one of seven rows, composed of 799 graduated pearls, with ruby and diamond clasp.

A bejeweled portrait of Marie Antoinette, ca. 1775 (Wikimedia Commons)

There was also a three-row pearl necklace composed of 287 graduated pearls, with oblong diamond clasp.

Besides these there were also three ropes, one comprising 180 pearls, with oval clasp of pearls and brilliants; a silver snake bracelet set with opals and emeralds; diamond pendants, rings and brooches; a necklace of emerald green jade; and earstuds of black pearl and diamond clusters.

NOTES

1. Queen Marie Antoinette of France (1755-1793) was an Austrian princess who became the wife of King Louis XVI of France. She and her husband were both executed during the Reign of Terror.

2. Sir Godfrey Baring (1871-1957) was a politician and yachtsman who was a central figure at Cowes Week. He was also the father of Poppy Baring (1901-1980), one of the “Bright Young Things” who caught the eye of two British princes. Prince Albert (later King George VI) proposed marriage in 1921, and Poppy accepted, but his parents refused to approve the match. A few years later, Poppy was romancing Bertie’s younger brother, Prince George (later the Duke of Kent), but once again, parental disapproval kept them from marrying.

3. According to this post, the tiara (“a RUBY AND DIAMOND TIARA, of flower and foliage design, with mounts to form brooches and hair ornament”) was sold for £900, while the necklace (“a RUBY AND DIAMOND NECKLACE OR TIARA, of cluster and foliage design”) fetched £1,250. Unfortunately, neither lot was illustrated in the sale catalogue.