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Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Jewels in Motion: Jewels of the Romanovs (1997)

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Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin and his wife, Valentina, join Vice President Al Gore and Tipper Gore for a tour of the “Jewels of the Romanovs” at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, February 1997 (JOYCE NALTCHAYAN/AFP/Getty Images)
To wrap up our month-long peek into various jewel exhibitions, we’re traveling to Washington, D.C., for the landmark Romanov display at the Corcoran Gallery of Art two decades ago. Enjoy a little bit of the experience for your self — in motion!

The exhibition, the 125th anniversary of a state visit by Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich to the United States, featured jewels, clothing, and other objects that belonged to members of the House of Romanov. It was the first time that many of these items had been exhibited in the United States. The jewels are property of the country’s Diamond Fund, which is housed in the Kremlin complex.
One of the stars of the show was this piece: the neck badge of the order of St. Alexander Nevsky, made in Moscow in 1775. The badge is made of gold and silver and set with ruby, enamel, glass, and nearly 100 carats of diamonds.
A bejeweled brooch featuring a miniature portrait
Diamond tassels dating to the eighteenth century, linked with Empress Alexandra, wife of Tsar Nicholas I
A rather modern brooch set with diamonds and red gemstones
A Gothic-style mourning bracelet, ca. 1820, that features a portrait of Emperor Alexander I set beneath a 27-carat table-cut diamond
A closer look at the bracelet, which was reportedly given to Alexander’s widow, Empress Elizabeth, by his brother (and successor), Tsar Nicholas I
The exhibition also included replicas of lost pieces. This platinum and diamond rose brooch, made in 1970 in Moscow, is a replica of one that belonged to Empress Alexandra, wife of Tsar Nicholas II
The most magnificent replica included was undoubtedly this one, made in Moscow in 1980. The platinum, gold, and silver diadem is set with almost 130 carats of white diamonds and a single yellow diamond that weighs in at more than 35 carats. The piece is a copy of a diadem owned by Empress Maria Feodorovna, the second wife of Tsar Paul I; the original was sold by the Soviets in 1929
A few years ago, I reviewed the extensive catalogue from this exhibition; you can read more about that text, and the exhibition itself, over here!

Jewels in Motion: Diamonds, A Jubilee Celebration

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Caroline de Guitaut curates the “Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration” exhibit at Buckingham Palace, June 2012 (Bethany Clarke/Getty Images
Five years ago, the exhibition space at Buckingham Palace glittered with more than ten thousand diamonds, all set in priceless pieces of jewelry that belong to Queen Elizabeth II. Today, I’ve got a view of the exhibition for you — and since it’s in GIF form, you’ll feel like you’re really there!

The instantly-recognizable George IV State Diadem, with its sparkling diamonds and luminous pearls, was a centerpiece of the exhibition
Queen Victoria’s signature Small Diamond Crown alone is set with more than 1000 diamonds
Queen Alexandra’s Russian-inspired kokoshnik is a wall of diamonds
Queen Mary’s Delhi Durbar Tiara is a relic of a bygone age when kings were emperors
The exhibition reunited seven of the nine Cullinan diamonds; here, the Cullinan III and IV are set in the brooch that the Queen has nicknamed “Granny’s Chips”
The marquise pendant diamond suspended from the Delhi Durbar Necklace is the Cullinan VII
Here’s a view of the detailed construction of the necklace
The heart-shaped diamond in the middle of this classic brooch is the Cullinan V
The rectangular Cullinan VIII is set in the top of this similar brooch, with the marquise-cut Cullinan VI as its pendant
Completing the set (except for the I and II diamonds, which are set in the crown jewels) is the pear-shaped Cullinan IX which is set in a platinum ring
One of the rarest pink diamonds was on display in the Queen’s Williamson Diamond Brooch
The exhibition also included several diamond-studded objet d’art pieces, including this sword and scabbard set, which was given to King Edward VII by the Maharajah of Jaipur
The sword, which is set with more than 700 white and yellow diamonds, was a coronation present, given to King Edward in 1902
Another 1902 piece is the diamond-encrusted Coronation Fan that belonged to King Edward’s wife, Queen Alexandra

Jewels in Motion: Van Cleef & Arpels in Paris

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FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP/Getty Images
In 2012, the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris hosted an exhibition of iconic jewels made by Van Cleef and Arpels, including several royal pieces. Today, we’ve got a front-row seat to the show — in motion!

A general view of the exhibition’s displays
A view of a turquoise and diamond “Panka” necklace, ca. 1973
Curators set a necklace on a display frame
A necklace set with carved emeralds is placed in position
Diamond ribbon ornaments are displayed in a clear viewing cylinder
A close-up view of an elaborate diamond bangle and ruby and diamond earrings
A replica of Farah Pahlavi’s ornate coronation crown is displayed
The firm’s elaborate “Phoenix” necklace (ca. 2012) in close-up view
A new royal tiara was also on display: the “Ocean” tiara made by the firm for Princess Charlene of Monaco. (More on that tiara over here!)
Appropriately, Princess Charlene previewed the exhibition, wearing the earrings made to coordinate with the tiara. In the GIF above, you see her admiring her tiara; she appears to say, “ah, it’s beautiful!”