The Court Jeweller – Page 1297

Stephanie Sparkles at Cannes

05.18.2017 by The Court Jeweller // Leave a Comment

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Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stephanie of Luxembourg joined the glamorous celebrities at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, and Stephanie’s glittering jewels lived up to even the most sparkling of movie star gems.

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Guillaume and Stephanie, accompanied by Luxembourg’s prime minister and his husband, attended the opening gala and a screening of the film Ismael’s Ghosts. With a white Ralph Lauren gown, Stephanie wore a stunning pair of earrings.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Here’s a good close-up. The earrings form a modified diamond figure-eight, with one loop surrounding a pear-shaped, pinkish-red gemstone. I don’t think these are rubies, as most rubies are not this large, but that’s just a guess on my part. I believe these are a new pair; I can’t recall seeing Stephanie (or any of the ladies of the grand ducal family) wearing them before.

ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images

A hint of a necklace peeked out from the neckline of Stephanie’s gown…

ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images

…and a look at her bejeweled clutch also shows her three usual rings.

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And here’s a look at her full ensemble. Stephanie has really been knocking it out of the jewelry park lately, hasn’t she?

Auction Results: Apollo and Artemis Smash Records

05.17.2017 by The Court Jeweller // Leave a Comment

FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

Earlier this week, I featured a pair of remarkable earrings, the Apollo Blue and the Artemis Pink, that were part of Tuesday’s Magnificent Jewels sale at Sotheby’s in Geneva. The earrings sold, and the price they fetched was nothing short of staggering.

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The earrings sold for a estimated $58 million; the Artemis Pink fetched more than $15.3 million, while the more valuable Apollo Blue commanded more than $42 million. The diamonds were purchased by the same buyer, who sent in bids via telephone. They will reportedly remain together as a pair. After yesterday’s auction, the earrings are officially the most expensive pair ever sold.

Japan’s Princess Mako Reportedly Engaged

05.17.2017 by The Court Jeweller // Leave a Comment

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Japanese media reports indicate that an engagement announcement is expected soon from the imperial palace. Princess Mako of Akishino, the eldest granddaughter of the Emperor and Empress, is reportedly engaged to Kei Komuro. But while royal engagements usually start conversations about jewel appearances to come, this announcement would mean that royal jewels will be left behind.

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According to various Japanese press sources, Princess Mako and her beau met while studying at the same university in Tokyo. Both are 25 years old, and they’ve apparently been dating for about five years. Princess Mako currently works as a researcher at a Tokyo museum. She also occasionally represents the imperial family both at home and abroad; above, she is pictured on an official trip to Paraguay in 2016, and below, during an official visit to Honduras in 2015.

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Reports suggest that the Imperial Household Agency, which oversees virtually all aspects of the Japanese imperial family’s lives and activities, will announce the engagement soon, with a wedding expected next year. When she marries, Princess Mako will become a commoner, losing her title, her place in the imperial family, and any funds granted to her by the state. Her jewels will also head back to the palace vaults, perhaps to appear later on another imperial princess. The most recent member of the imperial family to lose her royal status because of her marriage was Princess Mako’s cousin, Princess Noriko of Takamado, who married Kunimaro Senge in 2014.