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

The Court Jeweller

Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Tournament of Brooches: Queen Alexandra’s Wedding vs Amethyst Floral

by // Leave a Comment

A royal wedding gift faces off against a part of amethyst floral brooches…

Paul Faith – WPA Pool/Getty Images, TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images
Queen Alexandra’s Wedding Brooch vs The Amethyst Floral Brooches
Paul Faith – WPA Pool/Getty Images
This antique brooch, made as part of a larger parure by Garrard in 1862, was one of King Edward VII’s wedding gifts to his wife, Queen Alexandra. She wore the brooch on her wedding day, and continued to wear it for the rest of her life. She bequeathed the brooch to Queen Mary, who in turn left it to the Queen in 1953. The Queen wears it now occasionally, especially for important occasions and evening events (like the annual Festival of Remembrance).
TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images
This set includes two coordinating brooches featuring amethysts and diamonds in a floral setting made of yellow gold. One of the brooches features a pair of larger pear-shaped amethysts at the top, while the other has one pear-shaped amethyst and one round amethyst at the top of the piece. The Queen has been wearing them regularly since at least the 1990s.
Stay tuned for another brooch poll tomorrow (and a sparkling Nightly Necklace later today)!

Tournament of Brooches: Flower Basket vs Australian Hibiscus

by // Leave a Comment

It’s flower vs. flower in today’s afternoon match-up…

Rebecca Naden – WPA Pool/Getty Images, KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH/AFP via Getty Images
The Flower Basket Brooch vs. The Queen Mother’s Australian Hibiscus Brooch
Rebecca Naden – WPA Pool/Getty Images
This lovely brooch was given to the Queen in 1948 by her parents. It was a present to mark the birth of her first child, Prince Charles. The Queen, then still Princess Elizabeth, wore the brooch for Charles’s first official photograph. She’s worn it regularly since, including a sentimental appearance at the christening of Prince George, Charles’s first grandson, in 2013.
KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH/AFP via Getty Images
The Hibiscus Brooch, set with diamond and rubies, was given to the Queen Mother by the people of Australia in 1958. The Queen Mother was absolutely delighted with the gift, and she began wearing it right away. The Queen inherited the jewel from her mother in 2002, and she’s worn it occasionally in the years since. In 2018, it was a very appropriate choice for the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.
More brooch competition coming your way in the morning — and, in the meantime, a brand-new Nightly Necklace post!