bookmark_borderWallis Simpson and her Cartier Cats

Wallis Simpson, born on June 19, 1896, in Pennsylvania, United States, gained worldwide notoriety for her role in the abdication crisis of King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom.
While her relationship with the British monarch remains the most well-known aspect of her life, Wallis Simpson had an unparalleled passion for exquisite jewellery. Her dazzling collection featured an extensive array of breathtaking Rubies, mesmerising Emeralds, and an impressive collection of bejewelled animals.

Having been his mistress for a number of years, upon his ascension to the throne in January, Wallis Simpson believed that her relationship with the new King Edward VIII would come to an end. However, his love for her only grew stronger, eventually reaching a level of obsession.

Despite Edward’s strong desire for Wallis to become his queen, the government and the Church of England would not accept a divorced woman as his consort. Moreover, there were underlying concerns about Edward’s suitability for the throne, which led to his eventual abdication in December 1936.

In his famous speech, Edward (now to be known as the Duke of Windsor) declared:
‘I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as king as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love.

Wallis and Edward would marry France in 1937 but despite marrying a former king, Wallis was denied the title HRH (Her Royal Highness). This did not stop Edward from buying her jewels fit for a Queen.


The prince charming of rue de la Paix - The French Jewelry ...

Edward was no stranger to Cartier, having been a patron of the Parisian jeweller for many years. A famous cartoon of the time called him “Le Prince Charmant de la Rue de la Paix” (The prince charming of the Rue de la Paix – Cartier’s headquarters).
He had used Cartier for a number of years, preferring them to the more traditional jewellers used by the British royal family – some believed to hide his numerous affairs’ more easily.

The Great Cat jewels (know as Panthère) that would be become Cartier’s trademark were inspired by Jeanne Toussaint, the ground breaking female jeweller who began working for the firm in in 1913. There are several legends surrounding the origins of the Panthere. Some say Toussaint got her nickname by wearing a full length panther coat, others that it was Louis Cartier’s who nicknamed her ‘La Pantherè’ when she became his mistress.

Jeanne would go on to oversee the whole Panthère range, collaborating with the firm’s designers, most notably Peter Lemarchand, who was responsible for Wallis’ famous Flamingo Brooch.
Lemarchand would visit the zoo at Vincennes to draw the big cats in the enclosures from real life, studying their distinctive feline movement and physical structure.  


While the Duke and Duchess of Windsor lived in exile in Paris, Cartier would become their unofficial Court Jewellers. Having already had Wallis’ engagement ring made by the jewellers, he returned to Cartier after the Ednam Lodge robbery of 1946 to rebuild Wallis’ collection, using his insurance money from Lloyds of London. Edward claimed the Cats were to guard her new collection.

In total, Cartier would create nine Great Cat pieces for Wallis over the years.


La Panthère': Cartier's Enduring Panther Motif

The first Panther to join the Windsor’s menagerie was made in the Cartier workshops was created for the Duke and Duchess of Windsor in 1948.  It depicted a gold panther decorated with black enamel spots outstretched on a cabochon emerald, weighing 116.74 carats, which was from the Duke’s own collection of stones, (Lot 55 from 2nd April 1987 auction at Sotheby’s).

In 1949, Wallis commissioned a pair of matching Panthère earrings to compliment this brooch. These earrings would eventually be inherited by Princess Michael of Kent, one of the only members of the British Royal Family to have been close to the Duchess


The second jewel the Duke purchased for his wife was a Panthère brooch featuring an enormous Kashmir cabochon sapphire weighing 152.35 cts in 1949. 

Sapphires were a favourite gemstone of the Duchess as she felt they brought out her eyes.


However, the most important Panthère in Wallis’ collection is the onyx and diamond bracelet she purchased in December 1952.
This Panthère was designed to be highly articulated (movable) with joints set into the piece more frequently than had been done previously. This gave the piece an almost life-like quality, as the famous jewellery author Suzy Menkes artfully described it as:

The jungle cat is stirring on its black velvet tray, as Wallis tilts the head and the sloe-shaped emerald eyes glitter. Now the articulated body is springing to life. The onyx and diamond encrusted pelt laps the Duchess’ skinny wrist; slender haunches and outstretched paws reflect myriad points of light; the stripey tail swishes and snaps shut.
Suzy Menkes – Windsor Style.

When it resurfaced at auction in 2010, the auction house Sotheby’s catalogue detailed the technical features of the piece as:
The articulated body designed to encircle the wrist and to assume a stalking attitude, pavé-set with brilliant- and single-cut diamonds and calibré-cut onyx, the eyes each set with a marquise-shaped emerald, wearing length approximately 165mm, total length approximately 195mm, signed Cartier, Paris and numbered, French assay and maker’s marks; the bracelet divides in two places, under the head and in the centre of the back, the tongue-piece of the latter inscribed, Cartier, Paris; the clasp numbered, several small stones deficient.


The collection of cats would continue to grow with an unusual pair of lorgnettes (glasses), the handle designed as a tiger with a raised paw, which was purchased in 1954. 

A pair of Cartier tiger jewels set with onyx and fancy yellow diamonds in the form of a bracelet was acquired in 1956 and the matching clip in 1959.

The last two Panthere’s in the Duchess’ collection were two more Panthère brooches, purchased in the 1960s


After the Duke of Windsor’s death in 1972, Wallis was dining with the designer Hardy Aimes & Lady Pamela Berry. They asked the Duchess if she would consider contributing tho the V&A. ‘I guess I could spare a leopard’ she responded in her typical dry wit but her collection of original Panthère jewellery not only had historical significant but also an enormous monetary value.

Like her Engagement Ring and her many other bejewelled possesions, the Great Cats were sold at auction at Sotheby’s after the Duchess’ death in 1987. The proceeds from the sale were donated to Pasteur Institute in Paris.

The Panthère bracelet would reappear at Sotheby’s in 2010 and is now believed to be owned by the Sheika Moza of Qatar .

bookmark_borderThe Jewels of Imperial Iran – The Seven Emerald Tiara

The Pahlavis were the last royal dynasty to rule Iran before the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi ushered in a new era of modernisation with his third wife, Empress Farah, who became a powerful symbol of this shift. Known as ‘The Jackie Kennedy of Iran’, she embraced Western fashion and ideals and used the crown jewels to showcase the supposed progress and dazzling wealth of the newly christened Imperial State of Iran

Upon her marriage to the Shah of Iran in 1959, Farah Diba received a collection of extraordinary new jewels commissioned especially for her. The Iranian treasury, a repository of gemstones amassed over centuries by previous rulers, provided the raw materials. These precious stones were entrusted to the renowned American jeweler, Harry Winston, who crafted the tiara and other pieces for the newly crowned Empress.

Crafted in platinum, the tiara’s foundation is a bed of baguette-cut diamonds. The next layer features two asymmetrical rows of 294 pink, yellow, and white diamonds . The tiara’s dramatic apex is a cluster of seven extraordinary emeralds, each set within its own diamond frame. The Emeralds exact measurements are as follows:

Emeralds from left to right :
Oval cabochon, 16 x 15mm, 10 carats, Oval cabochon 19x 18mm, 18 carats , Round cabochon 25 x 24 mm, 44 carats, Centre stone oval step-cut, 20 x 28 mm, 65 carats, Oval cabochon 26 x 25 mm 48 carats, Round cabochon 20 x 20 mm 24 carats, Round cabochon. 15 mm, 10 carats.


As the Shah proceeded with his White Revolution, Farah’s role in Iran as the Empress was first limited to traditional ceremonial roles, but that would later change. She would become involved in government affairs that interested her and soon be the patron of 24 organisations with the themes of health, education and culture. Her importance and role were solidified when her husband, the Shah, named her regent if he were to die before their son reached his 21st birthday.

Determined to showcase Iran as a modern nation, the Shah embarked on a series of high-profile diplomatic visits to allied countries throughout the 1960s. Empress Farah was accompanied her husband on these trips.
She paired the tiara with an historical emerald and diamond necklace, the gemstones once belonging to Empress Eugenie & Queen Ena of Spain.

France 1961

The United States 1962

Canada 1965

West Germany 1967


In 1971 The Shah and Empress Farah had assembled a global gathering of royalty and world leaders in Tehran to commemorate the 2,500th anniversary of Cyrus the Great. This grand event was a celebration of Iranian heritage on a world stage. For the historic parade at Persepolis, Farah chose to wear The Seven Emerald Tiara.

However, the Islamic Revolution of 1979 forced Empress Farah and the royal family into exile. She maintains that she left the jewels behind as she considered them the property of the Iranian people. Since the 1990s, the Seven Emerald Tiara and the rest of the crown jewels have been on public display at the National Jewels Treasury within Iran’s Central Bank.

bookmark_borderWallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor – The Flamingo Brooch


Wallis Simpson, born on June 19, 1896, in Pennsylvania, United States, gained worldwide notoriety for her role in the abdication crisis of King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom.
While her relationship with the British monarch remains one of the most well-known aspects of her life, Wallis Simpson had an unparalleled passion for exquisite jewellery. Her dazzling collection featured an extensive array of breathtaking Rubies, mesmerising Emeralds, and an impressive collection of bejewelled animals.

One such creature was a multi gemmed flamingo brooch which has become something of a trademark, despite her only being photographed wearing it four times.


Having been his mistress for a number of years, upon his ascension to the throne in January, Wallis Simpson believed that her relationship with the new King Edward VIII would come to an end. However, his love for her only grew stronger, eventually reaching a level of obsession.

Despite Edward’s strong desire for Wallis to become his queen, the government and the Church of England would not accept a divorced woman as his consort. Moreover, there were underlying concerns about Edward’s suitability for the throne, which led to his eventual abdication in December 1936.

In his famous speech, Edward (now to be known as the Duke of Windsor) declared:
‘I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as king as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love.

Wallis and Edward would marry France in 1937 but despite marrying a former king, Wallis was denied the title HRH (Her Royal Highness).


Despite this, Edward continued buying Wallis jewels fit for a Queen.
Just as he would do with several of her pieces – The Duke visited Cartier with a collection of loose stones he owned and four bracelets with a necklace from Wallis’ collection.
The immaculately kept Cartier ledger shows that the jewellers were able to unset and reuse 42 calibré-cut Rubies, 42 Sapphires, 42 Emeralds and 102 Diamonds.

Together with the famed jewellery designer Peter Lemarchand, Edward was heavily involved in the construction of this new brooch. He insisted the diamond leg of the Flamingo be moveable as he did not want it to dig into Wallis’ chest if she were to bend down.

Hans Nadelhoffer in his book ‘Cartier, Jewellers Extraordinaire’ described the Brooch as:
Lemarchand’s animal figures have vigour, plasticity and an inimitable sense of movement – thanks it must be said, to the virtuoso technique of the Cartier craftsmen who executed the designs and who could capture the articulate litheness of a great cat or emphasise the tail of a bird of paradise with a flexible platinum setting….

Sotheby’s would go on to catalogue the Brooch as:
“Designed as a flamingo in a characteristic pose, the plumage set with calibré-cut emeralds, rubies and sapphires, the beak set with a cabochon citrine and sapphire, the eye set with a similarly cut sapphire, the head, neck, body and hinged legs pavé-set with circular-, brilliant- and single-cut diamonds, measuring approximately 95mm x 65mm x 22mm, signed to the clasp MONTURE Cartier and indistinctly numbered, French assay and maker’s marks.”


Wallis was first pictured wearing the brooch at the Ritz Hotel, Madrid, on Edward’s forty-sixth birthday, 23rd June 1940

But in light of the War and the Duke’s political leanings, a decision was made that he would find a more suitable environment as Governor of the Bahamas. On her arrival on the island, Wallis chose to wear the Flamingo for their first press call.

Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor - The Flamingo Brooch
Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor – The Flamingo Brooch

The proximity of the Bahamas to Wallis’ native America meant the couple would sometimes make trips to Miami, Florida. On one such occasion in 1940, the Duke and Duchess were greeted by a large crowd and the American Press, with Wallis wearing the Flamingo Brooch on her lapel.


After World War II, Wallis and Edward emerged as the de facto leaders of Café Society. Their prominent status meant they frequently graced glamorous gatherings and social events. However, it appears that this brooch was either not a favourite or was only worn discreetly as Wallis was rarely photographed wearing it.

The last known photograph of the brooch was from 1970, sent to their secretary Suzanne Blum from their suite at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

Like her Engagement Ring and her many other bejewelled possesions, the Flamingo brooch was sold at auction at Sotheby’s after the Duchess’ death in 1987. The proceeds from the sale were donated to Pasteur Institute in Paris.
The Flamingo Brooch would reappear at Sotheby’s in 2010 and is now believed to be owned by the Cartier Heritage Foundation.

bookmark_borderThe Joyas de Pasar – The Jewels of the Queen of Spain – The Diamond Bracelets

The Joyas de Pasar (the Jewels to pass on) are a set of jewels that may only be worn by the Queens of Spain.

In 1963, when she was writing her will in Lausanne, Switzerland, The exiled Queen Victoria Eugenia (Ena) of Spain specified that the following jewels were to be passed on to her son Don Jamie and then to her grandson Don Juan Carlos:

The Joyas de Pasar - The Jewels of the Queen of Spain - The Fleur de Lys Tiara - La Buena

The two identical diamond bracelets have an interesting history and began life as a completely different object.
When she married King Alfonso in 1906, Queen Ena received a great number of bejeweled wedding presents including a small, gem encrusted, crown designed by the prominent French jewellers, Cartier.

This Crown was photographed and described as:

“Seven and a half centimeters in diameter at the base and twelve centimeters from end to end of the fleurons. The base is set with four rectangular emeralds, four oval rubies, and eight diamond elements. On the upper edge, eight brilliants alternate with eight strawberry leaves, from which the corresponding diadems rose, terminating in the world globe with cross, all studded with diamonds”. 

Queen Ena would wear the small crown throughout the her husband’s reign, mainly using it for official occasions like the opening of the Spanish Parliament.


After the Spanish revolution of 1931, Queen Ena and the rest of the royals went into exile, mainly living in Lausanne in Switzerland.

In a pragmatic move, she had the crown dismantled as she thought she would never wear it again. This time, she employed the Italian jewellery house, Bulgari, to take the gemstones from the piece and use them to make two imposing diamond bracelets with a twisted ribbon design.

Still a prominent figure in royal circles, Queen Ena would pair the bracelets with the other Joyas de Pasar for important gatherings during the 50s & 60s

When she died in 1969 her vast jewellery collection was inherited by her children but as she had wished, the Joyas de Pasar passed to Maria de Las Mercedes as the de facto new Queen.
However, the complexities of Spanish politics meant that when the monarchy was restored in 1975, Maria did not become Queen of Spain. It was not until 1983, when the situation had improved that her daughter in law Queen Sofia began to wear Queen Ena’s Diamond Bracelets

When her husband King Juan Carlos abdicated in 2014, Sofia still retained the title of Queen but not the position.
The bracelets now belonged to her daughter in law Queen Letizia and just as the Countess of Barcelona had done, Sofia handed over the Joyas de Pasar to the new Queen.
The Diamond Bracelets are a favoured set of Letizia’s and she is frequently photographed wearing them to formal and semi-formal events.

Princess Leonor will be the next owner of these earrings but she will have the distinction of wearing it as the first Queen Regnant of Spain since 1868.