The Beau Monde - History, Art & Fine Jewels

Wallis Simpson and the Windsor Yellows

Posted on January 28, 2025January 28, 2025 by thebeaumonde.inc

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.

Yellow diamonds are rare gemstones, with only around 1 in every 10,000 mined diamonds being a noticeable yellow color. The intensity of the yellow colour can vary widely, ranging from faint yellow to intense canary yellow, with the latter being the most valuable.

After the famous Ednam Lodge Robbery of 1946, it is possible that the Duke used his insurance pay out from Lloyds of London to replenish the Duchess’ jewel collection.
Along with the Cartier Panthere’s, Edward went to the famous American jeweller, Harry Winston in New York to seek out two large Yellow diamond clips.

In a letter to the Duchess dated 29th January 1948, Harry Winston wrote:

´…….I am enclosing several designs for the two canary diamonds which I hope will please you….`wrote Harry Winston to the Duchess of Windsor on 29th January, 1948. His letter continued, `… The two stones with approximately 92,95 carats and are priceless! Never before in my experience have I seen a pair of pearshaped canary diamonds so wonderfully matched – both because of their exquisite brilliancy and lustre and their unusually large size. It is due only to existing conditions in the world today that we were able to puchase diamonds such as these from old estates of royalty. In fact, they are so magnificent, that were it not you – I am offering them to – I should keep them here as showpieces with my other jewels……´

Harry Winston would go on to set the stones in a claw setting within a border of gold corded wire scroll motifs, set at intervals with brilliant-cut white diamonds.

To compliment her yellow diamond clips, Wallis took a number of lose stones to Cartier in 1968 and commissioned a pair of matching earrings. Like her Rubies and Emeralds, these stone from her Yellow diamond earrings are thought to have come from the avalanche of bejewelled gifts Edward received from the Maharajahs during his trip to India in 1921.

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. In 1971, famous British photographer Cecil Beaton photographed the Duchess, wearing all her yellow diamonds at the infamous Proust Ball hosted by the Rothschilds in Paris.

Like her many other bejewelled possessions, the Windsor Yellows was sold at auction at Sotheby’s after her death in 1987. The proceeds from the sale were donated to Pasteur Institute in Paris.

Jeweller Laurence Graff bought the Windsor Yelllows along with Wallis’ Engagement Ring . The Earrings were recut and sold to the Lebanese Prime Minister. The Clips were reset into a monumental necklace called “Les Jonquelles” that featured 333.61cts of Yellow Diamonds.

Wallis Simpson and her Cartier Cats

Posted on October 18, 2024February 9, 2025 by thebeaumonde.inc

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 .

The Jewels of Imperial Iran – The Seven Emerald Tiara

Posted on August 8, 2024October 15, 2024 by thebeaumonde.inc

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.

The Jewels of the Princess of Wales

Posted on April 18, 2023November 7, 2024 by thebeaumonde.inc

As the wife to the the heir of the British thrown, the Princess of Wales holds a special position within the Royal hierarchy. Unlike the other monarchies of Europe, there are no set jewels designated to the title but a few jewels have become unofficially associated with the name.

The Prince of Wales Brooch
Made for the wedding of Princess Alexandra of Denmark to the future Edward VII in 1863, this Pendant/Brooch was composed of eighteen Round Cut diamonds with small emeralds that surrounded the traditional symbol of the Prince of Wales, three ostrich feathers surrounded by a crown with the motto ‘Ich Dien’ (I Serve). It also came with a detachable cabochon emerald pendant that can be hung from the bottom of the Pendant.

On her marriage in 1981, the Pendant/Brooch was gifted to Princess Diana as the first Princess of Wales in over a century. She would go on to merge it with the diamond necklace from her Saudi Sapphire Suite

Princess of Wales Jewels - Prince of Wales Brooch - Princess Diana - Prince of Wales Feathers Pendant

The Pendant/Brooch made a welcome reappearance on Catherine, Princess of Wales in Nov 2022 when she debuted the piece during the South African State Visit and again at the Commonwealth Day celebration service in 2023.

The Jewels of the Princess of Wales - The Prince of Wales Brooch - Kate Middleton - Catherine, Princess of Wales

The Jewels of the Princess of Wales – Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara

Originally made in 1911 for Queen Mary, this tiara was based on a similar design that was popular amongst the nobility of Europe.

Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara - Queen Mary

As with the majority of her jewels, Queen Mary left it to her granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth.
The Queen did wear the tiara early in her reign but it appears to have fallen out of style and wasn’t seen again until the 1980s.

Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara - Queen Elizabeth II

The tiara became truly iconic though once it began to be worn by Princess Diana. Although it has been said that she preferred her the Spencer Tiara as it was easier to wear, she nether the less wore the Lover’s Knot tiara to many important occasions. After her death in 1997, the tiara returned to the Royal Family.

Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara - Princess Diana, Princess of Wales

When she became the Duchess of Cambridge in 2011, Kate Middleton faced many comparisons with her deceased mother in law. Given that she would one day become the Princess of Wales it was assumed that she would wear elements of Diana’s Royal jewellery collection. To everyone’s delight, the Lover’s Knot Tiara has now become a staple of Kate’s Royal wardrobe.

Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara - Kate Middleton - Catherine, Princess of Wales - Jordanian Royal Wedding

Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara - Kate Middleton - Catherine, Princess of Wales

Queen Mary’s Emerald Choker
Once thought to be a part of the Cambridge Emeralds, this choker was actually a gift from the Ladies of India and presented to Queen Mary at the Delhi Dhurbar in 1911. The original necklace laid flat on the neck.

Princess of Wales Jewels – Queen Mary’s Emerald Choker – Queen Mary of England

In 1921, Queen Mary had the Crown Jeweller Garrard remodel the necklace into an Art Deco Choker.

Like most of her other jewels, she left it to her granddaughter Queen Elizabeth II but she was sadly never photographed wearing it.
Thought to have been given as a wedding present from the Queen, Princess Diana wore the choker very conventionally at first.

Princess of Wales Jewels - Queen Mary's Emerald Choker - Princess Diana - Art Deco Emerald and Diamond Choker

Then on a tour of Australia 1985, she made one of her most memorable fashion statements and wore the choker as a Bandeau headband (although apparently this was due more to a sunburnt neck)

Princess of Wales Jewels - Queen Mary's Emerald Choker - Princess Diana - Emerald Headband - Australian 1985

Diana continued to wear the Emerald Choker after her separation from Prince Charles.

Princess of Wales Jewels - Queen Mary's Emerald Choker - Princess Diana

Like the Lover’s Knot Tiara and the Prince of Wales Brooch, the choker returned to the Royal Family after Diana’s death only to resurface with Catherine, Princess of Wales in 2022.

Princess of Wales Jewels - Queen Mary's Emerald Choker - Catherine, Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton

Diana’s Sapphire Earrings

The common consensus is that these earrings originated in the wedding gift from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. The original set did include a pair of Sapphire and Diamond earrings but it is said that Diana had the links from the watch converted into earrings.

Princess of Wales Jewels - The Saudi Sapphire Earrings - Princess Diana's Saudi Sapphire Suite — Princess of Wales Jewels – The Saudi Sapphire Earrings – Princess Diana’s Saudi Sapphire Suite

When she became the Duchess of Cambridge in 2011, Kate Middleton faced many comparisons with her deceased mother in law. As she had inherited her engagement ring it has been assumed that she has also inherited elements of Diana’s Sapphire jewellery but there has never been any official confirmation.

Princess of Wales Jewels - The Saudi Sapphire Earrings - Catherine, Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton — Princess of Wales Jewels – The Saudi Sapphire Earrings – Catherine, Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton

JAR – Joel Arthur Rosenthal – The Greatest Living Jeweller

Posted on April 8, 2020November 7, 2024 by thebeaumonde.inc

Joel Arthur Rosenthal is commonly known within the jewellery community as the ‘Greatest Living Jeweller’.

JAR - Joel Arthur Rosenthal - The Greatest Living Jeweller

But despite his impressive reputation, he is practically unknown to the general public.
Unlike the other reigning jewellery dynasties such as Cartier and Faberge, Mr Rosenthal has no family connections to jewels and gemstones. He has no website, no social media and his shop in Paris’ Place Vendôme has no jewels displayed in its windows.

So how does a man with no public persona become a living legend?

In 1966, after studying linguistics, art history and philosophy in his native New York, JAR moved to Paris and opened a small sewing shop. There he experimented with unusually coloured yarns, earning himself commissions from designers such as Hermès and Valentino. Rosenthal only began experimenting with fine jewellery when he was asked to design a mount for a Gemstone.

With his background in textiles, JARs pieces were characterised by their fine pavé set formations, which resembled a piece of needlework. His first creations were made of affordable materials such as coral, moonstone and small diamonds. Eventually, he began to work with semi precious stones such as sapphires, rubies & emeralds.

With his growing success it would’ve been assumed that his jewellery business would become a mainstream brand like his Place Vendôme neighbours but this is where the mystery of JAR and his creations lie:

You cannot simply walk into his atelier, buy or commission a piece from him; An introduction has to be made via an established client.
Once you meet with Rosenthal, he will create a piece FOR you; I imagine some input is made but the ‘myth’ is that upon meeting JAR, he decides the design, gemstones and metalwork that you will be adorned in. This intimate connection between JAR, the jewel and the owner is so central to Rosenthal’s philosophy that it makes up an integral part of the experience of any JAR jewel.
His business model is so selective that his workshop only produces around 70 to 80 pieces a year. Because of this tactic, his designs can only be seen at rare exhibitions or at select auction houses.

The Exhibitions

His first public exhibition was held in 2002 at London’s Somerset House. Featuring four hundred pieces from his exclusive clientele, the jewels were displayed in dark cabinets with visitors having to use a torchlight to see them. This, according to Rosenthal, was because “jewellery needs to flicker”.

In 2013, he became the only living jeweller to have an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
“Joel is one of the pre-eminent jewellery designers in the world.,” the Met’s director said in an interview, “He’s almost like a sculptor in gems.”
The exhibit displayed the key concerns of Rosenthal’s work:
Colour, Sculpture, Nature and Intimacy.

The Auctions

Possibly the most famous event surrounding JAR was the Ellen Barkin auction in 2006.

After an unpleasant divorce, Ms Barkin decided to auction all the jewels that she had received from her ex husband. Amongst them were an astonishing 17 pieces by JAR, the largest collection of his work to ever come on the market.

JAR - Joel Arthur Rosenthal - The Greatest Living Jeweller - Ellen Barkin

Offered for sale were several impressive examples of JAR’s signature ‘needlework’ designs.
One notable piece was the Diamond ‘Thread’ Ring which featured a magnificent 22.76ct D VVS1 Oval cut Diamond housed within a diamond set two tiered ‘threadwork’ mount

So (in)famous was this auction that it became the inspiration for the Samantha Jones’ storyline in the iconic Sex and the City Movie.
The ring is question was modelled on JARs Diamond ‘Gardenia’.
Designed as a sculpted gardenia blossom, it featured pavé-set in diamonds and was set in both in silver and gold,

JAR - Joel Arthur Rosenthal - The Greatest Living Jeweller - Ellen Barkin - Samantha Jones - Sex and the City

The Auction of the Lily Safra Collection was held in Geneva in 2012 to benefit Mrs Safra’s charitable foundation.
Arguably, two of the most impressive jewels ever created by JAR were to be featured at this historic occasion:

The Tourmaline and Diamond Flower Brooch
Designed as two green and pink tourmaline poppy flowerhead and bud, linked by a green tourmaline scrolling stem centering upon a pear-shaped diamond, weighing approximately 37.23 carats,

JAR - Joel Arthur Rosenthal - The Greatest Living Jeweller - Lily Safra

The Ruby Flower Brooch
Truly an iconic jewel, the flower was entirely pavé-set with rubies weighing a total of approximately 173.09 carats, mounted in silver and gold.

This jewel is not just visually stunning, it is a true testament to JARs dedication to fine craftsmanship.
Rubies come in all different shades and hues of Red; from deepest blood coloured to borderline pink.
Every ruby on this brooch matches all the others exactly. These stones would have taken months if not years to source.

In the ever-evolving world of craftsmanship and artistry, JAR continues to leave an indelible mark on the industry to this day. His exceptional talent and unwavering dedication has set him apart as a true visionary, redefining the boundaries of beauty and elegance in every creation.
As time goes on, this living legend’s influence remains a source of inspiration for aspiring artisans and budding collectors alike, ensuring that their illustrious impact on the world of jewellery endures for generations to come.