In 1985, the renowned jewellery author Suzy Menkes wrote her pivotal book ‘The Royal Jewels’. Through her research, she compiled an extensive list of jewels that Queen Victoria had designated ‘as belonging to the Crown and to be worn by all future Queens in right of it‘
These were to be known as ‘The Heirlooms of the British Crown’
The most recognisable item in the collection is the George IV Diadem (sometimes referred to as The Diamond Diadem)
In 1820, the London jewellers Rundell, Bridge & Rundell was commissioned by the king to make him a new crown for his Coronation. George IV was know for his flamboyant tastes and he was determined to out do his great nemesis Napoleon and the magnificent Coronation he had held at Notre Dame.
Made of gold and silver, the frame measures 7.5 centimetres (3.0 in) tall and 19 centimetres (7.5 in) in diameter. It is set with 1,333 diamonds weighing a total of 320 carats, including a four-carat yellow diamond at the front. Instead of the heraldic fleurs-de-lis usually seen on British crowns, the diadem has four bouquets of roses, thistles and shamrocks, the floral symbols of England, Scotland and Ireland respectively, alternating with four crosses pattée. The base of the diadem features two strings of pearls.
Despite its commission for George’s use, the diadem was not worn as it was felt the design of the finished piece was too ‘effeminate”.
As such, the diadem has since been reserved for queen regnants and consorts.
Strangely, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother was never pictured or painted in this diadem during her time as Queen Consort to King George VI. When she went to the State opening of Parliament she preferred to wear the Oriental Circlet or her own Coronation Crown.
The diadem became truly iconic when it was inherited by Queen Elizabeth II.
As the diadem was featured in the portraits that were used for postage stamps and banknotes, it became recognised the world over.
Queen Elizabeth would continuously wear the diadem throughout her reign.
After her death in 2022, the George IV diadem is now in the possession of Queen Camilla, who has continued tradition and worn it to the State Opening of Parliament.
Princess Marina’s Diamond Brooch is a masterpiece of artistry and a testament to the jeweller’s unparalleled skill. With its royal pedigree as both an Imperial Russian and Royal British jewel, it holds an extraordinary place in history
During the 1800’s, Gem-studded Bow brooches became popular with European aristocrats looking to enhance the fashionable, bow styled garments that were in style at the time Probably the most famous example of this trend is Bow Brooch belonging to Empress Eugenie, which can now be found in the Apollo gallery in the Louvre. Queen Victoria also had a set of three bow brooches made up by the Crown Jeweller, Garrad in 1858.
Princess Marina’s Diamond Bow Brooch is thought to have been made in the 1850’s. Exhibiting “the softness of [the] velvet, satin, and lace bows of the 19th century” (Lisa Hubbard, Sotheby’s), in their 2012 Catalogue, Sotheby’s describes the piece as:
“A double ribbon bow centred by an oval-shaped diamond weighing approximately 3.50 carats, accented by numerous pear-shaped and old mine-cut diamonds weighing approximately 38.00 carats, further set with numerous old mine and rose-cut diamonds weighing approximately 64.25 carats”
As with her Pearl Bandeau and her sister’s Diamond Kokoshnik Tiara, most people like to think that this piece came from the legendary jewel collection of Princess Marina’s grandmother, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, the Grand Duchess Vladimir of Russia. When her only daughter, Elena (pictured) married Prince Nicolas of Greece in 1902, it has been assumed that the brooch would have been part of her lavish wedding presents. However, Cecil Beaton, the famous society photographer, wrote that Princess Marina had told him that her mother received the bow brooch from Tsar Nicholas II who was her paternal first cousin. Neither version has been confirmed.
Prince Nicolas and Elena had three daughters; Olga, Elizabeth and Marina. All three made suitable royal marriages and all three were to inherit elements of their mothers jewellery collection
In 1934, Princess Marina married George, Duke of Kent, Fourth Son of King George V of England. As was tradition, she received many bejewelled gifts from both her family and her new in laws. Along with her Pearl Bandeau Tiara, she also received her mother’s Diamond Bow Brooch.
After her marriage, Princess Marina became a prominent member of the British Royal Family and as such, she was required to attend important state functions.
In 1937, she attended the Coronation of her brother in law, King George VI at Westminster Abbey. For the solemn occasion, she chose to wear her most important jewels which included the Diamond Bow Brooch.
Known as ‘the Dazzling Pair’, Prince George and Princess Marina were the leaders of London High Society during the 1930’s. Marina became a great muse for the famous photographer Cecil Beaton. In his memoir he quotes: “The Duchess looked excessively beautiful in a huge brown tulle crinoline, ruched like a Queen Anne window blind, or a lampshade, with old fashioned jewellery. She looked like a Winterhalter painting and it was thus she was photographed, slightly nervous at first and very royal with her deep, clipped accented voice but soon she was a pliable as any sitter I have ever had and we made many jokes and got along splendidly”
After Prince George’s tragic death in 1942, Marina was still a valued member of the extended Royal Family. It has been said that while courting Princess Elizabeth, her first cousin Prince Phillip would use Marina’s country home to see her away from the prying eyes of the courtiers.
When Queen Elizabeth ascended to the throne in 1952, Princess Marina attended her Coronation and once again wore the Diamond Bow Brooch.
In addition to serving the British people and the Monarchy at ceremonial events, Marina would often attend many Royal gatherings across Europe.
When she died in 1968, Princess Marina divided her jewellery amongst her three children. Unlike his brother Prince Michael, the Duke of Kent was forced to sell several important pieces from his mother’s collection to pay her death duties. Jayne Wrightsman, the famous American philanthropist and fine art collector would be the one to buy the Diamond Bow Brooch.
The brooch remained in Mrs Wrightsman’s collection until the December of 2012, when it was sold at Sotheby’s to an unknown buyer, with the final sale price of $842,500
Her imperial Highness Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia, The Grand Duchess Vladimir is considered one of the most important jewellery collectors in history. Born Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin she married the second son of the Russian Emperor Alexander II, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich in 1874.
Like the famous Vladimir Emeralds, Maria’s magnificent collection of Sapphires originated in the mass of wedding presents she received from her new in laws. These particular jewels are said to have come from her husband’s grandmother, Charlotte of Prussia. The most impressive gem in this collection was an enormous 137. 2 ct cushion cut sapphire which was placed in the centre of an imposing tiara.
However, it would appear that the new Grand Duchess Vladimir was not a fan of the tiara’s original setting. Russia in the late 19th Century was experiencing a renaissance in its national traditions. This led to the ladies of the Russian aristocracy opting to wear their tiaras in the Kokoshnik style
When Maria appeared at the first Russian Parliament (Duma) in 1906, she paired her Sapphire Necklace with a Kokoshnik tiara that belonged to her brother in law, Grand Duke Alexis, which she hoped to inherit one day. However, after his death, the sapphire tiara Maria had coveted went instead to the wife of Grand Duke Paul. On the death of her husband in 1908, Maria Pavlovna found herself in receipt of an annual pension of one million francs the allowances Grand Duke Vladimir had been entitled to as Commander in Chief of the Russian army.
So, with no tiara and plenty of money, she travelled to Paris in the summer to meet with her good friend Louis Cartier, bringing her collection of sapphires with her. As luck would have it, Cartier had a Kokoshnik style tiara in stock, its five large diamonds easily reset with the Grand Duchess’ sapphires. During the manufacturing process, the jewellers were concerned about sending such an expensive item to Russia for approval. So it was decided that, along with photographs, a copper model would be sent to Maria Pavlovna so she could make her final decision.
In 1909, Cartier himself travelled to St. Petersburg to hand deliver the finished piece. This majestic new tiara featured the 137.2 ct cushion cut sapphire from the previous tiara and four cabochon sapphires from her original set. The five large sapphires elements could be removed and worn as brooches or hair ornaments.
To compliment her new tiara, Grand Duchess Vladimir also decided to purchase an imposing stomacher to complete her grand set. She chose another Cartier stock piece but had the original Pearls removed to accommodate her Sapphires.
Cartier’s original invoice still survives and brilliantly describes the precise stone details of this new jewel:
– 955 diamonds, giving a total diamond weight of 139ct – 162ct Central Sapphire with an additional 78 sapphires totalling 112ct.
In 1918, Russia finally exploded in to Revolution. Grand Duchess Vladimir fled to the Crimea leaving her jewels hidden in the Vladimir Palace, thinking she would return when the situation had improved. Below, Prince Michael of Kent (Grand Duchess Vladimir’s Great Grandson) explains how when reality finally set in, she instructed her son Grand Duke Boris and her close friend Albert Stopford to retrieve her jewels.
Grand Duchess Vladimir passed away on the 6th September 1920 in Switzerland. Her vast collection was divided amongst her children with her sons Andrei and Boris inheriting the Rubies & Emeralds. Her only daughter Elena received the Diamonds and Pearls, the most famous piece being the Vladimir Tiara now worn by Queen Elizabeth II.
The Grand Duchess Vladimir and her Family
Grand Duke Kyril inherited the Sapphires along with several other pieces. He, his wife (Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha) and their children had managed to escape the revolution by fleeing to Finland. Like many other exiled Romanovs, they were forced to sell their jewels in order to survive. Luckily for them, Victoria Melita’s sister, Queen Marie of Romania, was happy to help.
This is an extract from John Van der Kiste’s biography of Victoria Melita (known to her family as Ducky). Taken from a letter Queen Marie wrote to their mother, Maria Alexandrovna:
“I spoke to Ducky about some of Aunt Miechen’s jewellery that Ducky wants to sell as these pieces represent the only fortune the family has left – thank God that the jewels of the old lady are fabulous! She was an extraordinarily greedy woman and she received, throughout her entire life, more than her share of anything. Nando gave me a generous sum of money to buy jewellery, since mine are lost forever. I want of course, in as much as it is possible, for our money to go to Ducky and her family. I chose a diamond and sapphire tiara , one of the most wonderful things I have seen in my entire life! It is however a horrible feeling to take these treasures from a person I love more than anything in the world. But at the same time I know that I am a gift from God to her, as I am ready to pay for the pieces in full and right away without negotiating the prices. Oh, and heaven, these jewels are wonderful, as seldom one can find!”
Although he sold his mother’s tiara to his sister in law, it is less clear what Kyril did with her necklace and the stomacher.
Queen Marie absolutely adored her new tiara, recognising it as a truly regal jewel. She wore it continuously through her reign often pairing it with her theatrical costumes.
So important was this tiara to her, she chose to wear it for her Coronation in 1922. This special event was designed to invoke the glorious past of Romania. Here you can see Queen Marie with her daughters wearing their elaborate costumes and their grandiose jewels, including Queen Maria of Yugoslavia wearing her Emeralds
When her daughter, Princess Ileana married Archduke Anton of Austria in 1931, Marie gave her the Sapphire Kokoshnik Tiara as a wedding present. In 1935, Ileana loaned the tiara back to her mother to wear for the Silver Jubilee of her cousin, King George V of the United Kingdom.
At that point, political tensions were already strong in Romania, so Marie left the tiara in her London bank for safekeeping, probably mindful of what had happened to her wedding jewels. Ileana was only able to reclaim the tiara shortly before the outbreak of World War II.
With the rise of Communism and the fall of the Romanian Monarchy in 1948, Ileana and her family fled, eventually ending up in America where she would write her memoirs ‘I Live Again’. Below is an extract where Ilena describes the last known movements of the tiara. Like many Romanov treasures, the Vladimir Sapphire Kokoshnik Tiara is now lost to history.
I Live Again by Ileana, Princess of Romania
THERE IS one thing I cannot show you in either of my two rooms: one very important thing which I was allowed to bring with me from my old life, and which made the foundation of my new one. You can see it in a photograph of my mother there on the table, but no picture can give you any idea of the living glow and the rainbow fires in the sapphire and diamond tiara she is wearing. “A tiara!” you say. “Now that is what one expects of a princess!”
Yes, I can agree with you. This was truly a royal diadem.Nicholas I of Russia had it made for his wife, the Princess Charlotte of Prussia, when he became emperor in 1825. Through his granddaughter, my mother’s mother, it descended eventually to me (it goes to Grand Duke Vladimir, brother of her grandmother Grand Duchess Marie, Duchess of Edinburgh and Saxe Coburg Gotha , also a son of the tsar, and later his wife the famous Grand Duchess Vladimir, sold it to her mother on the fled). My mother wore it at her coronation in 1922. She chose it also to wear on state occasions during the visit she made to this country.
And so the tiara and I both entered the United States twice, and together: once in 1926, when I was one of a royal party receiving an official and impressive welcome in New York City, and when the diadem was suitably packed and guarded; and once in 1950, when I flew from Argentina to Miami—hoping to avoid any public recognition—with the tiara wrapped in my nightgown! Perhaps this is not your idea of how a princess should care for her jewels? It was certainly a surprise to the customs officer! To the tiara, however, it was only one more in a long series of adventures.A few of these I know about: for example, that it was smuggled out of Russia in 1918 during the revolution there. My mother had given it to me when I was married in 1931. I lent it to her to wear at the Jubilee of King George V of England, and she left it in her bank in London because of unsettled conditions at home. After her death I had no small trouble in claiming it, but I got it away from England just before World War II actually began. I kept it in Austria until 1943, when I smuggled it into Romania, and there I saved it from the Communists when I left in 1948. It went to Switzerland with me, and then to Argentina, where I pawned it to put money into an unfortunate business that failed. Its adventures as a single piece of jewelry were then almost over, for it became evident that I must try to sell it in order to pay our debts.
Because by this time I was suffering severely from arthritis, I received permission in May, 1950, to come to the United States for medical treatment. As I gathered all my forces, physical and financial, to make this trip, I felt desperately that I was nearing the end of my endurance. I pawned everything I had of value in order to leave my family in Buenos Aires the money to live on, and in order to redeem the tiara. I could not afford to insure something whose “breakup” value had once been appraised at eighty thousand dollars, so I decided to wrap it in my nightgown and keep it with me in a small bag.
I lined up for customs inspection, glad to see that no word of my arrival had preceded me on this second entrance into the United States. I had not realized how public the inspection would be, and when it was my turn and I answered that I had something to declare, I asked if I could unpack my bag in private. The officer was good humored, but a little impatient with my hesitation. When I insisted on it, he made it clear that he thought I was being a nuisance. “What have you got there, anyway—a corpse?” he asked me. However, when he finally led me to an office and I opened my bag, it was my turn to feel a little superior. It was obvious that he did not know quite what to do when a tiara turned up in the luggage he inspected. He touched the central sapphire a little gingerly. Since it weighed 125 carats it was nearly the size of a man’s pocket watch. Was it real? he wanted to know.
When I assured him that it was, he looked still more harassed, but finally he decided that he would send it to Boston “in bond.” Together we wrapped it in a newspaper and put it into a box, which he duly sealed and ticketed. It was with a qualm, I confess, that I watched it put into the luggage compartment of the plane for Boston before I myself embarked. If it should somehow be lost, I was losing everything I had, and it was now out of my hands!
Everyone was very matter of fact until the parcel was opened, and the officials saw what had been lying about the office for ten days—for even I, who was so familiar with it, felt always a thrill of delight at the radiance of blue and white fire when the tiara was suddenly brought into the light. The faces of the men revealed their shocked amazement. They gasped. Then one smiled, relieved. “But of course you have this insured!” he said. “Oh, no,” I told him calmly. “Why should I? It has escaped the Nazis and the Communists safely. Naturally I did not expect to lose it here!” They were evidently uncertain whether to laugh or to scold me, but from that moment we were all friends. One of the men asked me to autograph a visitors’ register he kept—”with all your titles and things!” he explained; and I was tempted to draw him a little sketch of the tiara as a souvenir. The age of the jewel was found to make it free of customs, so eventually I walked off with it under my arm—still in its somewhat battered cardboard box. When it was rewrapped with the help of Mr. Irvine, who represented my “Custom House Brokers,” I tucked it under my arm again and walked up State Street to the post office, where I mailed the package to a jeweler in New York. That was not its last journey.
Sometimes it was guarded by police, at other times my son carried it about in the subway! Finally, after much trouble, worry, and heartbreak, it was sold for a sum much below its value. It was both beautiful and splendid, but my children were in need. As it stood, it neither fed us nor clothed us nor warmed us. I could not even wear it! So I was grateful on the day when it was gone, even though I felt a traitor to the past and all the proud heads that had worn it.
Joel Arthur Rosenthal is commonly known within the jewellery community as 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.
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,
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,
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.
