#thejewelcatalogue

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Diamond Shamrock of Northern Ireland Brooch

The origins of this brooch began in 2012, when Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her diamond jubilee. It was on this occasion, the Sultan of Oman offered the late Queen a set of four floral brooches representing the four corners of the United Kingdom - which included this shamrock brooch.

The Royal Collection Trust shares that the brooches 'are made of gold, set with white, pink and yellow diamonds, and for the shamrock, emeralds.'

Each of the leaves of the shamrocks are set with round diamond brilliants, with more diamonds cascading down each stem. The small bouquet is gathered by an emerald set ribbon.

[the-jewel-catalogue]

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Over the past few months, we’ve spotted Kate wearing a new eternity-style ring, featuring alternating diamonds and colored gemstones, in place of her engagement ring. A close-up of her hands from Thursday’s engagement showed her wearing four rings: two diamond eternity bands, the new eternity ring with colored gems, and her Welsh gold wedding ring.

~ The Court Jeweller

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The Chequers Ring is one of the few surviving pieces of jewellery worn by Queen Elizabeth I of England.

The mother-of-pearl ring, set with gold and rubies, includes a locket with two portraits, one depicting Elizabeth and the other traditionally identified as Elizabeth's mother Anne Boleyn, but possibly her step-mother Catherine Parr. 

The ring is presently housed at Chequers, the country house of the prime minister of the United Kingdom.

According to legend, Robert Carey, Elizabeth I's maternal relative, took the ring from her finger when she died at Richmond Palace in 1603, and took it to James I in Scotland as a token of her death. Her jewellery collection was soon dispersed by the new king and queen, James I and Anne of Denmark.

[the-jewel-catalogue]

Queen Victoria’s Small Diamond Crown 

Following the death of her husband Albert in 1861, Queen Victoria went into mourning. In 1870, she commissioned Garrard to create a miniature Imperial State Crown that was small enough to be worn above her widow’s cap. Visitors to the Tower of London can see it on display in the Jewel House. 

[the-jewel-catalogue]

Queen Alexandra’s Collier Résille

In 1904, Queen Alexandra commissioned this magnificent Diamond Collier Résille (fishnet) Choker from Cartier with detachable cabochon emerald and ruby drops, which were taken from jewels given to Queen Alexandra by Indian Maharajas.

After Queen Alexandra’s death in 1925, the Cartier Collier Résille was among the jewels inherited by her daughter-in-law, Queen Mary, who had it altered to replace the ruby and emerald pendants with diamonds.

The Cartier Collier Résille was inherited by Queen Mary’s granddaughter, the late Queen Elizabeth II, but was never publicly worn. However, it was mentioned in Sir Hugh Roberts’ ‘The Queen’s Diamonds’ in 2012 so surely remains in the vault awaiting a reappearance

[the-jewel-catalogue]

Norman Hartnell redefined fashion in the 1930s and designed HM The Queen's wedding dress and coronation dress.

In 1977 he was the first person ever to be knighted for services to fashion.

Hartnell's work will be featured in our new exhibition at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, Royal Style in the Making.

Above, is a sketch that depicts a design for a pink spangled tulle dress for Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.

[the-jewel-catalogue]

The Irish Guards Brooch

The brooch is in the form of a textured shamrock, with a single emerald placed in its centre. Much has been made about the provenance of this piece; but it does belong to the Irish Guards and is loaned to the ladies of the royal family who are associated with the regiment.

It was debuted in the 100th year of both the Queen mother (who wore it) and the regiment itself. The brooch has also been seen on the Princess Royal who attended the parade.

As for the Princess of Wales, she was first photographed wearing the shamrock brooch at the Victoria Barracks in June of 2011, during a presentation of service medals. 

[the-jewel-catalogue]

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The Princess of Wales also wore a special pair of diamond and pearl earrings that belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II. These are the Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings, made using two round pearls that Elizabeth received as a wedding present from the Hakim of Bahrain in 1947. 

Fun Fact: Kate wore the earrings in public for the first time on Remembrance Sunday in 2016,

[the-jewel-catalogue]

NEW: The Princess of Wales attended the 2025, Commonwealth Day Service.

HRH wore;

╰┈➤ˎˊ˗ Princess Diana's Collingwood Pearl Earrings

╰┈➤ˎˊ˗ The Japanese four row pearl choker

[the-jewel-catalogue]

One of Queen Elizabeth’s favorite brooches was this diamond flower brooch made by Garrard.

How she acquired the brooch is publicly unknown but it was first worn in the 1970’s.

Leslie Fields describes it as, “a large frosted gold sunflower with a diamond cluster center and a diamond set in each of its twenty one petals.”

The book Garrard by Charlotte Gere reveals it’s made with 18 carat gold.

[the-jewel-catalogue]

The Duchess of Gloucester's Pendant Earrings

Each with a detachable pendant pearl suspended from cut down collets, within a scrolling, pave set frame.

These earrings, originally with detachable pearl and diamond cluster tops, were inherited by Princess Mary Adelaide in 1857 from her aunt, Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and passed on her death in 1897 to Queen Mary.

The tops were occasionally worn on their own by the Duchess of Teck and Queen Mary, and were given to Princess Elizabeth on the 31st January, 1947, the day of her departure with her parents and sister, by ship, for their State Visit to South Africa.

The original form of the earrings recorded in Queen Mary's jewellery inventory.

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Confirmed: The Princess of Wales wore a five-strand pearl necklace that belonged to the late Queen.

~ Victoria Ward

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Christmas jewels

In the run-up to Christmas, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the royal ladies’ Christmas themed jewels. Starting off with Queen Elizabeth’s Canadian Snowflake brooch.

The brooch was gifted to the late Queen by the Canadian Governor General in 2017 to mark 65 years on the throne.

The brooch contains diamonds and some stunning pale blue sapphires that give the snowflake design an icy look.

The brooch was worn a handful of times, including this appearance at Royal Ascot in 2019.

[the-jewel-catalogue]

The Duchess of Teck's Pearl and Diamond Brooch

When Queen Mary’s brother Prince Frank died in 1910, they had just repaired a decade long rift, during which he altered his will to reflect his feelings towards his sister.

James Pope-Hennessy said around this time (when his sister has just recently become Princess of Wales) Prince Frank was alienated from her due to her disapproval of his mistress Nellie, Countess of Kilmorey as well as her attempts to help him “with money and good advice.” He says Frank found, “the burden of gratitude too heavy to bear.”

Frank’s will states, “The jewel given me by my godfather Francis Joseph Emperor of Austria I leave to Eleanor Constance, Countess of Kilmorey with the caveat that she will leave it to H.R.H. The Princess Victoria of Great Britain and Ireland daughter of His Majesty King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.”

Queen Mary was horrified by the contents of the will and in 1910 paid the Countess £10,000 for the Cambridge emeralds to be returned to her. But this jewel was not included in that purchase. The Countess died in 1920 and the brooch presumably went to Princess Victoria. The brooch was later either given to or left to Queen Mary by Princess Victoria (who died in 1935) and was later photographed in her photographic jewel inventory. She left it to Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The brooch has now presumably been left to King Charles.

~ British Royal Jewels IG