The King’s Coronation is just around the corner, and many Brits will be eager to see the abundance of lavish jewellery that will be spotted on Royals for the ceremony.
As we lead up to the event, customised jewellery experts at Glamira have highlighted some of the Royal Family’s most extravagant pieces, from the extraordinary Nizam of Hyderabad necklace to the dazzling ‘Granny’s Chips’ Brooch.
The Coronation Necklace
The coronation necklace dates way back to 1858 when it was made by Garrard, who was then the Crown Jeweller, and presented to Queen Victoria. It was worn by several queens during their coronations following this, including the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The platinum, gold, and silver necklace features 25 graduated brilliant cut diamonds, as well as the 22.48-carat pendant known as the Lahore Diamond. Although it has not been announced, many Brits are speculating that Camilla will wear the necklace for the upcoming Coronation ceremony.
Kate Middleton’s Engagement Ring
The Princess of Wales’s engagement ring boasts a 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds and is set in 18-karat white gold. The ring which once belonged to the late Princess Diana, is said to have been inspired by a sapphire and diamond brooch gifted to Queen Victoria by Prince Albert, which is now a crown heirloom. Kate Middleton’s engagement ring is valued at around £400,000, making it the most expensive engagement ring within the British Royal Family.
‘Granny’s Chips’ Brooch
Considered to be the most valuable brooch in the world, the ‘Granny’s Chips’ brooch was handed down from Queen Mary to Queen Elizabeth II as she prepared to become queen, which is where the unusual name derives from. Estimated to be worth more than £50 million, the brooch consists of two diamonds, the pear-cut Cullinan III weighing 94.4 carats and the cushion-shaped Cullinan IV with a weight of 63.6 carats.
The Swan Lake Necklace
Worn by Princess Diana at a performance of Swan Lake at Royal Albert Hall in London, her last official event before her passing, the Swan Lake necklace has been auctioned several times over the years and was last on sale in 2017 for £10 million. The piece consists of five South Sea pearls and a staggering 187 diamonds, with 164 of these weighing 42.35 carats.
The Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace
Five years prior to Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne, this necklace was given to her by the Nizam of Hyderabad as a wedding gift. It includes more than 50 emerald and pear-shaped diamonds worth over 2,000 carats and also features detachable rose brooches. Made by Cartier, the necklace is worth around £66 million, making it the most valuable item of jewellery owned by any Royal Family.
The Greville Festoon Necklace
Worth approximately £8 million, the Greville Festoon necklace made by Cartier features five rows of diamonds and was left to Camilla by the Queen Mother. The necklace started off with two rows in 1929 but was altered in 1938 by Mrs Greville, the original owner, to make it five rows of diamonds set in platinum weighing around 250 to 300 carats. This incredible piece is considered to be Camilla’s most valuable item of jewellery.
Queen Mary’s Bandeau Tiara
Made in 1932 for Queen Mary, the bandeau tiara was designed to fit the centre brooch which was given to her in 1893. The brooch is detachable and consists of ten brilliant diamonds, while the tiara holds eleven sections of interlaced ovals and pavé diamonds. After being passed on to Queen Elizabeth II, it was loaned to the Duchess of Sussex for her wedding. However, this was not her first choice; she originally hoped to wear the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik tiara but was denied by the Queen.
St. Edward’s Crown
The nation will see King Charles don the St. Edward’s Crown this weekend, an item that is only ever worn during a Coronation to crown a new king or queen – making it a particularly special piece in the Royal collection. The crown consists of a gold frame set with an incredible total of 444 jewels, including sapphires, rubies, and topazes – overall, the item is estimated to be worth around £45 million.
A spokesperson from Glamira commented:
“The upcoming King’s Coronation is an exciting time for the nation, not only is it a significant event for the British Monarchy, but it may be the only Coronation that many people will witness in their lifetimes.
“The jewellery worn by the Royals is particularly interesting due to its high value, rich history, and overall extravagance. Whether that be regularly worn pieces such as Kate’s engagement ring, or an item we are yet to see like the Coronation necklace, it’s certainly something that many are looking forward to witnessing at the ceremony. In fact, searches for ‘coronation jewellery’ have exploded by 833% in the past year alone, so it is likely to be on many people’s radars this weekend.”
These insights were provided by Glamira, experts in customised jewellery. https:// glamira.co.uk.
