Tag Archives: jewellery

The Crown Jewels for the Coronation

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On May 6th King Charles III will be crowned in Westminster Abbey. A tradition dating back nearly 1000 years since William the Conqueror who was crowned in 1066. Charles’s will be the 38th coronation in the Abbey, most, like Charles’s, having been conducted by the incumbent Archbishop of Canterbury.

We are expecting a simpler and more paired back coronation for King Charles, but this does not mean that it is going to be light on tradition and ceremony. This historic event will still be an occasion for spectacle and celebration.

It is a ceremony that has remained essentially the same for a thousand years and the Coronation Regalia are at the heart of proceedings, imbued as they are with cultural and spiritual significance. They represent the powers and responsibilities of the new King and the solemnity of the occasion.

The last time we saw some of the regalia of the coronation was on the late Queen’s coffin, which was adorned with the crown, orb and sceptre.

These three items will play an integral role at the heart of the coronation service, but they are not the only pieces that we will see on the day.

St Edward’s Crown is the crown historically used at the moment of coronation and worn by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth at her coronation in 1953.

It was made for Charles II in 1661, as a replacement for the medieval crown which had been melted down in 1649 by Parliamentarians. Charles will wear this crown. The crown is 22 carat gold, so almost pure gold. It stands 30 cm tall and weighs an impressive 5lb. It contains tourmalines, white and yellow topaz, rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnets, peridot, zircons, spinel and aquamarines. The three superstar gems in the crown are the Black Prince’s ruby, the Stuart sapphire and the Cullinan II diamond. No wonder Queen Elizabeth used to practise wearing it before the coronation, so its weight was not overwhelming on the day.

Camilla, the Queen Consort, will wear the Queen Mary’s Crown. This was removed from display at the Tower of London for modification work ahead of the coronation. It is the first time in recent history that an existing crown will be used for the coronation of a Consort. For previous coronations a new crown was commissioned. However, as a concession to the prevailing economic climate; sustainability and efficacy this crown, originally made by Garrards for the 1911 coronation, is being repurposed. Some minor changes and additions will be undertaken by the Crown Jeweller. These changes will pay particular tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth, as the Crown will be reset with the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds. These diamonds were part of Queen Elizabeth II’s personal jewellery collection for many years and were often worn mounted in brooches.

At the heart of the ceremony itself are the sceptre, orb and the coronation anointing spoon. The Sovereign’s Sceptre and Cross symbolises the crown’s power and governance. It has been used at the coronation of every monarch since 1661. It was first used by King Henry VIII in 1509 for his own coronation. It is a golden rod, enamelled and set with multiple gemstones, the best known of which is the Cullinan I, or Star of Africa, a heart-shaped diamond weighing a colossal 530.2 carats.

In the photograph of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation you will see a second sceptre. This is the Sovereign’s sceptre with Dove. It is also known as the rod of Equity and Mercy and depicts an enamel dove wings outstretched alighting on the golden orb and cross. It represents the monarch’s spiritual role as head of the Church of England.

The most ancient piece of the coronation regalia is the coronation anointing spoon. The monarch is anointed with holy oil. The Chrism oil which will be used on May 6th has already been consecrated in Jerusalem. The oil itself comes from olives grown on the Mount of Olives and has been infused with sesame, rose, jasmine and other essential oils.

The spoon is silver gilt. Its existence was first recorded in 1349, but it may be even older. It is ornate with a central division and has been used to anoint monarchs for nearly seven hundred years. The central division may have been so that the archbishop might dip two fingers into the holy oil as he anoints the head, breast and hand of the new monarch.

It is traditional that the choir sings ‘Zadok the Priest’ during this sacred part of the ceremony; music originally composed by Handel for the coronation of King George II in 1727 and which has become an integral part of the proceedings.

The anointing is followed by dressing of the monarch in the spectacular robe of cloth of gold called the Supertunica and the long Imperial Mantle. The monarch is then presented with other items from the Coronation Regalia.

These include the gold spurs, the jewelled Sword of Offering and the Armills. The Armills are gold bracelets representing sincerity and wisdom. It is at this point that the monarch also receives the Sovereign’s Orb, as well as a ring and two sceptres.

The Orb is placed in the right hand of the monarch, during the investiture as the symbol of sovereignty. As a cross mounted on a globe, it represents the Christian world and the power of God. It is a reminder to the monarch that their authority is given by God. It is bisected with applied bands incorporating clusters of emeralds, rubies, sapphires and rose diamonds between bands of pearls. Having been handed to the King, it will be removed and placed on the altar before the moment of crowning.

The King will also be presented with the pair of golden spurs. These were first included amongst the regalia of the coronation in 1189 at the coronation of Richard the Lionheart. These represent his ‘knightly values and virtues’, such as protecting the poor, and defending the church. The current spurs are gold, made in 1661 for Charles1 and adapted in 1820 for George IV. In the past, the spurs were attached to the sovereign’s feet, but on May 6th they will be held at the ankle of the king.

The Sovereign’s ring will be placed on his fourth finger. The ring has the cross of St George at the centre formed from five rubies, overlaying an octagonal cut sapphire and bordered with fourteen old cushion cut diamonds. The ring was originally made by Royal Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Rundell, Bridge and Rundell for the coronation of William IV. It is said to be a symbol of ‘kingly dignity’.

The coronation sword, also known as The Jewelled Sword of Offering, will be presented by the archbishop, who first blesses the sword and then presents it with the direction that it should be used for the protection of the good and the punishment of evil. First used in 1821 by George IV, it has been used at all coronations since 1902. Like the Sovereign’s ring, the sword, made from blued steel, with a gold, jewel encrusted hilt and jewelled leather scabbard, was a commission from Rundell Bridge and Rundell.

The ceremony culminates with the placing of the St Edward’s Crown on the monarch’s head, the actual ‘coronation’.

The new King will change his crown for The Imperial State Crown as he leaves the Abbey. This is the crown that he will wear for future state occasions like the annual opening of Parliament. Although set in gold with 2,868 diamonds, 269 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and four rubies, it weighs a mere 2.3lb and is a more practical choice. It was worn by the Queen when she left Westminster Abbey in 1953. It was originally made for the coronation of her father, King George VI, in 1937.

Many of us grew up listening to older relatives tell tales of the Queen’s coronation. Televisions were purchased for the first time for the occasion, families huddled round radios to hear the ceremony live, and there is the enduring account of Queen Salote Tupou III who refused to be cowed by the rain and rode through London in an open topped carriage. No doubt King Charles’s coronation will be a different meld of old, new and unexpected acts of generosity and kindness. We can but wish for a day of joy and hope, amidst the tradition and ceremony.

A few of my favorite glitz from the SAG Awards 2023

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This year’s big winner of the evening was the family adventure Everything Everywhere All at Once whose leading actress Michelle Yeoh won the award for Female Actor in a Leading Role.

Just as she did for the Bafta, she dazzles us once again with spectacular pieces by Moussaieff including a yellow diamond and diamond ring, set with a 21.02 carat Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond between pear-shaped diamond shoulders.

To put this into perspective, a 3.03 carats Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond ring mounted in platinum is currently up for sale at Sotheby’s online for USD 195,000. I leave it to your imagination to work out the cost of the above 21 carats diamond!

She paired the ring with a pair of chandelier yellow diamond and diamond earrings.

The earrings are set with 24.70 carats of pear shaped Fancy Intense Yellow diamonds, and 11.08 carats of pear-shaped and brilliant-cut white diamonds.

The outfit was finished with a Richard Mille wristwatch for which she is also a brand ambassador.

Fellow actor Ke Huy Quan, who won the Outstanding Performance by Male Actor in a Supporting role category and made history by being the first Asian actor to win this SAG award, looked dashing with a De Beers brooch from The Alchemist of Light high jewellery collection, set with a 2.70 carat oval Fancy Grey diamond within a blue aluminium surround.

The beautiful collection by De Beers include the Ascending Shadows Small Earrings.

Set with two central diamonds each weighing 1.01 carats and 1.02 carats, E, VS2, within a surround of diamond, the total weight adding to 6.30 carats and mounted in 18 carat white gold, 18 carat rose gold, titanium & aluminium. These currently retail for £94,500. Similar designs of the collection include a headband, necklace and cocktail ring.

Other red carpet nominees and actors wearing De Beers exceptional pieces included Angela Bassett, Li Jun Li, Hannah Einbinder, and Katherine Waterston. Cara Delevingne dazzled in a “few” De Beers pieces.

These included: The Alchemist of Light ‘Midnight Aura’ Necklace set in 18 carat white gold with 74.73 carats of diamonds, The Alchemist of Light ‘Midnight Aura’ Earrings set in 18 carat black rhodium plated white gold with 9.58 carats of diamonds, a diamond line bracelet set in platinum with 17.03 carats of diamonds, Volute Ring set in platinum with 6.80 carats of diamonds, Adonis Rose Pear
Diamond Ring set in platinum with 5.40 carats of diamonds, a diamond eternity band set in platinum with 6.14 carats of diamonds, and a round brilliant diamond eternity band set in platinum with 7.15 carats of diamonds.

The Volute diamond ring can be yours for USD 218,000.

One of my favourite red carpet actresses is Zendaya. She is faultless! And this year’s 29th ceremony of the SAG awards was no exception. Nominated for Best Female Actor in a Drama Series for her starring role as Rue in HBO’s Euphoria, she paired her pastel pink Valentino Haute Couture gown with a Bvlgari bib necklace set with aquamarine, tanzanite and morganite.

Later that night, to present an award, she changed outfits and wore a Bvlgari chocker centrally-set with an oval -shaped aquamarine.

I always say that a red carpet is not quite complete without a Bvlgari Serpenti necklace. Emily Blunt’s Oscar de la Renta gown was styled with a pink gold choker with diamonds and rubies from Bvlgari’s
new collection celebrating Serpenti’s 75th anniversary, along with pavé diamond earrings and a platinum ring.

A similar Bvlgari Serpenti diamond and ruby necklace sold at Sotheby’s in July 2022 for HKD 1,625,000 (approximately £171,375).

 

One can have its own Bvlgari Serpenti collection with this Serpenti Seduttori ring for £9,000 or Serpenti necklace for £20,900.

And who knows, perhaps draped in Bvlgari, the SAG awards might have the pleasure of having you walk down its red carpet next year…

Who wore what, your guide to the BAFTA 2023 glitz

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Since 2010, the Prince of Wales has been the President of the Baftas and on Sunday, the Princess of Wales, was, as always, an example of chic, elegance and forward thinking while restyling an Alexander McQueen dress she previously wore in 2019.

She paired the white one-shouldered gown with Cascading floral earrings by Zara, selling for £17.99.

The Prince of Wales was seen wearing a Rolex while the host of the BAFTAs, Richard E. Grant was spotted wearing two watches: a Tank by Cartier, set to UK time, gifted by his wife and a chronograph set to Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) in memory of his late father.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other dapper attendees included Regé-Jean Page, who combined his fitted suit with diamond double-clips. These clips are a classic of the 1920s and are typically set with brilliant, baguette and calibré-cut diamonds. Calibré-cut stones are gems that have been cut to fit a precise setting.

Sotheby’s had a sale estimate of CHF 4,800-7,500 for this diamond double-clip brooch in July 2022 and in fact advertised it worn in a similar manner as Regé-Jean Page.

He also sported a Cartier watch, Santos de Cartier, which ranges from £3,550 for a small model steel design to £61,000, mounted in rose gold.

Regé-Jean Page was not the only one seen wearing the diamond clips on a suit. Fellow actor Paul Mescal wore a similar clip by Cartier.

Regé-Jean Page was not the only one seen wearing the diamond clips on a suit. Fellow actor Paul Mescal wore a similar clip by Cartier.

Designed by Francesca Amfitheatrof, it is connected to uniform rows of silver Tahitian pearls together with matching earrings. “Your effort to focuson rewearing and repurposing led us to this necklace. Using Tahitian pearls, gold, diamonds and a 23.78 carats Nigerian Tourmaline, all from existing pieces. I loved making this necklace for you!” said Amfitheatrof.

The actress also wore a gold and diamond ring from Louis Vuitton Stellar Times High jewellery collection, for which she has been a brand ambassador since June 2022. Other jewellery designers have reinvented their collection using their legacy designs. “Frédéric Boucheron innovated, over 130 years ago, with feather creations strong in symbolism and style” and at this year’s BAFTAs Angela Bassett looks sublime wearing the brands Plume de Paon earrings.

Measuring 6cm and set with under 6 carats of diamonds, the earrings retail for £94,100 in white gold and £85,500 in rose gold. You can read more about the stunning creations from the designer in my article B for Boucheron.

Other show stoppers included the jewellery by Moussaieff worn by Michelle Yeoh.

Moussaieff is renowned for its exceptional gems, including diamonds weighing up to 100 carats for sale in their Bond Street store. The items worn by the actress did not disappoint when it comes to the wow factor. She was seen wearing a Burmese ruby and diamond bangle, diamond earrings, and Burmese pink sapphire ring to complement her pink Dior outfit. To finalise the look, she opted for a Richard Mille wristwatch. One of the most unique watches by the brand, RM27-04 Rafael Nadal, can be bought for just under £2 million on the secondary market.

If over a £1 million is simply too much to spend on a watch, why not “settle” for a beautiful Omega wristwatch, seen worn by Eddie Redmayne.

The actor is brand ambassador and does his job to perfection! The pink dial steel Omega Constellation currently retails for £2,900.

But a red carpet event would not be complete without some Bvlgari Serpenti necklaces. This was the jewellery of choice for a few actresses, such as Lashana Lynch, who very cleverly wore the seprent’s head in her back with matching earrings (currently out of stock but retailing for £29,500 and set with a little over 2 carats of diamonds). A similar necklace was sold at Sotheby’s for USD920,000 in April 2019.

Julianne Moore effortlessly wore the Bvlgari necklace, or perhaps were there two or three?

Red carpets are always a delight to discover new jewels, and ways of wearing them and pairing them  with outfits. Let there be sparkles and glitz!

Helen’s guide for that special Valentine’s day gift

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Valentine’s is a day that is dedicated to love. It originated as a Christian feast day honouring Saint Valentine, a martyr who lived in the 3rd century AD. It is now a day for people to express their love and appreciation for their significant others, friends, and family.

Some people choose to exchange gifts of jewellery and what better gift than one that you can see your loved one wear and can make a great investment for the future. The gift that keeps on giving!

Here is Helen’s guide and suggestions on the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day.

Firstly, let’s look at the things to consider when choosing jewellery:

A good thing to consider is the rarity of a piece. Antique or vintage jewellery can increase in value due to its rarity. Jewellery set with fine quality gemstones can also command very high prices at retail and auction.

Rubies and pink sapphires make an excellent choice for valentine’s day.

The Italian Jeweller Pomellato have some beautifully designed gem-set jewellery that sells very well at auction. This beautiful bracelet was estimated £4000 – £6000 at Bonhams in 2022.

Below is an example of a 4.02ct ruby that sold at Sotheby’s in 2021 for $63,000. The excellent quality stone was accompanied by a report from GRS (Gem Research Swiss lab) stating that the ruby was of Mozambican origin with no indications of heating.

As well as rarity, the quality and craftsmanship of a piece of jewellery can make a huge difference to its value. High-quality jewellery made with fine materials and gemstones can also increase in value over time.

Another important factor is market demand. Diamond jewellery is always in high demand and popular both at retail and auction. Diamond single stone rings remain the most popular choice for an engagement ring. Other examples of popular diamond jewellery include earrings, pendants, and bracelets.

Here is an example of a stunning diamond line bracelet by De Beers retailing for £92,500. De Beers are famous for their exquisite selection of diamond jewellery.

Jewellery made by some well-known brands and designers, such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Tiffany & Co. can make great investments and they also have many romantically themed designs perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Pieces from these brands often increase in value over time due to their popularity.

Here is an example of a Cartier Love bangle that went through auction in 2005 and sold for £600 including premium. This bangle in today’s market would sell for more than £4000. That’s a huge increase in value.

Bonhams 2005 Cartier love bangle sells for £600.

Bonhams 2022 Cartier love bangle sells for £4080.

Diamonds also make a great investment and remain a classic choice for Valentine’s Day.

This is a colour D, IF clarity diamond is valued at over £100,000.

Diamonds have been traded since the 4th century, they have stood the test of time and this longevity is a testament to their strength, rarity and beauty.

In many ways their value is protected by rising mining, manufacturing, shipping, and insurance costs involved in bringing a diamond to market and this helps to maintain their value.

As Marilyn Monroe sang… “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.”

The best way to select a diamond is to familiarise yourself with their grading system. During the middle of the 20th century The Gemmological Institute of America (GIA) created a grading system for diamonds. It is now recognised globally as the universal method for assessing the quality of a stone.

It can be extremely helpful as it tells you the quality of what you are purchasing and its these specific details that establish a diamonds value.

The system focuses on the Four C’s, which stand for Colour, Clarity, Cut and Carat.

Colour

When it comes to colour in diamonds, it’s more about what you can’t see. When grading colour, we are assessing the absence of colour, a measurement of the degree of colourlessness in a stone.

It’s measured from D (perfectly white) to M (Yellow) see the below scale.

The most valuable on the scale are pure white, D colour.

Clarity

The GIA Diamond Clarity Scale has six categories

  • Flawless (FL) No inclusions and no blemishes visible under 10x magnification
  • Internally Flawless (IF) No inclusions visible under 10x magnification
  • Very, Very Slightly Included (VVS1 and VVS2) Inclusions so slight they are difficult for a skilled grader to see under 10x magnification
  • Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2) Inclusions are observed with effort under 10x magnification, but can be characterized as minor
  • Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2) Inclusions are noticeable under 10x magnification
  • Included (I1, I2, and I3) Inclusions are obvious under 10x magnification which may affect transparency and brilliance

Here is a visual example of the clarity scale

The most valuable having a clarity grade of flawless, most commercial diamonds have a clarity of VS / SI.

Here is an example of a colour D, clarity IF diamond selling for £500,000.

Carat

A diamonds weight is represented by carat weight. All else being equal, diamond price increases with diamond carat weight because larger diamonds are rarer and more desirable. The increase in price between a 0.99ct diamond and a 1.00ct diamond is huge even though there is a very minute size difference, this is because commercially a 1.00ct diamond is more desirable.

Cut

A diamond with optimum proportions and cut will display the best amounts of fire and brightness, that lovely effect that makes diamonds so unique and beautiful. You will often see the grade of a cut ranging from excellent to poor recorded on certificates.

Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Tiffany & Co. select the best quality diamonds for their jewellery.

Designer Jewellery

Cartier

Cartier is a very well-known luxury jewellery brand with a long history of creating luxurious and elegant jewellery, here are some of their most popular designs.

The Love Collection

The Cartier Love Collection is a classic design that has become synonymous with the brand. It’s simple, yet elegant with designs available in gold and platinum and some set with diamonds and gemstones.

Both diamond love bracelets retail for £40,700, the rose gold version would work particularly well for Valentine’s Day.

This plain rose gold version retails for £6350.

The Trinity Collection

The Cartier Trinity Collection is also a very popular choice. Made up of three bands of yellow, white, and rose gold, the pieces are said to be a symbol of love, friendship, and loyalty. A great message to send on Valentine’s Day.

They are available in a variety of styles with some set with diamonds.

Here is one of the more commonly seen versions with diamonds set to one of the bands.

This diamond set example retails for £6,150.

This diamond set version retails for £32,400 and would make a lovely gift with its use of rose, yellow and white gold.

There are also pendants, earrings, and bracelets available in the same design.

A very rare version is a bangle set with white, pink, and yellow diamonds, which retails for £250,000!

Cartier are not only known for their jewellery but also have a great selection of watches. The Tank Française watch is a classic design that was first introduced in 1917. It has since become one of the brand’s most iconic watches. These watches are very popular and sell well, they are perfect for someone looking for an alternative to jewellery on Valentine’s Day. Cartier also have a great selection of gentleman’s watches.

This gold and diamond Tank Française retails at Cartier for £26,300.

This stainless-steel version retails for £4200.

Van Cleef & Arpels

Another famous jewellery brand is Van Cleef & Arpels (VCA). Two models which are hugely popular and collectable are the ‘Alhambra’ and ‘Ballerina’.

The iconic Alhambra design has clovershaped motifs often set with various gemstones. They come in various designs such as long chains, bracelets, rings, and earrings.

The red gem Carnelian is set in this Alhambra VCA pendant and retails for £1490.

The malachite version of the Alhambra design is now very rare and no longer produced by VCA, therefore the secondary market has overtaken the retail price when the piece was still available.

This one sold for £28,000 at Christies in 2018. Another iconic design by VCA is the Ballerina collection which features delicate, dancing ballerina-inspired designs. They were inspired by a collaboration with Benjamin Millepied, the new dance director at the Paris Opéra, and his wife, the actress Natalie Portman.

These designs are no longer produced by VCA and make great money when they come up at auction.

The above turquoise, ruby and diamond Ballerina brooch by Van Cleef & Arperls sold for $218,000 in 2017 at Christies New York.

This diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald version sold for £6000 at auction in 2010. They would make a great gift if a loved one who has a passion for dancing, or perhaps you met on a wedding dance floor!

Tiffany & Co.

We couldn’t talk about great jewellery designers without mentioning Tiffany & Co. They have released many iconic designs over the years and here are some examples of their most popular.

The “Return to Tiffany” Collection features classic and timeless designs, such as heart lockets and charm bracelets engraved with ‘Return to Tiffany & Co. New York’ its most famous store.

Tiffany & Co. are particularly well-known for their diamond engagement rings; in fact, the “Tiffany Setting” ring is iconic. Rings can sell for hundreds of thousands of pounds depending on the quality and size of the diamond. Perhaps the epitome of romantic jewellery, a Tiffany engagement ring!

Another great example of Tiffany & Co jewellery is designed by Jean Schlumberger. He was one of the 20th century’s most gifted artists and his designs have been described as deeply imaginative, as well as being extremely desirable.

This beautiful enamel bracelet retails for just under £50,000.

Schlumberger’s designs at Tiffany & Co. were known for their whimsical interpretations of natural forms. He was especially inspired by sea creatures and other animals. Now he is most known for his enamel bangles and his diamond kisses rings. These are extremely popular at retail and at auction.

The kisses ring retails for £11,200.

Schlumberger began working for Tiffany & Co in 1956 and his original designs can sell for very high prices at auction.

This bird on a rock brooch set with a large Citrine weighing 61.20ct sold for £37,000 at auction.

Antique Jewellery

Art Deco

Antique jewellery can also make a great investment and is often romantically themed.

Art Deco jewellery is characterised by its geometric shapes and bold use of colour, making it a popular and romantic choice for special occasions.

Engagement rings from the Art Deco period are very popular, the target design was given as a token of love because it represented the bullseye shot by cupid’s arrow.

This diamond and ruby Art Deco target ring retails for £46,000.

Art Deco jewellery also sells very well at auction.

Victorian Jewellery

Queen Victorian reigned from 1839 to 1901 and the styles of the Victorian period are very intimately connected with the different stages in her life.

In 1840 Queen Victoria married the love of her life Prince Albert and this had a huge influence on jewellery styles. The theme for jewellery was love with motifs of hands, hearts, crosses, and knots to represent an eternal bond between two people. Snakes also featured, symbolising promise and being in love forever.

This diamond heart retails for £1500 and is set with 0.50ct of rose-cut diamonds a cut often used in the Victorian period.

This Victorian Lovers knot ring is another example of the romantic jewellery from the Victorian period. This retails for £1300.

This example of a ‘forget me not’ ring is set with an onyx that has been beautifully decorated with bright cushion-cut diamonds in the shape of a pansy. The pansy represents the message ‘pensée à moi’ which translates to ‘think of me’.

The theme of romance remained abundant throughout Victoria’s reign with lockets becoming increasingly popular. Wearers enjoyed holding pictures of loved ones inside.

Valentine’s Day is a special time to show your love and a piece of jewellery can be the perfect way to do so.

So, why not make this Valentine’s Day extra special with a beautiful and meaningful gift that’s lasts a lifetime and says I love you.

But remember to add to your insurance policy and get an up-to-date valuation next Valentine’s Day as the retail replacement value may have increased!

Princess Catherine’s jewellery

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From Everyday Mum To Future Queen, A Jewel For Every Occasion

It all started with a proposal…

One of the most famous items of jewellery the Princess of Wales has come to possess, is the “Royal Blue” sapphire engagement ring, which belonged to her mother-in-law, the late Princess Diana. It is probably the most famous sapphire, weighing 12 carats and set within a surround of brilliant-cut diamonds.

In 1981, chosen by the then Prince Charles, for Diana, from the official royal jewellers Garrard, the sapphire ring cost £50,000. Because of the provenance and history of the ring, it has become a priceless piece of jewellery, but one could estimate its current price to be around £500,000.

The world’s most expensive sapphire to sell at auction was sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong on the 7th October 2015. It weighed 27.68 carats of natural Kashmir origin and made $6,702,564, $242,415 per carat.

For her wedding, Queen Elizabeth II lent the Cartier Halo Tiara to the Duchess. It was made in 1936 and comprises of 739 brilliant-cut diamonds and 149 baguette-cut diamonds, and it was purchased by King George VI (then still Duke of York) for his wife, Elizabeth (who we all know better as the Queen Mother), which she wore to a charity ball at Claridge’s in London, their first gala outing since the official ending of the lengthy court mourning period for the late King George V.

To match Catherine’s engagement ring, the Duke of Cambridge gifted a pair of sapphire and diamond cluster earrings from his mother’s personal collection. The Princess simply had them altered to be drops rather than clips.

The Princess is often seen combining her engagement ring with a classic 33mm Cartier Ballon Bleu wristwatch. Mounted in stainless steel, it is decorated with Roman numerals, fluted crown with a synthetic spinel cabochon, silvered guilloché opaline dial, blued-steel sword-shaped hands, sapphire crystal and steel bracelet. It currently retails for £5,400.

When Catherine gave birth to Prince George, Prince William gifted her the Eclipse diamond ring by Annoushka. It is set with 0.23ct total of diamonds and retails at £1,500.

She wears it in combination with her engagement ring.

For the arrival of Princess Charlotte, the then Duke of Cambridge this time choose another designer, Kiki McDonough, and gifted the Duchess a pair of green tourmaline and green amethyst drop earrings.

She was first spotted wearing these during the couple’s tour of India in 2016. Though these were made-to-order for the Princess, you can currently get a pair of similar earrings (below) from the designer for £3,700. These are green amethyst and diamond earrings, mounted in yellow gold.

The Princess owns several pieces by the designer: 18 pairs of earrings and three necklace to date.

Here are some examples:

The Princess has jewellery for every occasion, as can be expected. Her everyday jewels include the above by designer jewellers, but Catherine also favours high street jewellery, such as the below by Accesorize.

These are no longer available but can be found on eBay ranging from £48 to a whopping £96.96 (plus £10.77 for postage!).

It was rumoured that when Prince Louis was born, the Prince gave Catherine a citrine ring, but it was discovered by fans that the Princess had previously worn it in 2008 while celebrating her birthday.

The ring is beautiful and has meaning for the Princess. She was also seen wearing it for the premiere of the last James Bond film, No Time to Die, to match the golden sequinned gown by Jenny Packham.

Perhaps my favourite dress worn by the Princess.

When the Princess is not at a red carpet event or formal gala, the mother of three has been seen to wear a necklace by Spells of Love retailing for £85, suspending three medallions with the initial of each child.

Catherine also wears a Merci Maman necklace gifted to her by her sister, Pippa, after the birth of Prince George in 2014.

For more formal wear, the Princess has been seen wearing brooches, tiaras and exceptional necklaces, such as the four-row pearl chocker, created using a collection of cultured pearls gifted to the Queen by the Japanese government which Catherine wore to Prince Philip’s funeral in April, 2021. In mourning, the Royals don’t wear colour, so pearls are pure, white, and unflashy. This tradition comes from Queen Victoria, who did not want to wear any colour following the death of her husband Prince Albert.

The late Princess Diana also wore it to a state banquet in the Netherlands.

A very sombre then Duchess of Cambridge wore the historical chocker for the Queen’s funeral earlier this year.

The Princess combined the tiara worn by the late Princess Diana (above) with her engagement ring of course but also the Royal Family Order brooch, representing the late Monarch within a diamond surround.

The tiara, called the Lover’s Knot tiara, was lent to Diana as seen below, then went back to the Queen, and upon her passing, is now worn exclusively by Princess Catherine.

Several of Queen Elizabeth’s II jewels will have been passed down to the Queen Consort and several to Catherine.

Recently, the Princess wowed us with this stunning emerald and diamond choker. She stepped out at the Earthshot Prize Awards in Boston in a bright green gown by Solace London, paired with an emerald-and-diamond choker, once owned by Princess Diana. The choker itself was first owned by Queen Mary in 1911, and later presented to Diana as a wedding gift to Prince Charles in 1981.

In this year’s Christmas pictures, the Princess wears a pair of ruby and diamond cluster earrings, made by Soru in Turkey, and retail for £145.

Whatever the occasion, Princess Catherine never disappoints with her exquisite outfits and matching jewellery. And on this special occasion, I wish her a very Happy Birthday.

Meet the jewellery team – Helen & Sammantha

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Profile – Helen Doyle

Jewellery, Handbag and Wristwatch Specialist

Helen has a wealth of knowledge and over 20 years of experience in the industry. From a family of art and antique dealers and auctioneers, she earned her gemmology diploma from The Gemmological Association of Great Britain.

Experience

She joined the jewellery department at Bonham’s Auctioneers before moving on to lead roles at various asset lenders in London and New York. As her career has progressed, she has also become a specialist in valuing designer handbags and watches. She has been lucky enough to value some exceptionally important pieces throughout her career.

Passionate about keeping up to date with market trends, she prides herself on offering an excellent level of customer service and has a remarkable eye for detail.

About

Helen now lives in Cheltenham working as a valuer and running her own business selling antique jewellery and designer handbags. She loves exploring antique fairs and auctions for new stock. In her spare time, she enjoys restringing pearls and taking her cocker spaniel Ruby for walks in the Cotswolds.

Spot-light

Helen’s favourite piece to value was a rare solid silver Hermes Kelly handbag. Helen loves antique Cartier, Van Cleef and pretty Victorian rings.

Covering

  • South West
  • East & West Midlands
  • Wales

Profile – Sammantha Maclachlan

Jewellery & Wristwatch Specialist

Sammantha Maclachlan FGA DGA MJVA MIRV is an independent registered valuer specialising in jewellery and watches. With over 18 years of experience in the luxury jewellery industry, she has gained valuable expertise with brands such as Mikimoto, Rolex and Patek Philippe.

Professional Qualifications

A senior accredited gemologist, Sammantha is a fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain and a holder of the diamond and gemmology diploma. Sammantha prides herself in offering the highest level of customer service in a professional and friendly manner.

  • Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (FGA)
  • Diamond diploma from the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (DGA)
  • Member of the National Association of Jewellers Institute of Registered Valuers (MIRV)
  • Member of the Jewellery Valuers Association (MJVA)
  • Applied Jewelry Professional from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA AJP)
  • Professional Jewellers Diploma from the NAJ (PJ Dip)
  • Cultured pearl specialist from Cultured Pearl Association (CPAA)
  • Diamond grader with the International Gemmological Institute Antwerp (IGI)
  • Certificate of Appraisal Theory from NAJ (CAT)

About

In her spare time, Sammantha enjoys photomicrography, which is the art of photographing gemstones and their inclusions under high magnification.

Spot-light

Sammantha’s favourite piece valued is a pair of large pink diamond earrings from the since-closed Argyle Mine in Australia. A true rarity of the jewellery world.

Covering

  • Scotland & Borders

Meet the jewellery team – Aurélia & Jenny

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Profile – Aurélia Turrall

Jewellery Specialist

Aurélia has over 20 years’ experience in the auction industry. After graduating from King’s College London with BA Hons, she started her career in Business Development and Client Services at Christie’s and Sotheby’s Paris. She went on to obtain her Graduate Gemmologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Relocating from Paris to London, Aurélia joined the Jewellery department at Bonhams, dealing with client valuations and auction preparations.

Experience

Aurélia has a Bachelor of Arts degree from King’s College London and a Baccalaureate in Economics and Literature. She speaks English, French being her native language, and some Spanish. Aurelia has also had experience of working with specialist lenders Borro and working for SYMEV (French Association of Auctioneers) in Paris where she was Head of Communications.

About

In her spare time, Aurélia writes feature length screenplays and children books. Being able to value clients’ jewellery is what she loves to do and she has been privileged to handle some unique pieces.

Spot-light

Aurélia’s favourite piece valued was an Art Déco pigeon blood ruby and diamond three-stone ring by Cartier.

Covering

  • London, Greater London
  • East of England
  • South West, South East
  • Guernsey & Jersey

Profile – Jenny Knott

Silver & Jewellery Specialist

Jenny has been working in the Silver and Jewellery industry for over 35 years. She is a graduate of Reading University, where she gained a BA Hons in English literature. She joined Bonham’s auctioneers in Knightsbridge as a post-graduate in the silver, jewellery, clocks and watches departments, specialising in silver and jewellery. Jenny soon rose to the position of deputy head of the department.

Experience

Her career has seen her run Bonham’s highly successful Gentlemen’s sales. Jenny worked with the John Lewis Partnership for 25 years, supplying them with antique jewellery for their retail sales. She also enjoyed working with Bloomingdales in the United States for many years, supplying cufflinks and gentlemen’s accessories. Both these roles involved training their staff.

Furthermore, she worked with the Buckingham Palace team and supplied their store, lectured extensively in the UK (including lectures to NAFAS and the National Association of Jewellers) and in the States on her specialist areas. Jenny has also co-curated a cufflink exhibition with The Goldsmiths Company. She is highly experienced in insurance and probate work and continues alongside doing valuations, supplying antiques, particularly wine related items, to the Rothschild Waddesdon Trust and National Trust.

About

Jenny is very sporty and loves the outdoors. In her spare time, you’re likely to find her out and about, walking her dog, playing tennis, cycling, or skiing down a mountain.

Spot-light

Jenny’s favourite things to value are quirky or unusual antique pieces, both silver and jewellery. She also loves wonderful enamel work be it Fabergé, Scandinavian enamel or French guilloché enamelling.

Covering

  • London, Greater London
  • East of England
  • South West, South East
  • Oxfordshire & Warwickshire

Fluctuations of the market in the last few years

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As with every market, jewellery prices will inevitably fluctuate, though I can’t say I’ve seen the price of precious stones go down in the last few years. Seen as a commodity by some and as a treasure by others, it’s important to understand the cost of remaking a unique piece of jewellery. It will be dictated by global demand for diamond (or other precious stones), gold, silver, palladium and other alloy metals and stones.

High worldwide demand for palladium – due to its key importance in the development of renewable energy – inevitably increases the cost of gold – based items of jewellery. Because of its softness, gold used in jewellery is mixed with alloys. Alloys are other metals, such as zinc, copper, nickel, iron, cadmium, aluminium, silver, platinum and palladium. This mix then alters its appearance, hardness and melting point. Palladium is a chosen favourite as an alloy metal. At today’s value, the scrap value for palladium is £41/gram compared to £21.50/gram for platinum, which then impacts gold jewellery pieces.

As an example, this 9ct gold gate bracelet with heart locket was estimated £70-£100 by Bonhams in 2005. Today’s estimate would most likely be £200-£300.

Designer pieces with diamonds are affected in a similar manner.

This diamond and gold bracelet by Kutchinsky (above) sold at Bonhams for £1,553 (including premium) in 2005.

A similar item by the same designer (below) sold for £2,550 (including premium) in 2019.

For insurance purpose, the above bracelet would receive a value of £8,000 as at 2022.

Coloured stones have also seen an increase in price.

This emerald and diamond cluster ring is set with an emerald weighing approximately 5.20 carats and approximately 1.15 carats of diamonds. It was previously valued at £42,000 in 2011 for insurance purpose. Eleven years on, it is now valued at £65,000.

One could try to apply generic inflation percentages as a tool to update valuations, however this is incorrect and will often lead to your jewellery being under or overvalued. In the case of the above ring, a formula trying to reflect inflation would be detrimental to the value of the ring.

Valuing jewellery should always be case by case, as some signed vintage pieces will increase over the years, but not at the same rate as precious gemstones for example. The market for an Art Déco Cartier wristwatch (as below), though rare, has a smaller market of potential buyers and sellers. Comparatively to coloured stones, the value for this wristwatch will never exceed a certain plateau. This watch currently retails for £35,000.

A similar wristwatch by Cartier (below) sold at Bonhams in 2017 for £16,250 (including premium) and would have most likely received an insurance value of £23,000.

Diamonds on the other hand continue to escalate at a steady pace.

These diamonds earstuds (above) are 4.01 carats and 4.04 carats respectively. They were valued for insurance purposes at £300,000 in 2012 and are now valued at £360,000.

The same applies to contemporary signed pieces such as the Alhambra collection by Van Cleef & Arpels.

The mother-of-pearl Alhambra necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels was sold for £9,950 less than ten years ago and now retails for £15,800. A steady increase reflecting world demand for durable contemporary and elegant jewellery by a reputable designer.

The jewellery market is not exempt from worldwide affairs and economic changes, but it will always have an added unquantifiable value: emotional value. Jewellery can be seen as an investment, but it still predominantly remains a purchase of pleasure and luxury, whichever gem or metal one chooses and whatever happens in the world.

J is for Jensen

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The eponymous brand Georg Jensen epitomises the best of what we think of as Scandinavian design. Timeless yet innovative; made to the highest standards, yet often deliciously spare and simple. Their current web site opens with the phrase ‘Experience classic Scandinavian design at its most elegant and refined’. There is little to disagree with here, nearly 120 years after Jensen first started to make pieces for the Scandinavian market.

Today there are Georg Jensen shops and franchises worldwide. Producing and selling, jewellery, watches, tableware and giftware. Georg Jensen is perhaps best known for silver and the brand is still much associated with the style and principles of its founder.

It was tragic circumstances that lead Jensen to start producing silver in such a commercial way. He was born in 1866, the son of a knife grinder in a town to the north of Copenhagen. At the age of 14 he was apprenticed to a goldsmith where he studied for the next four years. Having been a jobbing silver and goldsmith for a further four years, he enrolled at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 1887, where he studied sculpture.

After graduation he not only started to exhibit as a sculptor, but also started to study ceramics. For some years he tried to make a living as a ceramicist, but when his wife died, he was obliged to find a better way to make an income to support his young family and he turned to the production of silver and jewellery. However, his training in the wider range of fine Arts, a spell studying in Paris, and his interest in the naturalist styles of the Art Nouveau movement, combining flora and fauna into his work, remained a persistent theme and singled his designs out as materially different from those of others.

He was, like the members of the British Arts and Crafts movement, passionate about how pieces were made. He eschewed machinery and what he regarded as ugly mass produced pieces. It is a testament to his design principles and the quality of his manufacturing that many variants of the early designs are still in production today. He was committed to making beautiful pieces that were accessible to all budgets. This was handy, as the materials were less costly and therefore a smaller investment to an impoverished artisan. He used moonstones, amber, enamel, all in silver. After a highly successful early exhibition his pieces were in such demand that it is said he would put a sign in the workshop window saying ‘closed for repairs’, to buy himself some time to make more!

For many years he combined his work as a ceramicist with his silversmithing. The silversmithing was, however, far more lucrative and he had a young family to raise. He bought his first workshop in Copenhagen in 1904 and such was the appeal and quality of his design that by 1924 he had opened retail outlets in Berlin, London and New York. The New York store is of particular interest as it was run independently by Frederick Lunning, who had been a salesman for Jensen in Odense and Copenhagen and also opened the London shop. The first store New York Store, ‘Georg Jensen Handmade Silver’, was followed by a larger store on 5th Avenue selling a variety of homewares. This is still the case today.

One of Jensen’s skills was to recognise talent in others and employ their skills under the Jensen banner. They, in turn subscribed to both the design values and his insistence on high quality hand production. Over the century, Georg Jensen has employed numerous designers including Gundolph Albertus, Johan Rohde, Harald Nielsen and Henning Koppel.

If you own any Jensen pieces you will see, that as well as the classic Jensen stamp, many are signed with the name of their designer and also have a design number. If you acquire a piece of vintage Jensen, you will often be able to use these to trace the piece back to its origins.

He married four times, outliving three wives, he travelled widely, and experienced highs and lows artistically, emotionally and financially. Towards the end of his life, he was interviewed and asked about the purpose of Art. He replied “people worry too much about purpose. The object must…absorb the most beautiful abstracts from the nature that surrounds us.”

Designs showing beautiful abstracts from the nature that surrounds us.

Hocus pocus… Focus on… Amber

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To kick off this mini series of Halloween gems, amber is the chosen first. What could be more spooky than trapped insect containing deadly bacteria…

Prized for its deep rich and warm orange hue, amber is an organic gem, meaning that it is created from living or once living organism, it is fossilized tree resin dating tens of millions of years. It is composed of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. Nicknamed “the gold of the North”, it is most commonly found on Northern Europe’s beaches, washed away with the ocean tides. It can also be dug from the ground and deposits have also been found in the Dominican Republic, Myanmar (Burma) and Mexico.

There is a distinction to be made between amber and copal amber. The latter refers to amber which fossilized less than a million years ago. But who’s counting!! It is also fossilized tree resin and is formed in the same manner. One cannot differentiate between the two using a magnifying glass, but rather by using “granny’s old tricks”. Some say that rubbing copal amber on the heel of your hand will emit a smell, others suggest a drop of acetone or even gasoline to determine copal from mature amber: amber is unaffected by acetone whereas copal softens the material. Either way, probably best to avoid doing at home and damaging one’s precious jewel!

Like with all gems, it takes very specific conditions to create amber. It takes a few million years for resin to harden. Once it has hardened it lays under sediment in an oxygen-free environment. It turns to copal amber. It then takes a few more million years to become more stable with the effects of heat and pressure applied to the copal amber to become amber. Research shows that the deposits found in the Baltic and Dominican Republic came from extended immersion under seawater.

Because of its relative softness – rating at 2/2.5 on the Mohs scale (talc powder rates at 1) – it is not commonly cut with facets, but rather polished into beads or free-form pieces.

Jewellery made of amber tend to be big pieces. The reason for it being the lightness of this gem, making it a perfect candidate to wear around one’s neck without feeling weighed down.

The most prized amber pieces are typically transparent, dark reddish hue. However, amber also comes in white and treatments to enhance colour can modify its appearance totally. Heat treatment and dying are commonly used to enhance amber and one distinct mark to look for are sun spangles. Heating amber can cause fracture-like marks: sun spangles.

Amber is a treasured gem because of the secrets they can unveil. The insects, fauna and animals they have sometimes captured tell a tale.

Inclusions play a huge part in the final value of amber but often if the inclusion is perfect, then it probably is too perfect to be real.

It can be extremely difficult to trust authentic amber with inclusions, such as this piece for sale on eBay for $129,000:

And this perfectly preserved scorpion, also on for sale at eBay for £4.90! :

When in doubt and spending a large amount, always ask for a report from a reputable laboratory.

Man-made or real, amber with insect inclusions make the perfect jewellery piece for trick or treating!