Among many things, Queen Elizabeth II, who just marked 70 years of her accession, becoming the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, is known for her astounding collection of jewels. The collection, which is probably the most magnificent and historically important collection in the world, consists of around a staggering 1000 pieces of jewelry, including brooches, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, watches, and pendants, much of which are heirloom pieces or have come from other European heads of states.
Different pieces from Her Majesty’s collection have different sources of inspiration. A great many among them have been influenced by Art Deco, whose subtle presence was seen to be coming back in trend in red carpet events such as Met Gala 2022 and Cannes 2022. In honor of Her Majesty’s commemorative Platinum Jubilee, we decided to shuffle through her jewelry collection and admire certain pieces with a twist—those particularly inspired by Art Deco!
The Queen Mother’s Aquamarine Art Deco Brooch
Image courtesy: From Her Majesty's Jewel Vault
One of the numerous heirloom pieces that reside in the Queen’s prized collection is an Art Deco brooch that was earlier part of the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother’s collection and probably dates back to as early as the 1930s. It is set with multiple bright blue aquamarines accented by diamonds and is believed to be in Cartier style though the maker is unconfirmed.
The Queen wearing her mother's Aquamarine brooch at the 2021 Trooping The Color. Image courtesy: The Sun
Though The Queen inherited the brooch in 2002 after the death of her mother, she didn’t wear it in public until 2014 at the Royal Ascot.
The Queen’s Engagement Ring and Wedding Gift Bracelet
Image courtesy: Taylor & Hart's Blog
When talking about her jewelry, one cannot simply miss her stunning engagement ring, given to her by the late Prince Philip. The center stone for the ring, a 3 CT old European cut diamond, came from a diamond tiara that belonged to Princess Alice, Prince Philip’s mother. The diamonds that remained were used to make an Art Deco bracelet which the Prince gifted the Queen as a wedding present. It consists of stepped geometric motifs centered around three large diamonds.
Image courtesy: Royal Collection Trust
The Queen can be seen wearing it on several occasions, including for the official photographs taken for her Diamond Jubilee.
Image courtesy: From Her Majesty's Jewel Vault
Greville Diamond and Platinum Art Deco Chandelier Earrings
Image courtesy: The Adventurine
Another heirloom piece, the Greville diamond and platinum chandelier earrings were given to the Queen as a wedding gift by her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother had herself inherited these stunning earrings in 1942 from a British heiress named Margaret Greville.
The Queen wearing her stunning Greville diamond and platinum chandelier earrings. Image courtesy: The Adventurine
The Greville diamond and platinum chandelier earrings are a classic Art Deco design. Designed by none other than Cartier, these earrings are made of diamonds of several of the well-known cuts such as the baguette, old European, pear, and others, set in platinum, giving them their signature geometric shape.
Queen Mary’s Art Deco Emerald Choker
Image courtesy: From Her Majesty's Jewel Vault
Perhaps one of the most famous pieces of jewelry owned by the Queen at any time is her Art Deco emerald choker. Yet another heirloom piece, it was first owned by her grandmother, Queen Mary, and was made by Garrard from emeralds gifted by the Ladies of India in 1911.
The iconic Emerald choker was one of Princess Diana's favorite heirloom pieces. Image courtesy: From Her Majesty's Jewel Vault
Her Majesty inherited the choker in 1953 but never wore it since she didn’t wear chokers. In 1981, she gave it to Princess Diana as a wedding gift, who wore it on several occasions, the most famous being the dance in Melbourne during a tour of Australia, where she wore it as a headgear.
The Queen’s Jardiniere Brooch
Image courtesy: Pinterest
Gifted to the Queen by her parents in 1941 when she was still a young princess, the Jardiniere brooch was designed by Cartier in the 1930s. Set in platinum, the basket of the brooch is made of diamonds and consists of cabochon rubies as berries, pale Indian emeralds representing leaves, and blue sapphire flowers.
The Queen’s Sapphire 18th Birthday Brooch
Image courtesy: Pinterest
First gifted by King George VI, then The Duke of York to his wife in 1928, this Sapphire leaf-shaped Art Deco-inspired brooch was designed by Cartier and consists of a pave-set diamonds which form the stem of the leaf and Indian-cut Ceylonese-shaped cabochon sapphires, small round emeralds, amethysts, and a ruby.
The Art Deco Diamond and Ruby Bracelet
Image courtesy: Europe's Royal Jewels
Made of eight oblong diamond plaques that are accentuated with rubies is yet another piece from the Queen’s collection that is inspired by Art Deco. She can be seen wearing it on several formal occasions, with her 1967 visit to Malta being the first time it appeared.
References:
http://queensjewelvault.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-queen-mothers-double-clip.html
https://www.thecourtjeweller.com/2019/03/the-queen-mothers-aquamarine-art-deco.html
https://taylorandhart.com/blog/queen-elizabeth-iis-art-deco-engagement-ring
https://www.luismiguelhoward.com/blog/tag/Chandelier+earrings
https://theadventurine.com/culture/royalty/the-queens-most-dazzling-platinum-jewels/
https://royalwatcherblog.com/2017/08/20/queen-marys-art-deco-emerald-choker/
https://www.royal-magazin.de/england/queen/birthday-queen-gifts-presents.htm
The Queen’s Jewels: The Personal Collection of Elizabeth II by Leslie Field
