Antique, Brooch, Queen Victoria's Sapphire Wedding Brooch, Sapphhire

Queen Victoria’s Sapphire Wedding Brooch

Queen Victoria is depicted dressed in her wedding wreath of orange blossom flowers and her wedding veil, with the small collar of the Garter. She also wears the brooch Prince Albert gave her on their wedding day and the ear-rings and necklace made from the Turkish diamonds given to her by the Sultan Mahmúd II in 1838. She noted in her Journal that the painting was ‘a surprise for my beloved Albert, for 10th of Feb’. It was placed in the Prince’s Dressing Room at Windsor. Signed and dated: Fr Winterhalter. Inscribed on the back with the names of the sitter and artist and the date, 1847, with the date of the Queen’s marriage, 10 February 1840.

Queen Victoria is often remembered as a stoic and solemn figure, especially during her mourning period following the death of Prince Albert. However, her love for colorful and ornate jewelry has been overshadowed by this image. showcased the happier days of her marriage, highlighting the jewelry that reflected her relationship with her husband and family, rather than commemorating death. This essay delves into the story of Victoria and Albert’s marriage through the jewelry they commissioned, gave to each other, and wore on various occasions, transforming these items into a part of the intimacy of their royal relationship.

Victoria’s wedding to Prince Albert in 1840 was a significant event for the young queen, and it produced even more jewelry.

Victoria was well-versed in the language of flowers and chose an orange-blossom wreath and trimmings for her wedding dress, which became a popular choice for Victorian brides. Prince Albert gave her a suite of orange-blossom jewelry over several years, beginning with an engagement gift accompanied by his own composition in 1839.

The obvious flower-language associations with the marriage were evident in the second brooch and the earrings, which were Christmas presents in 1845. The gold and porcelain circlet, the finest item in the suite, perpetuated the Queen’s wedding wreath, with blossoms studied from real, flowering sprigs, received in 1846.

Victoria wore it on the anniversary of her wedding day, often with the Honiton lace from her wedding dress. On her wedding anniversary in 1856, she wore a new pink dress from her mother, the Duchess of Kent, with the wreath from the set.

The orange-blossom theme recurred frequently in Victoria’s correspondence, as sprigs were constantly renewed with cuttings taken from royal wedding wreaths and bouquets. Orange blossom and myrtle, traditional in German marriage ceremonies, flourished on the terrace at Osborne House, and sprigs were sent to her married daughters to be worn on their significant anniversaries. Victorian royal brides wore orange-blossom wreaths and trimmings up to Queen Mary in 1893.

However, one of the most sentimental pieces of jewelry given to Victoria by Albert was a large sapphire set in a diamond border given to her by Albert on the eve of their marriage. She noted her wedding costume in her diary, including the sapphire brooch and her “Turkish” suite of necklace and diamond earrings. Despite being a severe critic and detail-oriented person, she let this omission pass when approving the huge group portrait. She left the brooch to the Crown in her will, but it was an intensely personal memento.

Above the Queen in her wedding dress, lace, and jewels, painted seven years later for the Prince Consort on the anniversary of their wedding, corrected this omission. Albert’s sapphire brooch is prominent on Victoria’s lace collar, and the creamy-white silk-satin dress is in the Museum of London, while the magnificent Honiton lace flounce survives in the Royal Collection. Her diamond necklace and long earrings were made by Rundells in 1839 from diamonds presented to her by Sultan Mahmúd II in 1838, hence the suite’s title.

Overall, the jewelry that Victoria and Albert gave to each other and wore on various occasions served as a symbol of their love and intimacy. While Victoria is often remembered for her somber appearance, this essay highlights the more joyful moments in her life through her jewelry choices.

The Times reporter observed that the Queen ‘wore no diamonds on her head, nothing but a simple wreath of orange blossoms…. A pair of very large diamond earrings, a diamond necklace, and the insignia of the Order of the Garter, were the personal ornaments worn by the Queen’, see The Times, 11 February 1840

This was not strictly true, as Lady Wilhelmina Stanhope (later Duchess of Cleveland) noted in her journal, she had on her head ‘a very high wreath of orange flowers, a very few diamonds studded into her hair behind‘, quoted in Picture Post, 29 November 1947, ‘When a Princess Marries’.

The cost of the lace veil and flounce, made by Miss Jane Bidney of Beer near Honiton, Devon, with a team of helpers, was reported variously at £1,000 and £1,500;. As was the convention for royal brides, Victoria’s Honiton lace veil is thrown back to reveal her face.

After the wedding ceremony Victoria asked Hayter to design an engraved seal. The design of clasped hands is a conventional expression of love in jewellery, but in this instance it has a personal meaning in showing the actual moment in the marriage ceremony of the joining of hands by the couple. On the Prince’s little finger in the design can be seen the gold ring set with an emerald, given to him as an engagement present by the Queen; she wears a bracelet with a miniature portrait of the Prince by William Ross at the centre. The seal, if it was made, has not been found. A very similar design was used for clasps to Albert’s and Victoria’s velvet covered prayer books , given to them by the Duchess of Kent on their wedding day. The prayer book clasp combines wit (clasped hands as a ‘clasp’) with sentiment of the kind so congenial to Victoria. Lady Lyttelton remembered that a seal was given by Prince Albert to the Queen, engraved with a pineapple and the legend ‘S’a gloire n’est pas sa couronne’.

11.2 carat Sapphire .925 Sterling Silver Handcrafted Ring

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The Historic Sapphire Jewelry of Empress Marie-Louise | Imperial Sapphire Diamond Jewels

When Marie-Louise of Habsburg (December 12, 1791 – December 17, 1847), daughter of Emperor Franz I of Austria, married Emperor Napoleon I on April 2, 1810, she brought a number of important jewels and ornaments of inestimable value to Paris as part of her rich dowry.
Among these pieces, one of the most important was a sapphire parure of exquisite beauty, composed of 46 light blue, slightly pinkish sapphires of uniform hue and varying size, mounted with hundreds of brilliant-cut diamonds of the finest quality.
This was the actual wedding gift from the Emperor to his daughter, with which he sealed the splendid conclusion of the union between the Austrian and French Empires.
Marie-Louise wore the jewelry on several occasions; the original size is shown in the picture above.
After the collapse of the Napoleonic Empire, the jewels returned to Vienna as the former empress’s private possession.
During her reign as Duchess of Parma (1816-1847), the jewelry was kept there and only returned to the private treasury of the Austrian emperor after her death.
Franz Joseph, the later Habsburg emperor, left the jewels to his brother in 1860. The last owner was the Duchess of Habsburg-Lorraine (??), a great-niece of the old emperor; this Duchess may be pictured wearing the jewelry in the picture above. During the partial occupation of Austria by the Russians in 1945, the jewels were hastily brought to safety; unfortunately, the original cases bearing the imperial coat of arms, which had existed until then, were lost.
The parure is in the finest Directoire style. It was probably designed in its current form in Vienna in 1809/10, and some parts were also recreated at that time.
However, parts of it probably date back to the late 18th century and were reused.
The necklace clearly shows the style of 1770 and the three Florentine lilies (in their shape referring to the House of Habsburg-Tuscany) the taste of the time around 1795.
The relatively simple diadem originally had the three aforementioned lilies between its four drops, which were only recently transformed into individual – and more usable – brooches; Empress Marie-Louise still wore them on the diadem.
Tiara:
The gold-set diamond headband features a double band of diamonds, topped by five rosettes, each with an oval sapphire surrounded by diamonds. Between these rosettes, there is an openwork S-shaped motif. Above the headband, a six-pronged band of diamonds, four points terminating in large, pear-shaped sapphires. (80,000 Swiss francs)
Necklace
: A simple necklace with ten rectangular-oval sapphires suspended between rosettes of five brilliant-cut diamonds each, featuring a rich floral motif of branches and ribbons. Within these rosettes, and on the other, pendants, nine large, rectangular sapphires and seven small sapphires surrounded by brilliant-cut diamonds. The entire necklace is densely set with brilliant-cut diamonds and rose-cut diamonds. (SFR 250,000)
Bracelet:
Openwork band of 16 lily-shaped motifs set with diamonds, on which eight large, rectangular sapphires are mounted at regular intervals. (SFR 45,000)
Tiara Centerpiece Brooch
This brooch was originally the centerpiece of the tiara. It is shaped like a large Florentine love, densely studded with brilliant-cut diamonds and rose-cut diamonds, with a large rectangular sapphire as the band. (SFR 35,000)
Two brooches – tiara pieces
. Originally the side pieces of the tiara. Shaped like lilies, some set with large diamonds, each with a large rectangular sapphire as a band. (CHF 40,000)
Source: Stucker Auction starting price: €450,000.
The listed estimate primarily takes into account the material of the individual pieces; beyond that, the jewels naturally possessed the value of stylish antiques and, above all, the inestimable value of highly significant historical pieces. December 3, 1964
Sapphire Parure of the Marie-Louise Empress of France
When Marie Louise von Habsburg (12 Dec 1791 – 17 Dec 1847), daughter of Emperor Francis I of Austria married the Emperor Napoleon I on 2 April 1810, she brought in her rich dowry a number of significant and invaluable pieces of jewellery to Paris.
Among these pieces was a sapphire parure of exquisite beauty, assembled from 46 light blue sapphires of the same tint and of graduated size set in hundreds of fine quality diamonds. This parure was the wedding gift from the Emperor to his daughter, whose marriage to Napoleon ushered a brief peace between Austria and France. Marie Louise wore the jewellery on several occasions, as shown in the image above.
After the collapse of the Napoleonic Empire, the jewels, which were the private property of the ex-Empress, returned with her to Vienna. The jewels remained in her possession during her reign as Duchess of Parma (1816-1847) and after her death returned to the private treasury of the Austrian Emperor.
Emperor Franz Joseph later lent the jewels in 1860 his brother. The last owner was the Duchess of Lorraine. A grand-niece of the old emperor, the Duchess is seen in the photo above wearing the jewellery. With the partial occupation of Austria by the Russians in 1945, the jewels were taken hurriedly to safety causing the hitherto existing original cases, bearing the imperial arms, to be lost.

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Precious Blue and White Bow genuine 22.9 carat Sapphire .925 Sterling Silver handcrafted Necklace

Blue Sapphire

GIA Certified 7.8 Ctw Blue Sapphire & VVS Diamond 18K White Gold Ring

An Exquisite GIA Certified 7.8 Ctw Blue Sapphire & VVS Diamond 18K White Gold Ring

The Center Stone is a Gorgeous GIA Certified 6.62 Ct Radiant Cut Natural Blue Sapphire that Measures Approximately 10.5 x 8.8 mm & Was Mined in Ceylon (Sri Lanka.) It Has A Very Attractive, Vibrant, Open, Pure Blue Hue with Vivid Saturation & a Medium Tone. The Color is Perfectly Bright, Bold & Perfectly Balanced (Not too Dark, Not too Light.) The Color Holds Very Well into the Evening Hours and is Always Blue even in Low Light Settings. This Amazing Sapphire has Perfect Clarity & is a Flawless GEM that is 100% Clean to the eye as well as 100% Clean Under 10x Magnification (Loupe Clean.) It Has a Masterfully Executed Radiant Brilliant Precision Cut and is a Very Reflective Sapphire. It is a Crystal Clear Sapphire that is Bursting with Brilliance, Fire, Flash & Spark. (This Sapphire is Just About as Lively as a Sapphire Can Possibly Be.) It is a Brand New GEM That Has Never been set Before & is in Perfect Shape. Overall, an Exceptional, Top Quality Ceylon Sapphire that Checks all the Boxes with Excellent Color, Perfect Clarity & Beautiful Cutting, in a Very Rare Large Size. Making this a Perfect Choice for someone looking for a Large Sapphire Ring with Balanced Color & a TON of Life.

Purchasing Detail Here

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GIA Certified 6 Ctw Blue Sapphire & G VVS Diamond 18K White Gold Ring

GIA Certified 6 Ctw Blue Sapphire & G VVS Diamond 18K White Gold Ring $15000

Beautiful GIA Certified Natural Pear/Drop Shape Ceylon Sapphire & Tapered Baguette Diamond Three Stone Ring in Solid 18K White Gold. This ring was made by us, Here in NYC & is of the Finest Quality.

The Center Stone is a Gorgeous Natural GIA Certified 5.16 Ct Blue Sapphire that measures approx 12.6 x 9.2 mm & Was Mined in Ceylon (Sri Lanka.) It has a Vibrant, Open Blue Hue with Strong Saturation & a Medium Tone. It Has a Masterfully Executed Pear/Drop Brilliant Cut & is a Super Reflective Sapphire with Full Light Return Through the Face. It has Very Good Clarity & is an Eye Clean GEM. It is a Crystal Clear, Super Lively Sapphire that is Full of Brilliance, Fire, Flash & Spark. It is a Brand New Sapphire that has never been set before & is in Excellent Condition.

The Mounting was 100% Custom Made Specifically for This Amazing Sapphire out of Solid 18K White Gold & is Stamped with both the Metal Hallmark/Our Makers Mark. It Features a Matching Pair of G VVS Tapered Baguette Step Cut Diamonds that weigh just under 3/4 Ct combined & are Both Beautifully Cut. They are Both Super White Diamonds that are 100% Clean to the eye as well as clean under 10x Magnification. They are Both Super Lively Diamonds that are Bursting with Brilliance, Fire, Flash & Spark from Every Direction. They are both Brand New Diamonds that have Never been set before & are in Perfect Shape. They are both 100% Natural Earth Mined Diamonds that have NOT Been Treated or Enhanced in Any Way.

This Ring is a Size 6.5 and is Easily Sizable by an Experienced Jeweler.

The Retail Replacement Value of This Ring is around $30,000 and a GIA Gemologist Insurance Appraisal will be included with this ring.

This Sapphire is GIA Certified & the GIA Certification is Included with this ring. It is Also Available for Verification Online on the GIA Website.

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Missouri River Sapphires

Various colors of heated Missouri River sapphires, ranging from 0.16 to 1.65 ct. Courtesy of American Sapphire Company

Natural (unheated/untreated) sapphire crystals from an important historic mining area in the U.S., the Missouri River deposit of Montana, were added to the National Gem and Mineral Collection. The Missouri River sapphires have a total weight of 419.39 carats and are shades of blue and green in color. This collection of natural sapphire crystals of substantial size and fine color are a major upgrade to the National Mineral Collection.

Missouri River Montana Sapphire

Weight – 4.2 ct

Dimensions – 9 mm Depth – 6.72 mm

Treatments – none

Design – wlucky 4 trigon tilt 4 -by WahidMottaghian

Clarity – SI1

Blue, green, silver and gold in a large natural sapphire, mined and faceted in Montana, USA. Creative design and impeccable execution you can see from across the room. Nothing sparkles quite like natural, untreated Montana sapphire.

Necklace, Pendant, Princess Diana, Sapphire

Princess Diana’s Burmese Sapphire Pendant

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Princess Diana, here at a state reception in Australia in 1983, received a suite of sapphire jewels from the Saudi royal family as a wedding gift, which included a very large Burmese sapphire pendant set on a thin diamond necklace and surrounded by baguette diamonds, matching earrings, a ring (not pictured), a double-row diamond bracelet with a sapphire centerpiece, and a watch featuring seven sapphires (also not pictured).

Gorgeous Sapphire Jewelry

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