It’s a battle of the pendants!

The Duchess of Cambridge’s Pearl Pendant Brooch vs. The Cullinan VI and VIII Brooch

The Duchess of Cambridge’s Pearl Pendant Brooch

The Duchess of Cambridge who first owned this brooch wasn’t Kate — it was Queen Mary’s grandmother, Princess Augusta. The classic nineteenth-century brooch was inherited by Mary from her mother, the Duchess of Teck, and in 1953, Mary bequeathed the brooch to the present Queen. It’s been one of her very favorite pieces throughout her reign, worn both with and without its distinctive pearl pendant.

The Cullinan VI and VIII Brooch

This dazzling brooch, which is extremely similar in design to the Cullinan V, features two stones cut from the famous diamond: the Cullinan VI, which is the marquise-shaped pendant, and the Cullinan VIII, which is set in the middle of the top portion of the brooch. This delicate brooch is worn more rarely than its Cullinan V counterpart, but the Queen occasionally brings it out for palace receptions.

We’ve got another brooch contest coming your way this afternoon!

Will it be the sugarloaf sapphire or the stunning star?

Queen Mary’s Russian Brooch vs. The Jardine Star Brooch

Queen Mary’s Russian Brooch

This diamond and sapphire brooch was Queen Mary’s wedding gift from her new husband’s aunt, Empress Marie Feodorovna of Russia, in 1893. She bequeathed it to the present Queen in 1953, and HM has worn it fairly frequently in the decades since. She often pairs the brooch, with its distinctive sugarloaf sapphire, with outfits in vibrant shades of blue.

The Jardine Star Brooch

This classic diamond star brooch was, according to Leslie Field, bequeathed to the Queen by Lady Jardine in 1981. It ranks among her very favorite brooches, worn for a wide range of occasions, including holiday church services, Christmas Broadcasts, and even her Diamond Jubilee water pageant in 2012.

An exceptional royal necklace is on the docket for tonight, plus more brooches tomorrow!