This one’s a showdown between two absolute classics!

Queen Adelaide’s Brooch vs. The Cullinan V Brooch

Queen Adelaide’s Brooch

This classic diamond brooch, which is an heirloom of the crown, was made by Rundell, Bridge, and Co. in 1831 for Queen Adelaide, the wife of King William IV. Originally intended as a clasp for a pearl necklace, the piece has been worn as a brooch by every queen since. The present Queen made waves when she wore the brooch for the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics — and the James Bond film that preceded her appearance.

The Cullinan V Brooch

This magnificent diamond brooch features a distinctive heart-shaped diamond. That 18.8-carat stone, the Cullinan V, was one of the major diamonds that resulted from the cutting of the massive Cullinan Diamond. The stone is usually worn in this brooch setting, but was originally designed to be used in other jewels as well, including the Delhi Durbar stomacher and Queen Mary’s Honeysuckle Tiara. Queen Mary wore it in her coronet for her son’s coronation in 1937, but today, it remains in its brooch setting, worn frequently by the Queen.

More brooch voting kicks off this afternoon!

Two royal classics face off in this contest…

The Diamond Maple Leaf Brooch vs. Queen Elizabeth II’s Aquamarine Clips

The Diamond Maple Leaf Brooch

This fantastic diamond brooch, made by Asprey, was a gift from King George VI to the Queen Mother ahead of their 1939 tour of Canada. The Queen Mum treasured the brooch, which is made to resemble a leaf of the Canadian Sugar Maple, and wore it throughout her life. The Queen inherited it from her mother in 2002. Both women have often loaned the brooch to other family members visiting Canada, and the Duchesses of Cornwall and Cambridge have made memorable recent appearances in the piece.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Aquamarine Clips

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth gave these classic diamond and aquamarine clip brooches to Princess Elizabeth on her eighteenth birthday in 1944. The brooches can be worn separately as clips, as she most often does, or joined together as one larger brooch. She’s loved and worn the brooches for more than seven decades, making them a regular part of her rotation.

Stay tuned for a gorgeous royal necklace, plus more brooch votes tomorrow!