The Court Jeweller

Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Tournament of Brooches: Cullinan III and IV vs Aquamarine Art Deco

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We’re back with our first contest of the Elegant Eight round!

Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images, Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Ascot Racecourse
The Cullinan III and IV Brooch vs. The Queen Mother’s Aquamarine Art Deco Brooch
CARL COURT/AFP/Getty Images
The Queen inherited this spectacular diamond brooch from her grandmother, Queen Mary, in 1953. The diamonds were part of the grand Cullinan stone given to King Edward VII in 1907, and the brooch was constructed by Carrington in 1911. Because the original stone was cut by a Dutch jeweler, the Queen often chooses this for occasions related to the Netherlands, including the Dutch state banquet in 2018. She also wears it for the grandest of her daytime outings, like the 2012 service of thanksgiving to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Ascot Racecourse
This gorgeous aquamarine and diamond brooch dates to the Art Deco period. The Queen Mother began wearing it in the 1930s, and in 2002, she left it to the present Queen. HM debuted the brooch at Royal Ascot in 2014, and since then it’s made numerous appearances, including an outing during her annual Christmas broadcast.
Stay tuned for a gorgeous tiara, a stunning necklace, and then another brooch vote tomorrow!