BRF Necklace Contest: George VI Sapphire vs Dubai Sapphire

The George VI Sapphire Necklace vs. The Dubai Sapphire Necklace

The George VI Sapphire Necklace

One of the Queen’s most treasured wedding gifts is an antique suite of diamond and sapphire jewels given to her by her father, King George VI. The nineteenth-century demi-parure originally included a necklace and a pair of earrings. The Queen has tinkered with the jewels a bit over the years, shortening the necklace and adding a pendant. Today, the Queen often pairs the necklace and its coordinating jewels with another sapphire piece: the Belgian Sapphire Tiara. She still wears the set often for events like state banquets.

The Dubai Sapphire Necklace

During a tour of the Middle East in February 1979, the Queen added a new sapphire demi-parure to her collection. She was presented with a suite of diamond and sapphire jewelry by Sheikh Rashid of Dubai. The unique Asprey set, with a loop design, originally included a large necklace, a pair of earrings, and a ring. The Queen later had the necklace shortened and used part of the resulting material to fashion a new set of earrings. The original earrings and ring were then used to make a bracelet.