Two festoon necklaces face off in this competition!
The Greville Festoon Necklace vs. Queen Elizabeth II’s Festoon Necklace
This spectacular diamond and platinum necklace comes from the collection of Dame Margaret Greville. Originally made as a two-row necklace by Cartier in the 1920s, she had three more rows added to the piece in 1938. Dame Margaret bequeathed the spectacular five-row necklace to Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) in 1942. She wore it often, both in its full setting and in a smaller three-row version, throughout her long life. Today, the necklace is worn by the Duchess of Cornwall.
Queen Elizabeth II’s Festoon Necklace
In 1950, King George VI commissioned a new necklace from Garrard, asking them to set 105 loose diamonds from the Royal Collection in the piece. The diamonds, which are Heirlooms of the Crown, come from Queen Mary’s cache of jewels. The result was a classic, streamlined festoon necklace, featuring three rows of diamonds suspended from triangular diamond elements. Queen Elizabeth II has been wearing the necklace since the dawn of her reign, and she still occasionally brings it out for events like state banquets.
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