BRF Necklace Contest: Pink Topaz vs Japanese Pearl

Camilla’s Pink Topaz & Pearl Choker vs. The Japanese Pearl Choker Necklace

Camilla’s Pink Topaz & Pearl Choker

The central pink topaz and diamond cluster, which dates to 1830s, was sold at auction in 2000. Six years later, the Duchess of Cornwall wearing the brooch as the clasp on a pearl necklace. By 2008, she had begun wearing it in the form we find most familiar today: as the clasp on a five-stranded pearl choker necklace. The grandeur of the topaz cluster, combined with the pearls, makes the necklace particularly well-suited for elegant daytime occasions. Camilla also occasionally wears the jewel for evening gala events.

The Japanese Pearl Choker Necklace

This four-stranded pearl choker necklace, which has an unusual diamond clasp, was made for the Queen by Garrard, reportedly using pearls given to her by the Japanese government in the 1970s. The necklace was worn in the 1980s by Diana, Princess of Wales, and today, it’s worn by the Duchess of Cambridge. Kate debuted the piece for the first time in November 2017 at a dinner celebrating the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh’s 70th wedding anniversary. She also wore the necklace for the Duke’s funeral in April 2021.