Which royal rubies will win today’s prize?
The Crown Ruby Necklace vs. The Greville Ruby Necklace
This necklace, which was acquired from Garrard in the 1850s by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, is part of a demi-parure of jewels that was originally set with diamonds and opals. The pieces were purchased to coordinate with Queen Victoria’s Indian Circlet, which was also originally set with opals instead of rubies. At the dawn of the twentieth century, Queen Alexandra had the opals in the necklace replaced with large rubies. The necklace was a great favorite of the Queen Mother, who wore it regularly until her death. Today, it’s worn by the Queen.
This royal necklace, which features a distinctive v-shaped design, was made by Boucheron in 1907 for Dame Margaret Greville. The piece has a romantic vibe, with diamond floral elements in its design, punctuated by a few red rubies. The piece was among the numerous jewels that Mrs. Greville left to Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) in 1942. Five years later, she presented it to her daughter, the present Queen, as a wedding gift. The Queen been wearing the necklace ever since, and in recent years she has also loaned it to the Duchess of Cambridge.
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