BRF Necklace Contest: George VI Sapphire vs Camilla’s Aquamarine

The George VI Sapphire Necklace vs. Camilla’s Aquamarine 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.

Camilla’s Aquamarine Necklace

The Duchess of Cornwall’s royal jewelry collection is packed with glittering demi-parures. One of the most elegant is this suite of diamond and pale blue aquamarine jewels. The suite includes a necklace with a large pendant, a bracelet, and a pair of earrings. The necklace features large aquamarines interspersed with decorative diamond elements, plus a large pear-shaped aquamarine pendant set in a cluster of diamonds. In 2009, Camilla brought the entire aquamarine suite to the Classical Brit Awards, wearing a dress that seemed designed just to showcase the necklace.