Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee Jewelry Exhibition

Queen Victoria wears the Coronation Necklace and Earrings and the small diamond crown in an 1890 portrait by Heinrich von Angeli. Photo Credit: The Royal Collection (c) 2011, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The yearlong celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee will hit a crescendo with the special exhibition, “Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration,” which will mark the annual summer opening of the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace.

Queen Mary's Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara Photo Credit: The Royal Collection (c) 2011, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

More than 10,000 diamonds set in works acquired by six British monarchs over three centuries go on display to mark the queen’s 60-year reign. The exhibition runs from June 30 – July 8 and July 31 – October 7 at Buckingham Palace. It includes a number of the queen’s personal jewels and works from the Royal Collection, the art collection of the British Royal Family. 

Queen Victoria wears the Coronation Necklace and Earrings and the Small Diamond Crown in an 1890 portrait by Heinrich von Angeli. Photo Credit: The Royal Collection (c) 2011, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The items for the exhibition were chosen for their artistic significance and their historic importance, and for the supreme skill in diamond cutting and mounting they embody, said Caroline de Guitaut, exhibition curator. 

Queen Victoria's Small Diamond Crown Photo Credit: The Royal Collection (c) 2011, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

“The exhibition shows how over the past three centuries monarchs have used diamonds to display magnificence, whether in personal adornment or as a statement of power,” de Guitaut said. “Each piece demonstrates breathtaking workmanship and extraordinary ingenuity in design.”

Coronation Necklace and Earrings Photo Credit: The Royal Collection (c) 2011, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Several jewelry pieces—such as the Delhi Durbar Tiara, Queen Victoria’s Fringe Brooch and the Kokoshnik Tiara—are on display for the first time. The exhibition also includes jewelry made from the world’s largest diamond, the Cullinan Diamond, which weighed 3,106 carats as an uncut stone. Pieces containing seven of the nine principal stones cut from the Cullinan Diamond are reunited for the first time. They include the Cullinan III and IV Brooch, worn by the queen for the National Service of Thanksgiving for Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee, at St Paul’s Cathedral, June 5, 2012.

Queen Victoria's Fringe Brooch Photo Credit: The Royal Collection (c) 2011, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The exhibition contains several pieces commissioned by Queen Victoria, the only other monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee. They include the Coronation Necklace created for her and subsequently worn by Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth (The Queen Mother) and Queen Elizabeth. Also on display is the miniature crown worn by Queen Victoria for her official Diamond Jubilee portrait in 1897. The crown’s 1,187 diamonds give it a grandeur that belies its tiny proportions – it measures just 9 x 10cm (3.5 x 4 inches). 

Williamson Diamond Brooch Photo Credit: The Royal Collection (c) 2011, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Diamonds acquired by previous monarchs continue to play an important role on State and ceremonial occasions. The Diamond Diadem, made for the famously extravagant coronation of George IV in 1821, has been worn by the queen to and from the State Opening of Parliament throughout her reign. Set with 1,333 brilliant-cut diamonds, it is one of Her Majesty’s most widely recognized pieces of jewelry, appearing on British and Commonwealth stamps and also on certain issues of banknotes and coinage.

South Africa Necklace and Bracelet Photo Credit: The Royal Collection (c) 2011, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Among items of the queen’s personal jewelry are a number of pieces marking important events in her life. The South Africa Necklace was presented to the then Princess Elizabeth on her 21st birthday in 1947. The Williamson Brooch incorporates at its center what is considered to be the finest pink diamond ever discovered. The diamond was found in Tanzania in 1947 by the Canadian geologist Dr JT Williamson, who gave the uncut stone to Princess Elizabeth for her wedding in November that year.

 To learn more about the jewelry in the pictures follow this link to visit the slide show.

You can also follow this link for a more detailed explanation of the jewelry.

The exhibition also includes historic objects that show the skill and ingenuity with which diamonds have been used in different cultures and traditions. They include the exquisite 18th-century bloodstone box made for King Frederick the Great of Prussia. The box incorporates nearly 3,000 diamonds arranged pictorially to represent flowers, insects and musical instruments. The Jaipur Sword was presented to King Edward VII for his coronation in 1902 by the Maharajah of Jaipur. It is set with 719 diamonds, weighing a total of 2,000 carats.

Amanda Li Hope, A Jewelry Designer with an Architect’s Mind

Mini XX earrings made with Fairtrade Fairmined 18k yellow gold and rubies.

LONDON — Everyone once in a while I’ll use this blog to introduce a new jewelry designer. Amanda Li Hope, a working architect who has been making jewelry as a business since 2009, creates petite, well crafted jewelry that she describes as “contemporary, geometric, (and) sleek,” made primarily with ethically sourced metals and gemstones.

The Boston native who now lives in London works with gold and silver and incorporates diamonds, sapphires, rubies and other gemstones into her works. After receiving her BA in architecture at Columbia in New York she moved to London to get her Masters’ degree in architecture. She said that her architectural training has a strong impact on her work.

Asteroid earrings made of Fairtrade Fairmined rose gold.

“My mind tends to lean towards architectural representation and logic,” she says. “Whether this was learned or instinctive, I am not sure, but my designs often have a crisp linear quality about them while at the same time have a strong three-dimensional geometries.”

Amanda Li Hope's display during the 14 Carat event at Craft Central.

She works three days a week as an architect and four days a week making jewelry in her workbench at Craft Central, a studio and training center for craftspersons and artists in the Clerkenwell neighborhood, known for attracting creative professionals. She is gradually working toward the day when she can be a full-time jewelry designer.

"I've always loved working and making with my hands—the more detailed and precise the project, the better," she says. "I’m obsessed with fine detail, craftsmanship, and working with beautiful materials. I love working with precious metals and fine gemstones, especially those with ethical provenance."

Amanda Li Hope promotes her use of Fairtrade & Fairminded Gold.

Li Hope is proud of holding one of the first 20 licenses to make and sell Fairtrade & Fairmined gold jewelry—a certification system for small-scale and artisanal mines that show a respect for the human rights of workers and communities where these mine operate and the environment around the mines.

“Let’s face it—the source of the precious elements used in jewelry comes from the Earth by cringe-worthy means and methods, a troubling irony when jewelry is worn as a reflection of one’s personal style and ethos, and frequently given as gifts of love and affection,” she says. “As soon as I learned of the Fairtrade Foundation’s initiative to sign up as a jeweler, I contacted them without hesitation. I haven’t looked back since as being able to work with materials that are certifiably traceable gives both me and the consumer both satisfaction and confidence behind the jewelry being made, given, and worn.”

Amanda Li Hope at her workbench in Craft central.

Li Hope reminds me of what a small world we live in—figuratively and literally. I first “met” her on Twitter. During my recent visit to London to write about the exhibition, “Gold: Power and Allure, 4,500 Years of Gold Treasures from Across Britain,” at Goldsmiths’ Hall, I visited a restaurant in Clerkenwell. In this massive city, it turns out that Craft Central is directly across the street from the restaurant and that the design center was hosting an exhibition for London Jewellery Week, called 14 Carat.

Without social media and a little bit of geographical luck, our meeting would have never happened.

Below is a video of Li Hope created by supadupa.me, which hosts her website.

Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade Gifts Teammates with Hublot Big Bang Watches

Hublot White Big Band,  designed for the Miami Heat.

During the Miami Heat’s celebration of its 2012 NBA Championship, Hublot brand ambassador, Dwyane Wade, honored his teammates and leaders in the organization with a specially designed White Hot Hublot Big Bang at AmericanAirlines Arena, its home court.

Special engraving on back of watch to commemorate NBA Championship.

The Miami Heat celebrated its championship Monday with a victory parade followed by a rally at the arena.

The watches, which reportedly cost at least $10,000 each, are engraved with a special team championship logo on the back of the case. Rick de La Croix, president of Hublot Latin America, attended the presentation and festivities. Hublot is the Official Watch and Timekeeper of the Miami Heat. 

Dwyane Wade (left) and Udonis Haslem wearing the Hublot White Big Bang while holding the NBA Championship Trophy.

The Heat won the championship on June 21 with a 121 to 106 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, winning the best-of-seven series four games to one.

Kate Mansi Wears Le Vian at Daytime Emmy Awards

"Days Of Our Lives" actress Kate Mansi accessorizes with a Le Vian ring and earrings at The 39th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., on June 23rd.

Le Vian 14k White Gold Earrings with Chocolate Diamonds and Vanilla Diamonds™. Retail: $7,698, www.LeVian.com or www.Jared.com.

Mansi plays Abby Deveraux, the rebellious daughter of Jack and Jennifer, on the daytime TV drama.

Le Vian 14k Honey Gold Ring with Chocolate Diamonds and Vanilla Diamonds™. Retail: Available Upon Request, www.LeVian.com.

Shortlist for the JNA Awards Announced

The shortlisted honorees in nine categories for the inaugural JNA Awards were announced at a press conference held on the first day of the June Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

“"The caliber of entries submitted to the inaugural JNA Awards was remarkable. Making the honoree list is a fantastic achievement for all the companies involved,” said Letitia Chow, founder of Jewellery News Asia and director of Business Development—Jewellery Group at UBM Asia, and chair of the JNA Awards judging panel.

The following individuals and companies have been selected for the honoree list of the inaugural JNA Awards 2012:

Three Decades of Excellence Award:

* Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Co Ltd from Hong Kong
* Dharmanandan Diamonds Pvt Ltd from India
* Kashi Jewellers from India
* Nelson Jewellery Arts Co Ltd from Hong Kong

Brand of the Year:

* Cartier from Switzerland
* Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Co Ltd from Hong Kong
* TTF from mainland China

Employer of the Year:

* Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Co Ltd from Hong Kong
* Dharmanandan Diamonds Pvt Ltd from India

Industry Innovation of the Year -- Manufacturing:

* K.S. Jewelry International Co Ltd from Thailand
* Kiran Exports Hong Kong Ltd from Hong Kong
* Nelson Jewellery Arts Co Ltd from Hong Kong
* TTF from mainland China

Industry Innovation of the Year -- Retail:

* Plukka (HK) Ltd from Hong Kong

Manufacturer of the Year:

* Dharmanandan Diamonds Pvt Ltd from India
* KGK Jewellery Manufacturing Limited from Hong Kong
* Kiran Exports Hong Kong Ltd from Hong Kong
* Pranda Group from Thailand

Retailer of the Year:

* Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Co, Ltd from Hong Kong
* Luk Fook Holdings (International) Limited from Hong Kong
* Sterling Jewelers Inc from the USA

Sustainability Initiative of the Year:

* Jewelmer International Corporation from the Philippines

Young Leader of the Year (Age 30 or below):

* L' Dezen Jewellery Co Ltd from Hong Kong
* Leibish & Co Ltd from Israel
* The Inspired Collection from New Zealand

The Wonder of the World category, which is open only to AsiaWorld-Expo exhibitors during the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair 2012, will be accepting entries until July 27. The recipient of the award will be announced during the JNA Awards ceremony on September 20.

The recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award will be selected by the main organizers and will be announced at a later date.

Rio Tinto, Chow Tai Fook, Robert Wan Tahiti, Israel Diamond Institute and the Shanghai Diamond Exchange are leading the event as JNA Awards 2012 (www.JNAawards.com) partners.

The JNA Awards is an industry-wide event that honors and recognizes excellence and achievement in the global jewellery trade with an Asian focus. The Awards ceremony and gala dinner will be held on 20 September 2012, during the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair, at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong. The event, the first of its kind in Asia, is organized by Jewellery News Asia of UBM Asia in collaboration with the UBM Awards.

The Royal Jeweler Speaks

Above the entrance at Wartski is the Coats of Arms of Queen Elizabeth II, which serves as the symbol for the royal warrant of appointment, in this case serving as the royal jeweler. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

LONDON — Geoffrey Munn is one of Britain’s foremost authorities on antique jewelry with a particular emphasis on 19th-century precious metalwork and the House of Fabergé. He is best known in the U.K. as one of the experts on the BBC Antiques Roadshow. He has authored four books and curated several exhibitions.

Geoffrey Munn, managing director of Wartski, discusses the provenance Faberge items in the display case. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

Munn, 59, is an extremely engaging person and a master storyteller with a rapid-fire speaking style who can discuss with passion, empathy and a sprinkling of humor, the human stories (often tragic) behind finely crafted antique pieces. However, there is one subject he won’t discuss: His relationship with the royal family. You see, Munn is managing director of Wartski, an antique dealership with a “royal warrant of appointment.” In other words, he and the store serve as one of about 850 companies and individuals and one of a handful of jewelers that supply goods and services to the royal family.

“Mums the word,” he said from behind the counter at Wartski, where he has worked since he was 19.

A Fabergé collection of about 10 items made of Siberian jade, known for its dark green color with black markings. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

 

When it was time for Kate Middleton to have her wedding ring fashioned from the royal supply of Welsh gold, it was Wartski that did the job. The store also supplied the engagement and wedding rings to Queen Elizabeth’s grandson, Viscount Linley, when he married Serena Stanhope in 1993. It made the wedding rings (also of Welsh gold) for The Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker-Bowles for their 2005 wedding.

The store, located just off of the Bond Street luxury shopping boulevard, specializes in Fabergé and other objects of royalty. The façade is neat and somewhat modern for a place that deals with antiques. Dark slate surrounds large display windows with items neatly in place. Above the doorway is the Wartski name and the Coats of Arms of Queen Elizabeth II, which serves as the symbol for the royal warrant of appointment.

Among the items in the display case at Wartski is an antique jeweled humming bird brooch in mid flight with its wings, pave set with cushion shaped rubies and old brilliant cut diamonds. The beak and feet are made of yellow gold, its single eye mounted with a cabochon emerald. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

 

Despite containing the rare and expensive valuables of royalty—along with the triumphs, loves and tragedies of their former owners—the store is a picture of understatement. Jewelry and other antiques are neatly stored in a long glass display case that serves as a counter on one side of the room or along light-colored wooden wall displays.

Objects of Art neatly arranged in wall displays. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

 

In the store on this particular day, June 15, was a collection of about 10 Fabergé items made of Siberian jade, known for its deep green hue and black markings, in one wall display. In the glass case standing out among the pieces was an antique jeweled humming bird brooch in mid flight with out-swept wings, pavé set with cushion shaped rubies and old brilliant cut diamonds. The beak and feet are made of yellow gold, its single eye mounted with a cabochon emerald. Also standing out in the glass among several sparkling diamond pieces was a diamond set “Comet” brooch made of platinum, round brilliant cut diamonds and step cut diamonds.

Faberge Siberian aquamarine and diamond brooch was a gift from Tsar Nicholas II to princess Alix of Hesse. They were executed July 17,1918, and she was wearing the jewel right up until the time of her death. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

 

He showed our group several pieces of rare objects with special stories, including a brooch with a large translucent aquamarine stone surrounded by diamonds. Here’s how he tells the story behind the brooch.

In here we have a Fabergé brooch, a Siberian aquamarine surrounded by diamonds. That’s all we knew for a while. It’s an exemplary aquamarine and it’s of extraordinary color. (women in the group gasp with amazement). I know, I know it’s fabulous. (But) it’s only the beginning of the trouble. Because this really is going to wreck you and you’ll need a stiff drink afterwards. It’s an exemplary aquamarine and it’s a Siberian one and they don’t really come in that color unless they do come from Siberia.… The story of this is really quite awe inspiring because the color blue in the lore of lapidary stones stands for love and then there’s sort of the interlock of two lives with diamonds forever. And that’s all we knew for a very long time until my colleague sent off the number to Russia and back came the provenance and it said that it was bought by the Supreme Autocrat of all the Russias—a pretty hot title—and there’s a note beside it saying it was the engagement present from (Russian Tsar) Nicholas II to princess Alix of Hesse. And that is sort of stratospheric. But then what happens later is even more heartbreaking because when they were taken to prison in Siberia (during the Bolshevik Revolution), they went to a place called The House of Special Purpose—a very menacing title—and you know what happens next but this (the jewel) was with her just before she was taken to the basement and riddled with gunfire. It was confiscated and it isn’t actually open to debate because it was a civil service theft and so they made an inventory of what they’ve taken from her and they photographed it on the table so you don’t hear any fanciful stories. I think possibly that’s as far as jewelry will ever take you.

Munn, who has spent most of his life at Wartski, is in the process of writing a history of the store with insider stories of the many of celebrities and royalties who have passed through its doors. With his knack for storytelling, it should be an interesting read.

Inside the Colorful and Seductive Solange Bond Street Store

A large round center carpet is marked by candy-colored circular stripes, which complement the bright and plush red walls that contain framed jewelry displays. Antique furnishings, white ceiling with an elaborately designed mirror ball, and mix and match display cases—including the star-shaped center case—round out the bright, funky vibe on the first floor. Photo credit: Solange Azagury-Partridge

LONDON — I haven’t been to all of the retailers on Bond Street but I am confident that there is no other store in this world-renowned luxury shopping district quite like Solange Azagury-Partridge.

From the large images of lips that appear on the storefront to the plush fabrics, the cavern-like private area, the star-shaped display cases, and the constant rhythm of club music, the space has more of a nightclub than it does a jewelry store. There’s even an elaborately designed mirror ball on the first-floor ceiling. Yet it’s the perfect environment for the colorful, creative, seductive and fun jewelry by Solange Azagury-Partridge. 

Plush red walls and frames display a series of jewelry like pieces of art. Items pictured include Crinoline Earrings in 18k yellow gold chain earrings with a hidden rough diamond (top center) and gold tassel earrings (left), along with an assortment of rings. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

The jewelry designer, best known for her “Hot Lips” enamel and silver rings in the shape of a kiss mark, designed the store herself. Opened in 2010, the flagship is one of five SAP stores located around the world. Black and red are the dominate colors. Jewelry is set inside thick, plush walls and lined in either picture rectangular or square frames, like pictures, or in portal-shaped windows. Most of the display cases are shaped like stars. 

Different version of Solange's "Hot Lips," her best-known ring design. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

The room at the entrance is well lit by a large storefront window and is airy due to a white decorative high ceiling, the one that has the mirror ball. A large round center carpet is marked by candy-colored circular stripes, which complement the bright red walls, updated versions of antique furnishings and the mix and match display cases—includes those in the shape of stars.

The display of colorful enamel rings include the green Supernatural Ring and the red Cancer Ring. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

As you descend down a carpeted stairway bathed in orange, yellow, green and blue light, respectively, you enter a darkened room of red drapes, black circular-pattern carpet, and more mixture antique and modern furniture. It’s like the VIP section of a dance club. There’s even more private cavern-like spaces covered in black with ceilings that emit dots of light like stars. Inside these rooms in the center is a single, well-lit, star-shaped display case that appears to be floating in space.

A stairway bathed in different colors of light leads clients to the lower level of the store. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

You leave the darkened space, reenter the sunlit first-floor room and exit back into the normal hustle and bustle of the luxury shopping street feeling just a little bit different.

Darken room with red drapes, black carpet, single pieces of jewelry displayed on walls, minimal furnishings, and a ceiling that sparkles provides the experience similar to a nightclub. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

 

Inside the portal display on the darkened, more private lower level of the store is the Old Fashioned Ruby Necklace comprising marquise cut Ruby set with 'V' claws in an irregular wreath style with a large pear shaped Ruby suspended below. With the necklace are two versions of the signet styled ring composed of a channel set row of ruby baguettes, an oblong strip of onyx and two rows of pave set round brilliant cut diamonds. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

The lower level of the Solange Azagury-Partridge Bond Street store has cavernous private rooms such as this one with a single star-shaped display case surrounded by dots of light that appears to be floating in space. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco