Showing posts with label 4 Strand Diamond Small. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 4 Strand Diamond Small. Show all posts

23 October 2018

State Visit from The Netherlands, Welcome Ceremony

The Queen, with The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, welcomed King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of The Netherlands at the beginning of their State Visit to the United Kingdom.
Embed from Getty Images

Let the state visit show begin! The Queen started us off with a repeated outfit and brooch selection in my favorite shade.

Three Strand Pearl Necklace

Embed from Getty Images

The Duchess of Cornwall also selected a repeated outfit - one of the smartest in her rotation right now, and one I'm always happy to see. She paired it with her tried and true pearl favorites.

Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings
Four Strand Pearl Choker with Small Diamond Clasp 

Royal Family
 
Queen Máxima reliably brought a new outfit for the trip, a soft pink in interesting fabric by Claes Iversen. Looks sparkly. And she definitely sparkled with her suite of pink jewels. These gems are usually reported as kunzite and diamonds; the brooch, which can be worn as independent pieces, is almost an homage to the mega Cullinan III and IV Brooch. The Cullinan, of course, was cut in Amsterdam, and The Queen wore her "chips" for a visit to the jeweler in 1958.

Updates:

Royal Family

 The Queen's brooch was transferred to her dress when the party moved inside for lunch and a look through the Royal Collection's special exhibit of Dutch-related items. Gifts will also have been exchanged; The Queen appointed The King a supernumerary Knight of the Garter, so we'll see him wear that at the state banquet.

Royal Family

Royal Family

Other members of the Royal Family present included The Countess of Wessex and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Clarence House

Later in the day, The King and Queen joined The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall for tea at Clarence House. Camilla wore her Cosmos Clip Brooches.


Coming up tonight: The state banquet! According to reports, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be present and Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau has been invited.
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11 November 2017

Festival of Remembrance

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by other members of the Royal Family, attended the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall, London.
Embed from Getty Images

The Kensington Bow Brooch has been a regular pick for anchoring poppies at remembrance events throughout the years, but this seems to be its first appearance since this blog's been up and running. I didn't think it had been that long!



Engagement and Wedding Rings

Embed from Getty Images
A couple of old favorites for The Duchess of Cornwall tonight: her Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings,
her Four Strand Pearl Choker with Small Diamond Clasp, and a selection of bracelets tricky to make out.

We will have another post for Remembrance Sunday and will probably check in with the rest of the fam at the other blog next week, so stay tuned...
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23 May 2017

Buckingham Palace Garden Party

The Queen and other members of the Royal Family held a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.
ITN screencap

Today's garden party opened with a minute of silence for the victims of the terrible Manchester attack. There was plenty of disagreement on social media with the decision to hold the event, but the show - as it always must - went on, honoring some 8,000 people for service to their communities. (With a crowd this size, many of whom would have traveled in advance for the occasion, I suppose the logistics alone could have prompted the decision.)

Royal Family

Bright as the sun, The Queen recreated Day 1 of Ascot 2016, repeating both her Stewart Parvin/Rachel Trevor-Morgan ensemble and the golden brooch it went with.

Three Strand Pearl Necklace


Princess Eugenie, meanwhile, chipped in with a more youthful take on The Queen's memorable orange and blue outfit from Day 3 of Ascot 2016. Not a bad idea, but not a good execution.


If The Duchess of Cornwall hasn't worn this to Ascot yet, I'm sure she will at some point; it seems to be one of her favorites recently. Though she has used this outfit with brooches in the past, she kept it simple with a pearl choker today.

Four Strand Pearl Choker with Small Diamond Clasp
Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings
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15 June 2016

Royal Ascot, Day 2

The Queen honored Ascot Races with her presence today.

Okay, Your Maj, point taken: yesterday's somewhat disappointing brooch selection was just clearing the way for something NEW today! A "Cartier diamond flower clip," per the palace, worn with a cyclamen pink Stewart Parvin coat and an Angela Kelly  hat. More in the brooch link below.


Three Strand Pearl Necklace


 
The Duchess of Cornwall clearly had to get her pink outfit out of the way yesterday.
 With her repeated Christian Dior Couture coat (I think), she stuck to her usual earrings and one of her usual chokers.

Four Strand Pearl Choker with Small Diamond Clasp
Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings

The Duchess of Cambridge and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark at Day 2 are already up at the other blog, with more fashions from the second day to come over there on Friday!

Photos: Channel4 screencaps
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13 June 2016

Garter Day

The Queen gave a Luncheon Party for the Companions for the Most Noble Order of the Garter. A Service was held in St. George's Chapel this afternoon.

Well, that facial expression pretty much says it all. The procession of stately Garter Knights and Ladies in all their plumed finery that I look forward to each year was nixed due to rain in Windsor. The procession and the carriages were swapped for cars and hardly a glimpse at much else.


I also look forward to Garter Day for some serious earring power from The Queen and, technically, she delivers here with the Coronation Earrings. But once again I have disappointed myself by getting my hopes up for sapphires or rubies (since we see so many white jewels all the rest of the time, you know?). Anyway, the Coronation Earrings were last seen at the Garter Service in 2004, by my flashback count.


The Garter spouses picked up some of the slack in the absence of a fancy procession of Garter robes. I would have appreciated a brooch on The Duchess of Cornwall (because apparently I'm in the mood to gripe), but the Anna Valentine coat she wore to the Cambridge wedding in 2011 is gorgeous as ever. She wore her Four Strand Pearl Choker with Small Diamond Clasp and her Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings. 
I loved The Countess of Wessex's Alexander McQueen floral dress when she wore it at the Chelsea Flower Show, and I love it here too. Many said they wished for more of a shrug-style jacket last time around, and she is very promptly modeling that look for you. (I sort of prefer the slightly longer jacket? Basically these little shrugs always look to me like someone got trapped while pulling off a shirt.) 

Photos: @gabeyslave
The Duchess of Gloucester was there and bejeweled as always - she appears to be repeating the look she just wore for the National Service of Thanksgiving over the weekend. 

And then there was Kate! Not only was she a much-needed bright spot on a gray day with her repeated red Catherine Walker coat and red Lock & Co. hat, she was also the surprise winner in the jewel category. 
These jewels are in her personal collection, so they aren't tracked on this blog, but they're very much worth noting: the diamond bracelet she received as a wedding present (assumed by many to have been a gift from Charles), her Mappin & Webb Empress pendant necklace, and - most notable of all - the return of her bespoke diamond wedding earrings from Robinson & Pelham. This is the first time we've seen these earrings in public since her wedding day. Oh, I reallllly like these used as day earrings. More of that, please!
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10 June 2016

(Updated) The Queen's 90th Birthday Service and Governors-General Luncheon

The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh - celebrating his 95th birthday today - and other members of the Royal Family, attended a service of National Thanksgiving in celebration of her 90th birthday at St. Paul's Cathedral, London.

You can find a full fashion round up at the other blog, but over here: THAT BROOCH. Oh, Her Maj went big for her big birthday, busting out the Richmond Brooch from Queen Mary's stash. She's only worn it a few times, the last being in 2014. She still did not choose to use the brooch's optional pearl pendant, but it was the perfect accompaniment to her sunshine yellow Angela Kelly outfit, which included motifs that seemed a nod towards the design of the Richmond. She also upped her game with the larger of her pearl and diamond button earring options from Queen Mary.



Chief among the 50-plus members of the Royal Family in attendance were The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, of course. Repeating a Bruce Oldfield outfit and Philip Treacy hat, Camilla wore the smaller of her diamond clasp pearl chokers and some of her favorite bug brooches. This is a fabulous outfit, though rather understated on her scale - jewelry and all.


Later, a luncheon and reception was held at Buckingham Palace for visiting Governors-General. The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, and The Duchess of Cornwall were in attendance.

For later, a shout-out to her fellow longest reigning sovereign, Queen Victoria. This is already the fifth appearance of Queen Victoria's Bow Brooch for the year, so it's well on its way to earning a spot on the 2016 list of favorite brooches (again). For The Duchess of Cornwall, she appears to have simply removed her coat and its brooches, sticking to her pearl choker for ornamentation.

Queen Victoria's Bow Brooch

Photos: BBC screencap, via Getty Images as indicated
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07 June 2016

Visit to Wales

The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, and The Duchess of Cornwall, addressed the opening of the Fifth Session of The National Assembly, Cardiff, Wales. The Queen also opened the new Brain Research Imaging Centre at Cardiff University.
For more: Zimbio gallery.

I suppose we could say that this is a brooch with a Welsh connection of the sneaky variety, having been a gift for the birth of the current Prince of Wales and all.

Three Strand Pearl Necklace


The Duchess of Cornwall, on the other hand, opted for a more obvious connection, wearing one of her brooches featuring the Prince of Wales feathers.

This is about as much jewelry as this particular outfit can take, but I still wish we'd seen something different. That's just me getting my hopes up - she wore my favorite Pink Topaz Choker for the opening of the Fourth Session, so anything less was bound to be a bit of a let down.

Pearl and Diamond Prince of Wales Feathers Brooch
Four Strand Pearl Choker with Small Diamond Clasp
Everyday Pearl Earrings
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20 October 2015

State Visit from China, Welcome Ceremony

The Queen and other members of the Royal Family welcomed the President of The People’s Republic of China, Mr. Xi Jinping, and Madame Peng Liyuan at the start of his State Visit to the United Kingdom.
Obviously, I find this lilac gray Stewart Parvin tweed coat and Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat would have been enhanced by a touch of amethysts, but that's how I always feel, so never mind me. Instead, we get the Modern Ruby Brooch to kick off this much-anticipated (and controversial) state visit.

Three Strand Pearl Necklace


The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall met the Chinese first couple at their hotel and escorted them to the welcome ceremony today.

It was nice to see The Duchess in a suite of jewels we've covered here before, including regular favorites in the form of her Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings, her Gold Chain Bracelet with Multi-Color Stones, and her Four Strand Pearl Choker with Small Diamond Clasp. She also wore her pair of Cosmos Brooches from Van Cleef & Arpels.


UPDATES:
Back at Buckingham Palace, the traditional exchange of gifts occurred. The Queen gave the Chinese president a collection of Shakespeare's sonnets in a specially commissioned leather and gilt box and a pair of Royal Crown Derby candlesticks for Madame Peng, in addition to the standard gift of a silver-framed set of portraits of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. From President Xi, The Queen received two of Madame Peng's albums (she's a famous folk singer in China) along with a 1.18 meter long work of embroidery, a stamp booklet, and a wood carving.

The President and Madame Peng joined The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall for tea at Clarence House, where Camilla changed into her pearl choker with an Art Deco sapphire clasp, the newest addition to her choker collection.

The Duke of Cambridge also met with the President today, at Buckingham Palace.


And The Queen inspected the scene for the state banquet, as she always does! Updated to add: In this Flickr behind-the-scenes gallery, we can identify The Queen's brooch as the Flower Basket Brooch.


Stay tuned for another post later for tonight's state banquet.

Photos: via Getty Images
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16 June 2015

Royal Ascot, Day 1 and Audience at Windsor Castle

The Queen honored Ascot Races with her presence today.
Ooooh oooh OOOH - look! It's only Day 1 of the Ascot brooch parade, and my brooch wishes have already been fulfilled! This is a brooch we haven't seen since it was worn by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and it is likely part of the set of Crown rubies that date back to Queen Victoria (although there are multiple ruby brooches and some dispute over which belong specifically to the set and which come from other sources). See the link below for more.

It's enormous and luscious, and looks a treat on this vibrant pink. I'm already on pins and needles waiting for Day 2...



We'll be doing a full rundown of the Ascot fashion stakes on the other blog tomorrow, so I'll save my comments on The Duchess of Cornwall's outfit for then. But as far as the jewels go...
...pffft. They're nothing to sneeze at on their own, don't get me wrong, but they are a bit of a let down after The Queen's surprise. Her Four Strand Pearl Choker with Small Diamond Clasp (with her chain necklace and C charm underneath) and her Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings make for a thoroughly everyday combination.


The Queen also received the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea for a private audience at Windsor Castle.

Bonus brooch for a busy day!


Photos:via Getty Images
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14 May 2015

The Duchess of Cornwall's Four Strand Pearl Chokers with Diamond Clasps

Since pearl chokers with bejeweled clasps are one of her signature jewels, it's no surprise that The Duchess of Cornwall has more than one version with an all diamond clasp. We have seen two such necklaces on her to date:

Small Diamond Clasp 
The first and most frequently seen of the two, this choker has a diamond clasp one central round diamond surrounded by three rows of diamonds. The design has a lot of dimension when viewed from the side, and the four rows of pearls have a loose fit, sometimes appearing a little jumbled up in use.
Photo: UK in France, via CC BY-ND 2.0
The Duchess has been wearing this necklace since early 2010 at least, and it has become a favorite over the years. It was her most worn pearl choker and a frequent pick for day-to-day events, although at the moment the larger clasp necklace below has taken over the top popularity spot.

Large Diamond Clasp 
The second option features a larger diamond clasp, with a more intricate design that radiates from the largest central diamond. The four rows of pearls fit more tightly to the neck than the smaller version does, and each row has a smaller pearl just before the clasp.
Photo: UK Parliament, via CC BY-NC 2.0
The Duchess debuted this necklace while visiting Norway in 2012, during a tour of Scandinavia with The Prince of Wales for the Diamond Jubilee. Since then, she's continued to use the necklace regularly for events with a higher profile, such as tiara events or day events like the Diamond Jubilee Thames pageant and the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. Recently, we've seen this necklace appear more often, which I always appreciate as it is definitely my favorite of the two.

Appearances (Large Version):
5 December 2017: Diplomatic Reception
12 July 2017: State Visit from Spain, State Banquet
12 July 2017: State Visit from Spain, Welcome Ceremony
18 March 2017: Visit to RAF Leeming
13 March 2017: Commonwealth Day
9 March 2017: Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial Unveiling
8 March 2017: Women of the World Reception
8 February 2017: Bishop of London Retirement Dinner
24 January 2017: British Olympic Equestrian Reception
8 December 2016: Diplomatic Reception
28 November 2016: Duke of Westminster Memorial Service
13 November 2016: Remembrance Sunday
12 November 2016: Festival of Remembrance
1 November 2016: State Visit from Colombia, State Banquet
27 October 2016: Visit to Poundbury
25 October 2016: Presentation of the Man Booker Prize
1 July 2016: Battle of the Somme Commemorations
18 June 2016: Royal Ascot, Day 5 
17 June 2016: Royal Ascot, Day 4
11 June 2016: Trooping the Colour
28 May 2016: Wedding of Lady Charlotte Wellesley and Alejandro Santo Domingo
19 May 2016: Buckingham Palace Garden Party
18 May 2016: State Opening of Parliament
10 May 2016: Service for the VC & GC Association 
3 May 2016: Geoffrey Howe Memorial Service
23 April 2016: 400th Anniversary of the Death of William Shakespeare
18 March 2016: Visit to Montenegro
16 March 2016: Visit to Serbia
24 February 2016: Friends of the National Libraries Reception
23 February 2016: Queens Gate School Visit
28 January 2016: Wilton's Music Hall Opening
25 December 2015: Christmas Service
17 December 2015: London International Horse Show
27 November 2015: Visit to Malta, Day 2
11 November 2015: Visit to Australia, Remembrance Day
15 October 2015: British Equestrian Federation Reception

Appearances (Small Version):
17 July 2017: 70th Birthday Portrait
12 July 2017: State Visit from Spain, Clarence House Visit
23 May 2017: Buckingham Palace Garden Party
15 March 2017: Cheltenham Races
26 January 2017: Installation as Honorary Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Plumbers
20 December 2016: Queen's Christmas Lunch
6 September 2016: Battle of Britain Fighter Association Tea and 500th Anniversary of the Royal Mail
12 July 2016: National Osteoporosis Society Garden Party
15 June 2016: Royal Ascot, Day 2
13 June 2016: Garter Day
10 June 2016: The Queen's 90th Birthday Service
7 June 2016: Visit to Wales 
4 May 2016: Visit to Canada House, London
16 December 2015: Buckingham Palace Family Christmas Luncheon
8 November 2015: Visit to New Zealand
4 November 2015: Visit to New Zealand
15 July 2015: St. Peter's Eaton School Visit
16 June 2015: Royal Ascot, Day 1
21 May 2015: Visit to Northern Ireland
9 November 2014: Remembrance Sunday
10 December 2013: Barnardo's Headquarters Opening 

Photos: via Getty Images
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12 May 2015

Buckingham Palace Garden Party and Wellington Memorial Service

The Queen, accompanied The Duke of Edinburgh and other members of the Royal Family, hosted a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.
Polish up those top hats, it's garden party season! And with cheery yellows and pinks and blues on the top ladies in attendance, it really does feel like a lovely spring day in the garden.

Hmm...I think she heard us wondering why she didn't wear a brooch from The Queen Mother at the VE Day service.


Also in attendance at the garden party was The Duchess of Cornwall, wearing one heck of a hat. She's worn shapes like that in creams and beiges and pulled them off spectacularly, but my my, they look soooo much bigger in a strong color, no? Anyway, her jewel roundup: A diamond butterfly brooch which I believe is having its public debut today, her Four Strand Pearl Choker with Small Diamond Clasp, and her Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings.


Earlier in the day, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh were among members of the Royal Family in attendance at a memorial service for the late Duke of Wellington.


It's rare that Her Majesty attends memorials or funerals, but she made an exception for a Knight of the Garter and holder of one very famous title. She wore the Kent Amethyst Brooch, as you can see in the comments. The Duchess of Cornwall was wearing the same butterfly brooch and earrings she wore to the garden party, with her Four Strand Pearl Choker with Large Diamond Clasp. She also had a watch, some of her everyday bracelets, and her engagement/wedding rings in view.


Photos:John Stillwell/AFP via Getty Images
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10 May 2015

VE Day 70th Anniversary Service

The Queen attended a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey commemorating the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, which marks the end of World War II in Europe following the surrender of Germany. Also present were The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke of York, The Earl of Wessex, and The Duke of Kent.
I confess I am surprised not to see another of The Queen Mother's brooches, or something a little larger, today. But one can never go wrong with a Cullinan chip, anyway.



 Plenty of other family members were in attendance, though we did have a few notable absentees like The Countess of Wessex, who visited the Channel Islands yesterday to mark the anniversary of their liberation. (And wore another piece borrowed from The Queen's jewel vault while she was at it, by the way: the Ruby Floret Earrings.) Also present but not pictured here: The Duke of Kent.
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh met some of their fellow World War II veterans after the service. Prince Philip now wears so many medals on his jacket they threaten to tip him right over, so naturally he had some comments on the other hardware on display. One of my favorite moments from the day.
 
And my other favorite moment: The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall reviewed the parade of veterans after the service, including one intrepid vet who spontaneously left his wheelchair behind to pop over and greet the royal couple.

The Duchess of Cornwall's brooch for the day paid tribute to a World War II veteran near and dear to her own heart: her father, Major Bruce Shand, a member of the 12th Lancers who fought in France and North Africa and was held as a prisoner of war. Her brooch belonged to The Queen Mother but has extra special significance to Camilla as it is the badge of the 9/12th Lancers. She also wore her Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings and her Four Strand Pearl Choker with Small Diamond Clasp. Underneath her choker, she wore a thin gold chain with a "C" charm pendant.

Photos:via Getty Images as indicated and BBC video
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09 November 2014

Remembrance Sunday

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by members of the Royal Family, attended the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph, London. The service honors those that have died in armed conflicts.
As is her tradition, The Queen chose a bow brooch to "tie" her poppies. Today's is the Dorset Bow, one of the earliest bow brooches to be added to her collection, having been a wedding gift.

Queen Mary's Button Earrings
We assume, of course, the standard pearl necklace was also there, though not immediately visible. 


Members of the royal family in uniform joined HM in laying wreaths, including The Duke of Edinburgh (not pictured), The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge, The Earl of Wessex, and The Duke of Kent.

 Other members watched from the balcony above, including The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duchess of Cambridge, and The Countess of Wessex. Kate is wearing a brooch given to her in Australia earlier this year; Sophie is wearing a regimental badge. Camilla is also wearing a badge, from her father's regiment, and her Four Strand Pearl Choker with Small Diamond Clasp.

Photos: BBCOne video
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