Audiences at Buckingham Palace and Investiture

The Queen held several audiences at Buckingham Palace.

#456844122 / gettyimages.com

For more: Gallery from Zimbio.
Break's over, folks! Back to work and back to brooches, this one being the larger of the brooches that go with the Nizam of Hyderabad set of jewels.

Nizam of Hyderabad Rose Brooch

Queen Mary's Button Earrings

Three Strand Pearl Necklace

Gold Watch

Engagement and Wedding Rings 

Update: The following day, October 9, Her Majesty held an investiture at Buckingham Palace. Per usual, no brooch was to be seen.

Photo:Pool via Getty Images

Flashback: The Balmoral Ghillies Ball, 1991

Amongst all the news of Scotland's vote on independence this week was the tidbit that the annual Ghillies Ball at Balmoral has been postponed by a day this year, so that the estate staff can place their votes. Held each September, the ball is a private event, but the 1992 documentary Elizabeth R offered a small glimpse of the fun.

For this year (filmed, I imagine, in 1991), The Queen and her mother both sported tiaras (though the rest of the royal ladies went without): the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara and the Greville Tiara, respectively. The Queen completed her suite of diamonds with her Antique Girandole Earrings, the King Faisal Diamond Necklace, and the True Lover's Knot Brooch. A sparkling view, and a treat to peek inside an event we don't often see.

Photo: BBC video

The Tutti Frutti Bouquet Brooch

Stopping to speak with well-wishers after church at Crathie Kirk during her Balmoral Scottish holiday, The Queen made mention of the upcoming vote on Scottish independence, saying that she hoped people would think "very carefully" about the matter. It was an unusual move, and has garnered quite a bit of press attention (as was undoubtedly the point). She happened to wear an unusual brooch while she was at it.

Queen Elizabeth urges Scottish voters to think "carefully" before voting on secession. https://t.co/7oqZUzpQku pic.twitter.com/AkrIug2Nov
— [ Scotland News ] (@goinscotland) September 14, 2014

Her Majesty appears to have worn a little-known brooch from the pages of Angela Kelly's book, Dressing the Queen. The brooch is done in the Tutti Frutti style popularized by Cartier, a combination of emeralds, sapphires, rubies, and diamonds. (For more on Tutti Frutti and another example of the style, click here.) It has two sapphire flowers and three ruby flowers, each with colored stone petals and a diamond center, in a bouquet surrounded by carved emerald leaves. The arrangement includes additional diamonds between the leaves and diamond stems.

The piece is illustrated in the Kelly book, but no history or further detail is provided. Though The Queen has several Cartier brooches, whether this one is from that famous Tutti Frutti manufacturer or merely in that same style and from another jeweler is unknown.

Appearances:
14 September: Church at Balmoral (including more links to see the brooch in action)

The Braemar Gathering

The Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke of Rothesay, attended the annual Braemar Gathering in Scotland.

#454770074 / gettyimages.com

For more: Article from the Herald Scotland, gallery from Zimbio.
It's been an unusually quiet Balmoral break (for HM, and unexpectedly around the blog too - c'est la vie! We'll probably stay on semi-hiatus until public engagements pick back up). I've been cataloging what I catch on our Balmoral holiday post, but we haven't had as many glimpses as we had in the past couple years.

#454770836 / gettyimages.com

But we can always depend on Her Maj to be in a jolly mood for the Braemar Highland Games, at least! No mystery to the jewel choice here - the feather brooch was a gift from the society for her Golden Jubilee, and she's made it her permanent choice ever since.

Braemar Feather Brooch

Queen Mary's Button Earrings

Three Strand Pearl Necklace

Photo:Chris Jackson via Getty Images

Balmoral Holiday, 2014

The Queen has officially started her annual holiday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. I will collect links to her appearances during the break here, and you'll find the link to this post on the side bar under Recently Updated Events until public events start up again. During the break, I have updates to take care of and (time permitting) we have some backlogged jewels to cover, so stay tuned!

• NEW! September 28: Attending church at Balmoral (alternate link). Wearing for the second time one of the brooches we've seen debuted this year, the Turquoise and Diamond Brooch.
• NEW! September 21:Attending church at Balmoral (see here or here). No brooch visible.
• September 14: The media was invited to watch The Queen speaking to people after church today - a rare move indeed. She let them hear her make a comment on the upcoming Scottish independence referendum, urging people to think carefully. Not exactly a wild statement, but this is incredibly rare from her, and it's getting quite a bit of attention. She appears to be wearing a rare brooch, too, the Tutti Frutti Bouquet Brooch. Pics can be seen at the Daily Mail, Sky News, and The Telegraph.
• September 6: The Braemar Gathering, as is traditional each year.
• Apropos of nothing, really, but HM was pictured riding out at Balmoral.
• August 24: Attending church at Balmoral. No brooch visible.
• August 17: Attending church at Balmoral, with Princess Eugenie in tow and the Kent Amethyst Brooch out on display. (Do revisit the Kent Amethyst link, a rather interesting find has been posted in the comments by Jeanne!)
• August 7: Official welcome and review of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. As expected, HM wore the badge of the Royal Regiment of Scotland for the job.

Audience at Balmoral

The Queen invested Peter Cosgrove, Governor-General of Australia, as a Knight of the Order of Australia at Balmoral.

#453211758 / gettyimages.com

And now the Queen is fully on holiday mode, Balmoral tartan skirt and all. Still can't forget the pearls, though.

Pearl Stud Earrings

One Strand Pearl Necklace

Black Strap Watch (Likely)

Engagement and Wedding Rings

Photo:WPA Pool via Getty Images

World War I Commemoration and Turriff Show Visit

The Queen attended a service of commemoration to mark the centenary of the First World War at Crathie Kirk in Aberdeenshire. Also today, she attended the Turriff Show, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the agricultural event.

#453173628 / gettyimages.com

For more: Daily Mail photos, Press and Journal article (on the agricultural show), ITNSource video (also from the show).
Her official arrival at Balmoral Castle is yet to come, but HM has already started her annual Scotland holiday. She still joined her family members in marking today's significant anniversary at multiple locations, visiting the church she normally attends while at Balmoral (and a rare glimpse it is for us, to see inside while she's there).

For the day's other public event (above), she had an outfit switch but stuck with one of Queen Victoria's Bows, which was showing off its largest stones quite nicely.

Queen Victoria's Bow Brooch

Queen Mary's Button Earrings

Three Strand Pearl Necklace

Photos: WPA Pool via Getty and ITNSource video