The Duchess of Cornwall's Diamond Moth Brooch

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The Duchess of Cornwall wearing her Diamond Moth Brooch

Among the jewels debuted in 2015 by The Duchess of Cornwall was this Diamond Moth Brooch, a design which has also been referred to as a butterfly. She first wore the brooch in public at a memorial service for the Duke of Wellington and at a Buckingham Palace garden party the same day in May 2015.

In Malta, 2015
Commonwealth Secretariat Flickr (cropped), via CC BY-NC 2.0

The general design of The Duchess' brooch is not wholly unique; there are others of this general shape to be found. One that seems to be an exact match is the example below, a Late Art Deco Diamond Platinum Moth Brooch offered for sale on 1stDibs by Macklowe Gallery in New York (now marked as sold).

1stDibs

The diamond brooch with emerald eyes is listed as being made circa the 1930s, with a width of 2.25 inches and a length of 1.13 inches. It is further described as follows:

An Art Deco platinum brooch with diamonds. The brooch has 6 old European-cut diamonds with an approximate total weight of 1.20 carats, 1 old European-cut diamond with an approximate total weight of .50 carats, 236 single-cut diamonds with an approximate total weight of 7.10 carats, and is further set with 22 rose-cut diamonds with an approximate total weight of .10 carats. Approximate total carat weight of the moth is 8.9 carats. The mix and patterning of the various diamond cuts adds to the brilliance and dimension of this moth. 

1stDibs

We can't be sure of how The Duchess of Cornwall's brooch came to reside in her collection or of its origin. It is not surprising, however, to see her continue to add to her collection of insect brooches, regardless of the source. With butterflies and dragonflies and stick insects and more, her fondness for these creature brooches is clear. (It is not a fondness that I can say I share, though I do appreciate the Art Deco design of this particular piece.)

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The Duchess' brooch

Appearances:
18 June 2016: Royal Ascot, Day 5
10 May 2016: Service for the VC & GC Association
25 December 2015: Christmas Service
27 November 2015: Malta Visit: Day 2, CHOGM Opening Ceremony
12 May 2015:  Buckingham Palace Garden Party and Wellington Memorial Service