Jewels of the Royal World

Guest Post – Cartier & Islamic Art Exhibit in Dallas

Hofdame Note - A very big thank you to Dalloway who visited the Cartier & Islamic Art Exhibit held in Dallas last spring. They graciously thought of the Handbag crew and sent these photos on for our enjoyment. Please remember all photos in the post are the property of Dalloway and should not be reproduced without… Continue reading Guest Post – Cartier & Islamic Art Exhibit in Dallas

Jewels of the Royal World · Spain

Tiara Tales – La Rusa

We are taking a quick break from Designer Diaries to do a deep dive into this fascinating tiara. Thank you to Iselen for this riveting post! This has it all: broken marriages, revolution, intrigue, and drama. You won't be disappointed. The Spanish Royal House has never clarified the origin of any jewel officially, a decision… Continue reading Tiara Tales – La Rusa

China · Jewels of the Royal World

Jewel Journeys – Empress Cixi’s Pearl Cape

This Empress Cixi information was supposed to be one post but between her complicated reign and her amazing pearl cape, there was simply just too much to talk about. The pearl cape gets its own post because it's quite a creation. The Empress was photographed in the early 1900s with Sarah Pike Conger, the American… Continue reading Jewel Journeys – Empress Cixi’s Pearl Cape

Jewels of the Royal World

Battle of the Tutti Frutti

In the early 20th century, Cartier was a hive of creative activity. Remember all those blackened steel and crystal tiaras? Jacques Cartier also began experimenting with combining faceted and cabochon colored stones - with some diamond accents - into dense, closely set pieces. The end results were often natural elements, such as stylized flower baskets… Continue reading Battle of the Tutti Frutti