I am closing with my last little bits.  These items were not in the Catalog but the Hofdames suggested one last treasure-trove chapter.  So, in no particular order, here are my tidbits! Many of us know about the lost Yusupov Sun tiara worn by Princess Irina.  Fortunately, while in Monaco during 2019 I viewed the… Continue reading Lost Magnificence – Finale

These three items are doozies!  They are all held in the Diamond Fund, exhibited in the Kremlin Armoury in Moscow, Russia. The female members of the Russian Royal Romanovs weren’t the only ones to wear fanciful diamonds.  Imagine this diamond epaulette on the shoulder of a uniform keeping a sash in its proper place.  The… Continue reading Lost Magnificence – There’s Only One

Now we’re finally getting to pink and blue!  My personal favorite colors for gemstones.  Imagine that these are what all little girls fantasize wearing when they play dress up as princesses.  These amethyst girandole earrings are not too over-the-top to be uncomfortable.  They seem very wearable to me.  The definition of girandole means a large,… Continue reading Lost Magnificence – Colored Gemstones Part 2

There is something that tugs at my imagination when I see emeralds.  Seeing the color of leaves and grass turned into a gemstone always amazes me.  The Russian Court was a magnet for extravagance on so many levels and these examples show just how they did that. The baroque setting for the square cut emerald… Continue reading Lost Magnificence – Colored Gemstones Part 1

Now for the prettiest of the pretty.  These representations of nature in all her glory make me stop, look, and sigh.  Imagine having one of these as a selection from which to choose for your finishing touch to your court gown before descending that grand staircase and joining everyone at the ball and you prepare… Continue reading Lost Magnificence – Diamonds Part 2