Jewelry History

Explorons ensemble l’histoire fascinante et tragique des bijoux des Romanov après la Révolution russe et l’assassinat de la famille impériale. Certains de ces joyaux, témoins d’une époque révolue, ont survécu aux bouleversements révolutionnaires et à la fin de la Russie impériale. Mais que sont devenus ces objets inestimables après la chute des Romanov ? Comment ont-ils été dispersés ?  The Tsar and his immense fortune have always fascinated, and are still the subject of much research and controversy. The Romanovs, the reigning family, possessed an extraordinary treasure that reflected their power and the influence of imperial Russia. As proof of this, in 1913 Nicholas II organized a grand celebration to mark the Romanovs’ 300th anniversary, an anniversary he celebrated with great pomp by commissioning 2,000 objects from Fabergé for his guests. It is estimated that the Romanov fortune was worth around 55 billion dollars today. However, war and revolution destroyed the Tsarist empire, the Romanovs were overthrown and assassinated, and their property was confiscated. A veritable fortune disappeared, including gold, jewels and precious stones. What really happened to these priceless objects ? Son of Tsar Alexander III, Nikolai Aleksandrovich Romanov was born on May 6, 1868 in Pushkin, Russia. Nicholas II became Emperor of All Russia in 1894 at the age of 26. He married Alix de Hesse-Darmchtat, who became Alexandra Fedorovna the same month. The couple had 5 children: Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and Alexis. The Tsar developed an expansionist policy that led him to support the Franco-Russian alliance and engage in a war against Japan. Its failure increased popular protests, culminating in the 1905 Revolution. Nicholas II was forced to accept a liberal breakthrough in the form of a representative assembly, the Duma. However, this opening soon came to an end, and the Tsar dissolved the Duma and crushed the revolts. During the First World War, the Russian army suffered heavy defeats, while the country was still in crisis. Starving and exhausted by the war, Russians organized general strikes and demonstrations in all the country’s major cities. In Petrograd, the capital, workers demanded the formation of a new government. The movement led to the abdication of the Tsar on March 15, 1917. This marked the beginning of the Romanov family’s period of imprisonment. First at the Alexander Palace, then in Tobolsk, Siberia, still spared by the Bolsheviks. On July 31, 1917, they boarded two trains and moved into a house in the city, where they were allowed to roam as they pleased. The imperial family then took refuge in a convent, entrusting part of their treasure to a nun who hid it first in a well, then in a cemetery. Encumbered by this heavy burden and in search of a new hiding place, she decided to share her secret with a fisherman friend, who reported her to the KGB, who then took possession of the treasure hidden in fish tanks in 1933, where they found numerous jewels and precious stones, including a diamond weighing almost 100 carats. In 1918, the situation deteriorated with Lenin’s seizure of power, who wanted to eradicate the Romanovs without trial. In April, they were sent to Yekaterinburg, where they took up residence in the Ipatiev house. Detention conditions were extremely harsh, and the guards were violent and abusive. When the Bolsheviks came to power, they needed money, and when they discovered many of the jewels stored in the Kremlin, they decided to put them up for sale, dismantling most of them. KGB archives have been found, detailing the inventory of the jewels. In Yekaterinburg, the Romanov family’s situation is seriously complicated. White Army troops were at the city gates to liberate the Tsar. Lenin decided to have the captives secretly executed. On the evening of July 16, they were rounded up and told that Moscow required a photograph to prove their good health. As they took their places on the chairs, armed guards entered the room and fired, while a truck outside covered the sound of gunfire. The Romanovs are no more, their treasures largely seized and dispersed, but what has become of their personal jewels ? The jewels that accompanied the family, their most intimate and easily transportable pieces ? A handwritten list of the tsarina’s jewels was drawn up during her captivity, including enormous diamonds that were to ensure the family’s financial survival in the event of exile from Russia. What became of them ? The execution of the Romanovs took place in the greatest secrecy, with no one knowing about it and the affair being hushed up. However, there are testimonies from the soldiers in the firing squad. They reported that the bullets ricocheted off the Tsar’s daughters without wounding them, forcing them to be executed with knives. When they took a closer look, their corsets were filled with jewels and precious stones, as were the linings of their dresses. Huge diamonds were bathed in blood. However, the trace of these last is lost and their fate is unknown to this day. But is it really the whole treasure ? It’s highly unlikely … One theory I find particularly interesting is that the Romanovs’ most precious possessions were actually in England, in the possession of the royal family. In fact, Nicholas II was a cousin of King George V, to whom he was very close. They spent their childhood vacations together, and even nicknamed each other “Georgie and Nicky”. Not to mention that his wife Alix de Hesse-Darmstadt, better known as Alexandra Feodorovna, was Queen Victoria’s favorite granddaughter. What could be more natural than to ask George V for help when they felt in mortal danger ? What could be more natural than to send one’s most prized possessions to safety in times of crisis ? But the King, fearing that England’s reputation – then at war with Germany – would be tarnished, refused to help. After the assassination of part of the Romanov family, a Royal Navy warship exiles the remaining members (including the Tsar’s mother) from Yalta.

“Diamonds are forever”. De Beers may not have realized it at the time, but this advertising slogan completely revolutionized the world of diamonds. A symbol of eternity and strength, these precious stones, steeped in history and legend, have captured the imagination of millions of people through the ages. Even today, diamonds remain the stone of choice for jewelry creations. Le Régent The Regent is an almost colorless, rectangular cushion-shaped faceted diamond with a slight blue-green tint, weighing almost 140 carats. Discovered in 1698 in the Golconde mines in India, it originally weighed 426 carats. It immediately aroused the interest of Thomas Pitt, the English governor of Madras, who purchased it. The diamond was cut in England for two years by the London jeweler Harris to its current weight. It was then sold to the regent Philippe d’Orléans in 1717. The Regent surpassed in beauty and weight all diamonds previously known in the West. After the Regency, this jewel remained one of the most precious pieces in the Crown’s possessions, and served as an adornment for all crowned heads. The Regent was first worn by Louis 14 at the reception of the Turkish Embassy in 1721. It was then provisionally set on the crown for the coronation of Louis 15 on October 25, 1722. For the coronation of Louis 16 on June 11, 1775, a new crown was made, similar to that of Louis 15, with the Regent on the front. Translated with DeepL.com (free version) Stolen in 1792, then found in 1793 hidden in a roof frame, it was pawned several times by the Directoire and then the Consulate before being finally recovered by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1801. It was then used to embellish the sword of the First Consul made by the silversmiths Odiot, Boutet and Nitot. Following the changes of regime, it was set on the crowns of Louis XVIII, Charles X and Napoleon III, then on the Greek diadem of Empress Eugénie. In 1887, it narrowly escaped the sale of French crown diamonds organized by the Republic. Today, it is displayed in the Galerie d’Apollon at the Louvre and is still considered the most beautiful diamond in the world for its purity and quality of cut. Le Sancy Sancy is an asymmetrical pear-shaped diamond, faceted on both sides and weighing nearly 55 carats. The gem is almost colorless, but very pale greenish-yellow around the edges. Very little is known about the origin of this diamond, apart from the fact that it was mined in India and must have weighed close to 100 carats. It was first found in Bruges in 1476, where it was cut for Charles the Bold. Following battles, the stone was lost, only to reappear in Portugal among the Portuguese crown jewels. Portugal’s King Manuel the First pawned the diamond to Nicolas Harlay de Sancy, who then decided to buy it and presumably gave it its current appearance. Following financial difficulties, the Duc de Sancy sold the diamond to the King of England, where it remained until James II’s exile, when he took refuge in France with Cardinal Mazarin, who recovered it and bequeathed it to Louis XIV on his death. During the French Revolution, the Sancy diamond was stolen when the Hôtel du Garde-Meuble was sacked. It was eventually found in Russia and sold to an Indian prince, who kept it for a year. It made another brief appearance in France at the 1867 Paris Exhibition, and then disappeared for almost forty years. Its last purchaser, the Astor family, kept it for 72 years, finally selling it to the Musée du Louvre in 1978 for the sum of 1 million francs. Since then, the diamond has been on display at the Galerie Apollon. Le Hope It is one of the world’s most famous diamonds, not only for its beauty, but also for its reputation as a cursed diamond. The Hope diamond is a 45.52-carat blue cushion. The diamond was brought to France by Jean Baptiste Tavernier, who sold it to Louis XIV. It had long been assumed that it had been stolen from an Indian temple, but Mughal archives record the diamond’s discovery and sale at the Golconde diamond market. Louis XIV had the stone cut from 112 to 67 carats and named the diamond Bleu de France. Recent discoveries have revealed that the Bleu de France was presented on an enamelled gold stick with the diamond as the pommel. The transparent enamel revealed a sun in the center of a blue sky. In September 1792, the diamond disappeared during the theft of the French crown jewels and ended up in England, where it was cut to disguise its provenance. It was lost until 1812. In 1824, the stone was sold to Thomas Hope, a wealthy London banker who gave his name to the stone. Thomas Hope died in 1831. The diamond remained in the family for several years until 1902, when it was sold for $250,000 to an American banker after the Hope family went bankrupt. In 1910, it was bought by Cartier, who, aware of the diamond’s reputation, mounted it as a pendant and sold it to a wealthy client at a relatively low price. She kept it until her death in 1947, after seeing the death of her two children and her husband sent to an asylum. The diamond then passed to Harry Winston, who was unable to sell it, preferring instead to donate it to Washington’s Smithonian Institute in 1958, where it can now be seen and admired by almost 6 million visitors every year, right behind the Mona Lisa. Le Cullinan It is the largest rough diamond ever discovered, weighing in at nearly 3106 carats. It was discovered on January 26, 1905, in the Premier mine near Pretoria, South Africa, and bears the name of the mine’s owner, Thomas Cullinan. The Transvaal government purchased the crude for $750,000. In 1907, the Transvaal government decided to present it to King Edward 7 of the United Kingdom for his

Plaque de cou necklace by Henri Dubret ©Macklowe Gallery Art Nouveau is an artistic movement that emerged in Europe at the end of the 19th century and continued to develop until the beginning of the 20th century. The movement was marked by a search for new, organic forms inspired by nature and Japanese aesthetics. In the field of jewellery, this period saw the emergence of designers and jewellers who pushed back the boundaries of tradition and created truly unique works of art. Art Nouveau had its roots in the intellectual and artistic climate of the late 19th century. With industrialisation in full swing, many artists and craftsmen felt the need to break away from impersonal mass production and create unique and original works. It was in this context that Art Nouveau began to emerge. Several factors contributed to the genesis of Art Nouveau. Artistic movements such as Arts and Crafts in England and Pre-Raphaelitism paved the way by revaluing craftsmanship and advocating a return to nature. Japan, long considered an underdeveloped country, came back into fashion in the 19th century. It was in art galleries and at world exhibitions that the work of Japanese craftsmen was rediscovered, and prints were given pride of place. Pendentif signé Georges Fouquet ©Albion Art Institute The lines, curves and irregularity of the shape are in stark contrast to the standards of European mass production. It was a veritable breath of fresh air that arrived in Europe. This fresh air from Asia immediately inspired Art Nouveau artists, who used exotic elements such as animals, insects and flowers like the lotus. Inspired by nature, organic shapes and flowing curves, this innovative style broke with the rigid designs of the past to create jewellery that was a true work of art. Several jewellers played a key role in the emergence and development of Art Nouveau. Among them were René Lalique, who stood out for his innovative designs and use of glass, Georges Fouquet and his use of unusual gems, Henri Vever, Philippe Wolfers and Léopold Gautrait. In total keeping with the movement, jewellery from this period often depicted delicate flowers, butterflies, dragonflies and elements from mythology, tales and legends. Pendentif par René Lalique ©Christie’s Art Nouveau jewellers pushed back the boundaries of traditional techniques to create unique and innovative jewellery. One of the most emblematic is enamelling. Using this technique, floral and organic motifs were brought to life, creating a palette of vibrant colours that enhanced the beauty of the jewellery. The use of unconventional stones and materials is also emblematic of the style. Instead of limiting themselves to diamonds and a few traditional precious stones, they incorporated semi-precious stones such as Peridot or Aquamarine, pearls, shells and even materials such as ivory and horn. Gone are the days of jewelled ornaments, with diamonds overshadowed by opal, enamel or glass and serving only to enhance the work. Devant de corsage par Henri Vever ©Faerber Collection Many celebrities, including Sarah Bernhardt, La Belle Otero, Julia Bartet and Calouste Gulbenkian, were won over by the beauty of the pieces that came out of the workshops. As the years went by, the jewellery became more and more exceptional, and true masterpieces were created, such as this magnificent tiara adorned with an enamelled peacock and set with opals by Philippe Wolfers, and recently restored by Epoque Fine Jewels, until the decline of Art Nouveau and the outbreak of the First World War. Tiare par Philippe Wolfers ©Epoque Fine Jewels Un Art nouveau : Métamorphoses du bijou Exposition sur les bijoux Art nouveau à l’École des Arts Joailliers Lire

©Van Cleef & Arpels A true jewelry icon and now the signature of the Maison Van Cleef & Arpels, the Alhambra collection has never ceased to renew itself over the eras, and today takes on a wide range of materials and colors … The clover motif appeared as early as the 1920s, as documented in the company’s archives. However, the first genuine Alhambra sautoir appeared in 1968. Inspired by the four-leaf clover, symbol of good luck, more than a talisman it’s a real everyday lucky charm it features 20 crinkled yellow gold motifs delicately edged with gold pearls. The Alhambra long necklace was an instant hit, and many celebrities, including Romy Schneider, Françoise Hardy and Princess Grace of Monaco, wore the precious lucky charm; Grace de Monaco Françoise Hardy Romy Schneider In 1971, Van Cleef & Arpels decided to add color to its four-leaf clovers. The motifs were set with hard stones such as malachite and lapis lazuli. In 1998, the Alhambra collection was extended to bracelets and watches, and the catalog of available materials continued to expand with carnelian, chalcedony, mother-of-pearl and onyx. In half a century, the collection has been greatly enriched and has become a true ambassador for the craftsmanship of Van Cleef & Arpels. Voir la collection Alhambra sur le site de la Maison Van Cleef & Arpels

After an article on the personal jewels of Elizabeth II, it also seemed interesting to me to rediscover the main pieces that make up the British Crown treasure kept in the London Tower. Considered the largest and most valuable collection of jewelry in the world, it notably includes two of the largest diamonds: the Cullinan I and the Koh-I-Noor. Focus on some exceptional pieces … The Imperial State Crown Élizabeth II et l’Imperial State Crown Surely the most famous, the Imperial State Crown or Imperial Ceremonial Crown was made in 1937 for the coronation of George VI by Maison Garrard & Co. It is an exact replica of the one worn by Queen Victoria On a base are fixed four crosses “pattée” alternately with four “fleur-de-lys”. The interior is lined with a velvet cap hemmed with an ermine border. The crown is adorned with 2868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 5 rubies including the Saint Edward sapphire, the no less famous Black Prince ruby (which is in fact a spinel) as well as the Cullinan II diamond and the Stuarts sapphire. The total weight of the set is around 900 grams, which requires some strength in the neck, as Queen Elizabeth II testifies. The Saint Edward Crown Élizabeth II et la couronne de saint Édouard Similar in design to the Imperial State crown, St Edward’s Crown has been used for the coronation of British sovereigns since Edward the Confessor in 1042. Obviously the current crown is a replica of the original destroyed in 1661 by Cromwell. The crown of St Edward has a cross “pattée” and “fleur-de-lys” structure in solid gold decorated with tourmalines, white and yellow topazes, rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, peridot, zircons, spinels, aquamarines and mounted in enameled gold collars. With a velvet hat hemmed with a band of ermine. The whole surmounted by a globus cruciger and a “pattée” cross. Because of its weight (2.23 kg) Queen Victoria refused to wear it for her coronation just like Edward VII. The George IV State diadem Élizabeth II et le George IV State diadem Made in 1820 for the George IV coronation, it is made up of “pattée” crosses adorned with diamonds on a base of pearls and diamonds. This crown was subsequently used by subsequent sovereigns in the ceremonies to open Parliament. Much lighter than ceremonial crowns, it appears much more often during official ceremonies. The Sovereign Sceptre with cross Le sceptre orné du Cullinan I The scepter with the cross or scepter of the sovereign created in 1661 for the coronation of Charles II, has since been part of the essential insignia of the coronation. Measuring 92 centimeters, the scepter is in gold decorated with 333 diamonds, 31 rubies, 15 emeralds, 7 sapphires, 6 spinels and an amethyst. It was modified in 1901 to accommodate the largest cut diamond in the world (at the time) : the Cullinan  (530 carats) cut by Joseph Asscher. Above the diamond is the amethyst surmounted by a cross “pattée” encrusted with an emerald and small diamonds. The Jeweled Sword of Offering This sumptuous sword was forged for the coronation of George IV. The precious stones encrusted on the gold scabbard form the emblems of the nations of the United Kingdom: the rose for England, the thistle for Scotland and the shamrock for Ireland. The blade is made of finely engraved damas steel. It is undoubtedly the most expensive edged weapon in the world. The Sword of State The Great Sword of State was made in 1678 for Charles II. Its gold handle forms a lion and a unicorn. The red velvet scabbard is decorated with various gold motifs such as thistles and fleur-de-lis. The Coronation Spoon The Coronation Spoon is the oldest object in the British treasury as it is believed to have been made for the coronation of Henry II in 1154. In gold-plated silver and set with pearls it is used to anoint the monarch during the coronation ceremony. The Queen Alexandra Crown La couronne de la Reine Alexandra At the center of much controversy, Queen Alexandra’s crown was made in 1902 for the wife of Edward VII. Its particularity is to be set with the famous Koh-I-Noor diamond, a cut diamond of 105 carats and of exceptional purity. The latter was presented to Queen Victoria in 1850 following its confiscation from Duliph Singh in India, hence the famous claims. Source : Royal Collection Trust Images : Getty Image, Royal Collection Trust