Back home now from visiting BP today & I think I'm all dazzled out! Surprisingly, due to the Olympics - including the Ladies Marathon going past the Palace! - London was much quieter than usual, because the "general tourists" were staying away. There was no queue and we were allowed to go in when we arrived without waiting for our allotted time-slot.
The usual room was set up for the diamonds, which, like the Fabergé one was dimmed to almost total darkness, with the cabinets lit to make the diamonds really sparkle. Set out "sideways" so that people could walk along both sides and get the same view from either side. We went both sides so that we didn't miss anything!
The stones were breathtaking of course and I loved them all! So what did I like seeing best? I have to say "Granny's Chips" (Cullinan 3 & 4) just hypnotizes me every time . To see such huge stones is the most amazing feeling. The (literal) depth from front to back on them is astonishing - not usually able to see it sideways when it's in the usual cabinet at the the Queen's Gallery. Even though some of the Greville stones look large from the front, they are so much flatter and thinner than the really superb Cullinan stones that you realise the superlative quality of those very special items - even the smaller (ha ha!!) ones. Bought the Jubilee book and the small Diamonds one just about the exhibition - lovely to add to the collection. All followed by coffee and cake on the terrace of course... ;-) Any questions...?
on August 5, 2012, 2:21 pm