Posted by windsorfan on August 5, 2012, 7:32 pm, in reply to "Big and small"
i've often thought that HM's South African diamonds get the short end of the stick......IMO such a simple design doesn't come off as flashy or as impressive as other necklaces in pictures.....but i think they are very beautiful indeed, and consider them to be among my favorite pieces.
Thanks for your wonderful descriptions!
--Previous Message-- : the other things that struck me. : : The South African diamonds that HM was given : for her her 21st are a lot larger in real : life than they look on a picture. : Also the coronation necklace really looks : quite short as if the Queen's neck is quite : small and she wears it high up above her : collar bones. : : The small book was worth buying, even if you : have the big one, as it is by a different : author and has some different material in it : including a good section on the Cullinan and : some historic pages about diamond cuts. : : --Previous Message-- : 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, 7:32 pm, in reply to "