Re: Portugal - Ugly jewels set - "Fastes et Grandeur des Cours en Europe" Archived Message
Posted by Cristina on September 12, 2012, 3:58 pm, in reply to "Portugal - Ugly jewels set - "Fastes et Grandeur des Cours en Europe" "
I also have seen these fabulous jewels in an exibition many years ago at Ajuda Palace in Lisbon. In fact I actually liked them, they are quite unusual. Not ugly at all to me. The diamonds are huge and indeed of superb quality, and the yellow diamond in the center of the larger star is one of the finest in the world, it's called "the Maria Pia diamond". I defenitelly like the stars but agree the necklace seems a very unconventional way of design to display them. On the other hand the necklace's design is quite unique, it's the only necklace I know with such design. Would't call it striking gorgeous but definatelly not ugly, I find it interesting. As to the tiara, the picture shows how the stars are displayed for exibition nowadays, but in Queen Maria Pia's time the larger stars were disposed on a single row, on a frame, and had a riviére of diamonds bellow. There are pictures of Queen Amélia wearing them. They had gold spirals atached (visible in the picture) so when the Queen walked the stars would move a bit and show all their glitter. It was known as "O diadema das estrelas moventes" (The moving stars diadem). Apart from the stars on the necklace and the tiara there were several smaller stars to be worn as hair pins or corsage elements. Queen Amélia's pictures show her wearing several in her corsage. In the 1950's the portuguese governement decided to restore the royal jewels, nearly forgotten since the fall of the monarchy in 1910. The jeweller in charge decided to place all the stars on a frame as a way to display the whole set. As this is how they are shown nowadays. Queen Amélia wearing the real star tiara http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/amelia-queen-of-portugal-wife-of-carlos-i-news-photo/3300782 Wearing a large star as corsage brooch http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/amelia-last-queen-of-portugal-born-amelia-of-orleans-news-photo/89860910 --Previous Message-- : Last year at the exibition in Monte Carlo : "Fastes et Grandeur des Cours en : Europe", I had the opportunity of : seeing from very close some important jewels : we all know very well. : : Among the pieces on display there was Queen : Maria Pia of Portugal's diamonds star : necklace (which has a matching tiara), which : IMHO they are quite ugly, because their : design is too sharp, spiky, it gives the : idea that the person wearing them could cut : herself and get hurt. The diamonds are : beautuful, top quality, nearly a waste for : those jewels. : : They were made by an Italian jeweller for an : Italian Princess, as an Italian I find them : ugly. What do you think? : : The description in the exibition catalogue : on page 48 (of which I enclose the : link)enhances the beauty of these jewels of : Etruscan inspiration. : Here are the photos and the link to the : catalogue: : : : the link to the catalogue: : : http://www.grimaldiforum.com/images/evenements-culturels-monaco/146-presse-fr-fastes-et-grandeur-des-cours-en-europe.pdf :
|
|