Hilarous! Thanks Kelly. I will never get to see the diamonds and really appreciate these reports.
I have always believed that Cullinans I to IV were never pierced and always set in the finest claw settings. The QD refers to it as a lattice-work setting. I had assumed the claws were on a fine "ring", each shaped to the individual diamond.
--Previous Message-- : I was at the exhibition on Tuesday and : similarly I was more fascinated by the : fittings and arrangements of the pieces for : adaptation; : : The Girls of Great Britain tiara has four : screw fittings on the interior to attach the : bandeau to the mainframe, and the claw set : stones that feature above the decorative : elements have small screw holes for the : upright parts to be connected into... : : The Durbar tiara has a very interesting : fitment behind the central element one : presumes for the adaptation of different : central elements to be added at will, most : interestingly, this connector is in gold : whereas the frame is in Platinum... I was : happy to see this fitment still in situ as : that opens up the possibility for subsequent : wearers to add and enhance the tiara with : significant jewels. : : Cullinan III and IV is breathaking, and the : setting for such impressive stones is so : very delicate and light... it looked to be : created from wire rather than as I assumed : pierced from a sheet metal setting. Would : love to hear what others thought... : : I smiled to read the comment about the : Williamson brooch, there were a few older : ladies following my directly and when the : opportunity for them to move ahead in the : queue arose one lady said "This young : man is giving me so much information... I : want to hear more" (as I was explaining : to my partner the reasons why and wherefore : etc); so much more pleasurable than the last : Buckingham Palace exhibition where an old : battleaxe jabbed me cruelly in the shoulder : and told me I was taking too long to view : the pieces. My response? I politely : explained that as I'd paid as much as her, : and that there was as many people in front : as behind she should perhaps use her time to : look more closely at the masterpieces she : was so keen to overlook!