I have just managed to dig out my detailed notes on this piece from my macbook:
The Queen's Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace
This “diamond foliate” necklace,[1] was made by Cartier in 1935, when it entered Cartier’s stock; however at this time the necklace was arrange differently “with a central pendant of three drops flanked by two pendants of two drops”,[2] this original configuration can be seen illustrated in the image from the Cartier Photo Archive, published in Roberts.[3]
After a year of remaining in Cartier’s stock, his necklace was modified into it’s present form, with nine of the drops being removed to form a separate head ornament, subsequently the necklace was sold in July 1936.[4]
However by May 1937, this necklace was repurchased by Cartier,[5] and thus remained in stock until it was purchased in 1947, and presented to The Queen as a wedding present by the Nizam of Hyderabad.[6]
The necklace is described by Roberts as consisting of a “pavé-set set centre with detachable double-drop pendant incorporating 13 emerald-cut diamonds and a pear-shaped drop; the chain of 38 brilliant-cut open-back collets with an elongated oval brilliant-set snap”.[7]
It has been suggested that, despite being purchased by the Nizam of Hyderabad, it was The Queen herself who selected this necklace and ‘The Queen’s Nizam of Hyderabad Tiara’ as wedding gifts, from Cartier’s stock.[8]
This necklace was exhibited along side the rest of The Queen’s wedding presents at St. James’s Palace in 1947, and is described in the catalogue simply as “a Diamond Necklace”.[9]
Roberts asserts that when purchased, the back-chain consisted if 46 collets, however this was shortened to the present 38 collets to suit The Queen,[10] it is in this form that it has been worn occasionally by The Queen.[11]
Notes 1. Roberts, Five Gold Rings, p. 101 2. Roberts, The Queen Diamonds, p. 282 3. Roberts, The Queen Diamonds, p. 282; Cartier Archive, E.369; Cartier Photo Archive, A.9924 4. Roberts, The Queen Diamonds, p. 282 5. Roberts, The Queen Diamonds, p. 282; Cartier Archive, F.3392; Cartier Photo Archive, A.11855 6. Roberts, The Queen Diamonds, p. 282; Cartier Archive, 8 January 1948 7. Roberts, The Queen Diamonds, p. 282 8. Ibid., p. 282 9. Marriage of HRH The Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, no. 1331, p. 126 10. Roberts, The Queen Diamonds, p. 282 11. Young, The Queen’s Jewellery, pls. 36, 38 and 59; Menkes, The Royal Jewels, p. 145; Field, The Queen’s Jewels, p. 143; Roberts, The Queen Diamonds, p. 285 Royal Collection: Her Majesty The Queen, 1952 (RCIN 2999871) http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/2999871/her-majesty-the-queen-1952 [Accessed 15 June 2012]
--Previous Message-- : Hugh Robert's states in The Queen's Diamonds, : that the necklace was originally made with : many additional pendants. It was then : altered, to it's present form. : : It was sold in the mid 1930s, pictorial : evidence would suggest to the Countess of : Warwick. Before it later returned to Cartier : stock. : : It was from Cartier stock in 1947 that it : was purchased by the Nizam of Hyderabad and : presented as a wedding gift to the Queen - : contemporary reports suggest that The Queen : herself (as Princess Elizabeth) chose both : the necklace and tiara herself, as the Nizam : couldn't attend the wedding, he simply : settled the account. Although of course, the : exact details of the gift have never and : probably will never be made public. : : I am sorry I cannot be more precise with my : dates and sources (my copy of the Queen's : Diamonds is in England and I am currently in : Australia) as such, most of what I have said : comes from memory. : : However, based on this, I believe it is safe : to assume that it is the same necklace. : Either the Countess of Warwick was the brief : owner, or she simply borrowed it from : Cartier for this photo-shoot, I am sure the : bill from the original sale in the Cartier : Archives would be able to prove this. : : --Previous Message-- : Countess of Warick pictured, Circa. 1930's : : : : : HM The Queen pictured, Circa. 1950's : : : : The question being is this the same : necklace, as opposed to just being one of : the same design. I am likely to believe it : is the actual necklace now owned by the : Queen as I don't recall having ever heard of : this design being re-produced. : : If so, it would mean that the Nizam must : have acquired it at auction or through : personal transaction with the Greville's. : : Thoughts? : : RE : : : : :
on October 4, 2012, 4:52 am, in reply to "