To add to Nellie's comment about 'someone badly wanted the emeralds" - IMO someone wanted more money too
--Previous Message-- : : I think someone badly wanted the emeralds. : : : --Previous Message-- : : What a mistake. It's puzzling as to the : reason the jewelers felt that the tiara : needed to be changed. To me, jewelry such as : this piece, are historic, just as other : artifacts are regarded as historic. As my : Grandmother used to say, "if it ain't : broke, don't fix it." : : --Previous Message-- : Or aquamarine, garnet or citrine, or heat : treated (blue) topaz. : Any sort of translucent stone would have : suited it, the opacity of the turquoises : drags the energy of the tiara down : considerably. : : --Previous Message-- : You are right, turquoises are an unfitting : option for this tiara. But the emeralds were : remove in order to sell them separately. So : sapphires or especially rubies that size, : would have been so expensive, that there : were no financial advantage for VC&A. But : maybe amethyst would have been affordable? : Imho even glass replacements would have : looked better... : : : : : : :