Oh Lucas just wonderful to be able to remember these magnificent jewels! As I've said sometime ago here on this boards I was very fortunate to visit the exibition of the Crown Jewels some 20 years ago at the Ajuda Palace. I t was a day I will remember for many years. I can assure you that these saphires are absolutely huge! The bigger one is nerly egg size and the two pendants are also huge and of a most beautiful blue. And here is how the saphires were showned to the public, along with two wonderful diamond riviéres. I don't know if this Diamond riviére was the one stolen in the Netharlands...horrible for me just to think about it...
And also on display were the fantastic stars from Queen Maria Pia, worn as tiara by Queen Amélia on the portrait you posted. When I visited the exibition there was a lady there explaining that Queen Maria Pia called this tiara "A tiara das estrelas moventes" (The moving stars tiara), because the Diamond stars were placed on golden swings (clearly visible in the pic below) and they would wobble when she walked, with extreme glitter effect . The yellow Diamond on the bigger center star is considered of superb quality. The tiara had a single row of moving stars (like we see worn by Queen Amélia), but there were also several star brooches, so for the exibition they were all displayed in the same frame.
The matching star necklace was also on display. I never saw any photo of Queen Maria Pia nor Queen Amélia wearing it.
--Previous Message-- : After that wonderful thread, initiated by : Jorge, about the jewels of the Duchess of : Bragança, I'd like to show some of the : fabulous pieces, once having belonged to the : Portuguese royal family, now owned by the : state. Of the jewel collection of Queen : Maria-Pia, in particular much of her : everyday items, a large part remained in the : country after the fall of the monarchy. She : had taken up big loans from the Bank of : Portugal in her later years and her jewels : were handed over as security. : : First this portrait of Queen Amélia, wearing : on her collet necklace three great : sapphires: : : : : The oval one is a 100,05 carat sapphire, : surrounded by 24 diamonds. It was probably : acquired in 1784. : : : The two pearshaped pendants of sapphires and : pink diamonds can be seen on portraits of : Queen Amélia as well as het mother-in-law : Queen Maria-Pia, are from the first half of : the 19th century : :