Re: Braganza Jewels - Queen D.Amelia Diamond Choker/Tiara Archived Message
Posted by Cristina on February 16, 2014, 1:44 pm, in reply to "Braganza Jewels - Queen D.Amelia Diamond Choker/Tiara"
Another wonderful Braganza jewel Jorge! I love this choker, it looked so modern yet so classic and elegant on Queen Amélia. That is one of my favourite pictures of her, her profile is so regal and beautiful. And I must say I was absolutely thrilled when I saw Dona Isabel wearing it as a tiara in the Swedish gala in April 2006! I just couldn't believe it, I was expecting her to wear her favourite, Dona Maria Francisca's Diamond bandeau. I just wished the Duchess would have worned it at the Danish Royal wedding in 2004... imagine it worn with the aquamarine set, it would have looked superb (the Duchess never wore the aquamarines abroad, most likely she finds them too precious to travel). To my knowledge Dona Isabel wore the choker (as choker) once, and as tiara also once, in Sweden. Here's a bigger pic of Dona Isabel wearing this jewel as choker. Just perfect, and it matches her wedding earrings beautifully. Just letting my imagination run free for a while, I can imagine this piece (as tiara) topped with pearls or diamonds, if such a frame could be made, without making it permanent. Like CP Mary did for her wedding tiara/necklace. Totally unlikely to happen, but I was just imagining it would look great. --Previous Message-- : In 1900 appeared in Queen D.Amelia collection : a collier de chien set in diamonds forming : lozenges. If we look carefully we can see : that the center diamonds are of a : considerable size. This piece of jewellery : was probably ordered by Queen D.Amelia to : Leitão & Irmão, the portuguese crown : jewelers. However the story of its origin is : uncertain. It was usual at the time the : jewelers to order jewels from other jeweler : houses and then put in them their own marks. : Analyzing the collier style some people : believe that even though it was probably : bought the Portuguese Crown Jewelers, it may : be in fact a Cartier or even Boucheron : piece. : HM used this jewel a lot, always as a choker : and may times combined with several : rivières, pearl necklaces and sapphires. : : : : : : When Queen D.Amélia died in 1951 this was : one of the jewels that was left to her : Godson, the present Duke of Braganza. : Similarly to other jewels (D.Luis Diadem for : example) it was not used by the Duchess : D.Maria Francisca (as far as I know). : : The present Duchess, D.Isabel, however, : started to wear this magnificent piece of : jewellery as a choker. : : : : But the imagination of D.Isabel led her to : innovate by adding a base in order to the : choker to be used as a tiara. In my opinion : this innovation was a very successful one. : : : : : So, even though it was originally designed : to be used only as a choker nowadays it is : also used as a tiara, hence the name I chose : for the piece: Queen D.Amelia Diamond : Choker/Tiara. : : : :
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