We already saw many of the unknown jewels from the Braganza vaults: tiaras, necklaces, rings, brooches and some bracelets. However, no jewels collection is truly complete without earrings. And that is what I’m going to present to you: the Braganza earrings collection.
Some of them were already referred in previous threads and some were never properly presented. I’m opting for showing all that I know to keep this thread as complete as possible. Hope you enjoy.
Pearls
1.Cluster of pearls and diamonds
2.Pearl and diamond Buttons
3.(Long) Black pearl and diamond earrings
This is the best image I have of these earrings and I’m not sure if they contain, in fact, diamonds or if the black bead is a pearl.
4. Pearl Studs
The lady in the image is Infanta D.Filipa, aunt of D.Duarte (sister of his father). D.Filipa never married and left to D.Duarte some belongings like an amazing mansion in Algarve and the famous brooch that D.Isabel uses so much. As a curiosity I must say that the Mansion nowadays is used as a summer residence of the Portuguese Royal Family. When the Royal Family is not in the property, the house is available for rent (Link). As far as I know D.Isabel never used these earrings but with so many valuable things that the Infanta left to her nephew is not strange to believe that these earrings were also part of the inheritance.
5. Pre-wedding Gala demi-parure earrings
As we already discussed earlier, they appear to be made of silver, diamonds and pearls.
6.Maria Francisca Modern demi-parure
This demi-parure was a present from D.Duarte to D.Isabel to celebrate the birth of their daughter, Infanta D.Maria Francisca. Small pearls probably set in silver.
Emeralds
7. D.Maria Francisca emerald and diamond earrings
These are the oldest known emerald earrings present in the Braganza collection. The late Duchess wore them very frequently. I think that D.Isabel used these earrings once but unfortunately I lost, many years ago, the picture so I do not have how to be sure.
8. Small emerald earrings
Aquamarines
9. Ladies of Rio aquamarine demi-parure
This set was a wedding gift to D.Maria Francisca from the Ladies of Rio’s carioca Society.
Multiple Stones
10. Multiple stones earrings
Gold
11. Daily earrings
Used in informal events, they are, apparently, made with white and yellow gold.
12. Indian set
This set, comprising necklace and matching earrings, both made of solid gold, was a present from D.Duarte to his wife. The set was bought in a trip the Duke made to India, hence the name.
13. Brincos à Rainha (Queen’s style earrings)
These kind of earrings belong to the category of traditional Portuguese jewellery. They are made of solid gold filigree.
14. Gold earrings
I only saw these earrings once. What do you think: are they the same as the earrings in 10 or are a different pair?
Diamonds
15. Long Floral diamond earrings
These earrings are very used by D.Isabel and, for that reason, are some of the best known diamond earrings in her collection. They were maybe a wedding present (once again: who knows?).
16. Short Floral diamond earrings
This number 16 is quite tricky: are these earrings the short version (the bottom) of the earrings of the number 15 or a completely different pair? I already thought both things and today I’m not sure what to think about. What do you think?
17. Wedding earrings
18. King Hassan II set
This set, comprising a necklace and matching earrings, was one of the wedding presents that King Hassan II of Morocco’s gave to D.Duarte and D.Isabel.
19. Long vegetalist diamond earrings
These earrings are used very often by D.Isabel. I never saw a picture of her mother-in-law with them.
20. Luxembourg diamond earrings
These earrings were used for the first time at the pre-wedding gala of the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, hence the name. They are, apparently, made with large diamond drops suspended from an all diamond structure.
Other earrings
21. Topaz (?) drop earrings
These earrings were used for the first time (as far as I know) at the traditional Jantar de Reis (Kings Dinner) at the Portuguese city of Braga (January 2014).
22. Cachabon green stone earrings
These earrings were used more often in the earlier years of marriage. Not sure what stone it may be.
And that’s all I got about the Braganza earrings. Did I forgot something?
on July 16, 2014, 11:01 am
