Media reports of Queen Alexandra wearing amethysts, and in particular an amethyst tiara or crown, have left me perplexed.
According to the New Zealand Herald 8 April 1905, p. 5 Queen Alexandra wore her amethysts for the first time (I presume that means in public) for the wedding of Princess Alice of Albany in February that year.
The Examiner (Tasmania) 21 March 1904, p. 3 reported that HM wore a "small crown of amethysts on her head" for the wedding.
The Queenslander's correspondent reporting on the same wedding described the amethysts as "some of the most wonderful amethysts I ever saw, immense stones full of fire and exquisitely tender in tone." According to that paper, the Queen wore a little crown of diamonds.
Other papers also reported HM as wearing a small crown of diamonds.
The Courier and Argus (Scotland) 11 February 1904, p. 6 reported that "Her ornaments were a tiara, with necklace of amethysts and diamonds."
The Times, 11 February 1904, 4, in its Court Circular reported that, for Princess Alice's wedding, the Queen wore - "Head-Dress - crown of Amethysts and Diamonds. Ornaments - Amethysts and Diamonds"
However, on 14 May 1904, p. 12 The Times reported the Queen, at a different event, wearing "Diamond and Amethyst Tiara. Ornaments - Diamonds and Amethysts."
I wonder if the amethyst tiara was flexible and could be closed to form a crown or coronet? I suspect there would not be two amethyst head ornaments.
So far I have not found any references to amethysts in the 1890s.
If the amethysts were given to Queen Alexandra by a Czar, I wonder if they were a coronation present? It is all just guess work at present.
[Note: All references are to Princess Alice's wedding in February 1904 - except for the last reference.