With the exception of the Hanoverian Pearl Necklace (and of her pearl chokers, of course), Queen Elizabeth II does not seem to play a lot with her clasps: she usually keeps them at the back of her neck.
I have spotted a pearl necklace with a ruby clasp on Queen Elizabeth II only once, on October 30, 2012, at Covent Garden Royal Opera House. The ruby clasp was worn at the back:
I do not know which is the origin of this necklace. In The Queen's Jewels, Leslie Field mentions that "one of the Queen Mother's most impressive two-row pearl necklace has been made from 222 pearls with a clasp of two magnificent rubies surrounded by diamonds which had originally belonged to the ruler of the Punjab, Ranjit Singh. After Britain annexed the Punjab in 1849, the pearls were presented to Queen Victoria by the East India Company". I have been tempted to match this description with the necklace worn by the Queen on the picture above, as the ruby clasp visible at the back of the Queen's neck seems to fasten only the two shorter rows (the third longer row could be a separate necklace). But if I try to count the pearls of the two shorter rows, I am far from 222 pearls (I reach approximately 100):
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, regularly wears a three-row pearl necklace from the Queen-Mother, whose Art Déco diamond clasp she wears either at the back, on the side or at the front:
In Cardiff, on June 5, 2007:
At Ascot horse races, on June 19, 2007:
In Saint-Hélier, Jersey, July 18, 2012:
In Dehradun, India, November 7, 2013:
--Previous Message-- : Can anyone enlighten me as to whether these : are the same double strand of pearls? I : think not, but I am not 100% sure. : : Also, which (if either) are the Hanoverian : Pearls. : : Are there any other pearls that HM has worn : highlighting the clasp - maybe QV's pearls : with the ruby clasp?? : : As always, thanks so much for your input. : : : : : : : Cheers! : Bryce :
on July 20, 2014, 6:21 pm, in reply to "
