Happy Birthday to the Dowager Duchess of Westminster, who turns 65 today! The illustrious aristocrat who grew up close to the Royal Family before marrying the wealthy Duke and becoming a godmother of the Prince of Wales, the Duchess possesses a spectacular Jewellery Collection, which is highlighted by the Bagration Spinel Tiara and Parure!
Bagration Spinel Tiara | Rosebery Tiara | Westminster Myrtle Wreath Tiara | Diamond Fringe Tiara | Westminster Halo Tiara | Diamond Necklace | The Duchess of Westminster’s Tiaras
The spectacular Spinel Tiara and Parure is composed of pear, cushion and round spinels set within a stylized scroll diamond motif, set into a Tiara, a Necklace, a pair of Earrings, and a Comb, which date from the early 19th century, likely being created by the famed Fossin of Chaumet, though the necklace and earrings were made at a later date, around 1840.
The Spinel Tiara and Parure originated from the infamous Princess Catherine Bagration, the niece of the great Prince Potemkin who married into an ancient Georgian-Russian Dynasty, who was known for her beauty, love affairs and unconventional behaviour travelling around Europe.
Princess Catherine Bagration inherited the jewels of Prince Potemkin but the fate of this parure was unknown until it came up for auction at Christie’s Geneva in November 1973, when it was purchased by S.J. Phillips, before being acquired by the future 6th Duke of Westminster in 1977 for his bride, Natalia Phillips, who herself had Russian descent, being a great-granddaughter of Grand Duke Michael of Russia and a direct descendant of Alexander Pushkin.
Natalia Phillips wore the Bagration Spinel Tiara for the first, and so far only, time for her Wedding to the then Earl Grosvenor (soon-to-be the Duke of Westminster) at St. Mary’s Church in Luton in October 1978.
Over a decade later, the Duchess of Westminster wore the Bagration Spinel Parure for King Constantine and Queen Anne Marie’s Silver Anniversary Gala Dinner in Copenhagen in 1989.
The Bagration Spinel Parure was also worn by a model, likely Laura Montagu, now Countess of Burlington, who wore it during a photoshoot when she tried on major pieces of the Westminster collection in the 1990s.
Over the years, the Bagration Spinel Tiara and Parure have been photographed for books and also put on display, especially in connection with jewels of Russian heritage.
Most recently, the Bagration Spinel Tiara went on display at the Sotheby’s Platinum Jubilee Exhibition: ‘Power & Image: Royal & Aristocratic Tiaras’ in 2022, and lets hope we see it worn again soon, possibly at the Wedding of the Duke next month.
Bagration Spinel Tiara | Rosebery Tiara | Westminster Myrtle Wreath Tiara | Diamond Fringe Tiara | Westminster Halo Tiara | Diamond Necklace | The Duchess of Westminster’s Tiaras
https://www.instagram.com/jewelryathenaeum/p/CmY7Ogqu48o/
Bagration Spinel Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22826%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Rosebery Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22899%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Diamond Necklace![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22955%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Westminster Myrtle Wreath Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22777%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Diamond Fringe Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22812%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Westminster Halo Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22703%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Devonshire Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22791%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Devonshire Diamond Rivière![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22717%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Ruby Clasp![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22847%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Wellington Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22640%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Diamond Earrings![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22666%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Diamond Tassel Earrings![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%221107%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Duchess of Buccleuch’s Tiaras![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22858%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Northumberland Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22873%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Duchess of Sutherland’s Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22690%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Duchess of Bedford’s Tiaras![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22686%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Marlborough Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22662%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Portland Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22984%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Duchess of Norfolk’s Sapphire Necklace![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22546%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Rutland Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%221007%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Argyll Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22642%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Manchester Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22820%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Dufferin Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22722%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Bath Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22954%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Milford Haven Ruby Kokoshnik![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22757%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Duchess of Devonshire’s Tiaras
Londonderry Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22853%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Londonderry Amethyst Parure![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22762%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Londonderry Pearl Parure![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22807%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Londonderry Turquoise Parure![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22859%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Londonderry Diamond Stomacher![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22732%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Londonderry Emerald Parure![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22984%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22874%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Vladimir Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22838%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22899%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22974%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Belgian Sapphire Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22572%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Burmese Ruby Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22779%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Brazilian Aquamarine Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22948%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22820%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22686%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22918%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Nizam of Hyderabad Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22492%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Plunket Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22620%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Five Aquamarine Tiara![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22902%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Imperial State Crown![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22540%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
George IV State Diadem![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20width=%22656%22%20height=%22656%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Related
Saad719
Source link