History of Famous Jewels and Collections: Re: Queen Alexandra. City of London diamond necklace

Dear Dave,

Roberts in the QD did say that the tiara does not exist anymore..it was disposed of.

On the contrary we had a huge feeling that the QM's diamond bandeau tiara was in the vault like the lozenge tiara (worn by Princess Margaret in 1965).

QM had worn these tiaras at the end of her life. We could therefore suppose that she had left them to QEII (Like the resille necklace and the pearl and diamond stomacher).

Franck

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Thanks MarcA for your reply. But I do get conflicting reports on the Rundell, some say it left the BRF and ended up with Imelda Marcos and they are some who say it yet remains in the main line of the BRF. It is a real possibility that it could still be in HM's possession as people also felt that QM's (Meghan Merkle) wedding diamond bandeau also left the BRF main line and yet it was just there sitting around. What proof is out there that suggests it really was taken apart or did leave the BRF?

Regards,

Dave.

Previous Message

Hi Beth,

So do we know who has the City of London collet now or did it get morphed into another collet or set of collet necklaces.?

Dave I think the Isra you are referring to is called the Rundell and was dismantled after QA death.

Marc

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Fascinating information Beth. I'd love to find out whatever became of the tiara QA wears in the photos?

Regards,

Dave.

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It is well known that the City of London presented Queen Alexandra with a diamond collet necklace and diamond earrings, which cost ten thousand pounds, as a wedding gift in 1863.

What is less well known is the size of the principal stones and the overall carat weight.

The smallest diamond in the necklace is said to have been 4 carats. (This will be seen in a cutting below)

Hugh Roberts in The Queen's Diamonds page 94 states that there appears to have been some confusion from the earliest time about the number of collets in the necklace but, a little research, shows that Roberts had misread the information he consulted. Apparently the text of the Russel's Memorial on the marriage of... 1863 states that there were 38 diamonds; yet, his illustration shows only 32 collets.

There were only ever 32 collets in the necklace; the extra 6 collets were in the earrings.

According to Roberts the necklace today contains only 31 collets.

After the Corporation of the City of London aldermen decided on the amount to be spent on this wedding gift and that it was to be a collet necklace, various London firms presented jewels. Eventually, the aldermen narrowed the field to three.

According to one report, the aldermen did not select the necklace with the largest stones, opting instead for one containing stones it was said that Prince Albert had admired.

Queen Alexandra wore the necklace and the stud section of the earrings constantly.

Possibly the first time she officially wore the necklace was for a reception given by the Corporation following her wedding.

And for another

In March 1864 for the baptism of her first born, Prince Albert Victor, she wore the City diamond necklace as a corsage ornament.

I have never seen a sketch or photo of Queen Alexandra wearing the necklace as a corsage ornament. We are all familiar with images of her wearing the necklace as a choker and as an "ordinary" necklace.