In 1972 Queen Elizabeth II commissioned Andrew Grima to make a brooch to present to Madame Pompidou during the UK State visit to France in May 1972.

See the timeline from the Grima website for 1972.
https://grimajewellery.com/timeline/


According to the Illustrated London News the central stone was a topaz.

Can anyone explain how the ER might have been done?

The other facets of the brooch are characteristically Grima design work - the textured gold, enlivened by diamonds.

The brooch in my opinion bears similarities to an earlier Grima brooch made in 1968, although the Pompidou brooch features entirely different gemstones.

The 1968 brooch, which featured lapis lazuli, turquoise and diamonds, would have conveyed an entirely different visual appeal.



And it is possible that Grima made many similar brooches with different gemstones, all being individual creations.

I haven't been able to find very many images of Mme Pompidou, but I suspect that she wore the brooch on the day Queen Elizabeth presented it.

The photo I have found is not very clear, but by looking at other photos from the same day, I think that, despite the caption on Alamy's website that it shows QEII leaving the Elysee Palace on 16 May 1972, not arriving at the Palace.



My deduction comes from seeing photos of QEII's arrival at Orly airport on that day.



In this photo it can be seen that Mme Pompidou is wearing a hat and does not have a brooch on her coat. Also please notice the bouquet of flowers HM is carrying.

In the photo taken at the Elysee Palace QEII is wearing the same outfit and jewels, but has a different bouquet of flowers. Mme Pompidou is not wearing a hat and has a brooch pinned to her coat.

Could the brooch be the Grima brooch from QEII? I think that, despite the fuzzy image, that the brooch bears the same shape as the Grima brooch, plus it also has a large central gemstone. I suspect that, after the formalities were over and gifts presented, Mme Pompidou pinned the brooch onto her coat to show her appreciation. It is guess, but one which I think the imagery supports.

A detail of the brooch from the photo taken at the Elysee Palace.



Does anyone else think that Mme Pompidou might have worn the brooch? Are there any other photos of her wearing the brooch at any time?