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The Williamson Pink Diamond
Posted by Dave on January 18, 2019, 1:40 am
After watching a documentary being presented by HM's curator Caroline de Guitaut. I got to understand that the Williamson Pink diamond now worn as a broach was originally 54 carats but was recut by HM into a 23 Carat stone. Would anyone happen to know if HM retained the other 21 carats or maybe did she give it as payment for the cutting of the stones?
I have never read anything about what happened to the rest of the diamond, but reading between the lines, I doubt if there was anything other than diamond dust.
Hugh Roberts names the firm which cut the diamond as Briefel and Lemer of Clerkenwell, a district known for diamond cutting in London. According to Ian Balfour, Famous Diamonds page 292 Sidney Briefel, after having studied the diamond, decided not to use the usual cutting methods (sawing and cleaving) but to polish the diamond into its final shape.
Balfour writes "It was cut and polished entirely on the scaife and the future shape of the gem was achieved by the polisher grinding away the circumference in a series of small straight facets"
The process which Balfour describes was designed to eliminate a flaw created by the under side of the rough diamond while preserving the maximum diameter of the stone.
The stone, which had been found by a child in the dust at the base of a baobab tree in October 1947, was originally 54.5 carats; the final polished gem was 23.60 carats (Balfour, p 292).
The cutting was done between February and March 1948.
On 10 March 1948 QEII and Queen Mary visited Briefel and Lemer's premises to inspect the stone.
Later, photos were published of the stone in its various stages from rough to final gem as we know it today.
According to the press QEII was going to allow the gemstone to be exhibited later in 1948, and according to the press it was exhibited at the British Industries Fair in May 1948. It was also exhibited at the "Ageless Diamonds" exhibition in 1959.
re 1948
I think that the first portrait of QEII wearing the finished brooch was taken in 1954
The brooch, which was made by Cartier, London, was among the exhibits at the Cartier Exhibition in Canberra last year.
Thanks for your effort and hard work Beth. How do you do it?
Cheers,
Dave.
Previous Message
I have never read anything about what happened to the rest of the diamond, but reading between the lines, I doubt if there was anything other than diamond dust.
Hugh Roberts names the firm which cut the diamond as Briefel and Lemer of Clerkenwell, a district known for diamond cutting in London. According to Ian Balfour, Famous Diamonds page 292 Sidney Briefel, after having studied the diamond, decided not to use the usual cutting methods (sawing and cleaving) but to polish the diamond into its final shape.
Balfour writes "It was cut and polished entirely on the scaife and the future shape of the gem was achieved by the polisher grinding away the circumference in a series of small straight facets"
The process which Balfour describes was designed to eliminate a flaw created by the under side of the rough diamond while preserving the maximum diameter of the stone.
The stone, which had been found by a child in the dust at the base of a baobab tree in October 1947, was originally 54.5 carats; the final polished gem was 23.60 carats (Balfour, p 292).
The cutting was done between February and March 1948.
On 10 March 1948 QEII and Queen Mary visited Briefel and Lemer's premises to inspect the stone.
Later, photos were published of the stone in its various stages from rough to final gem as we know it today.
According to the press QEII was going to allow the gemstone to be exhibited later in 1948, and according to the press it was exhibited at the British Industries Fair in May 1948. It was also exhibited at the "Ageless Diamonds" exhibition in 1959.
re 1948
I think that the first portrait of QEII wearing the finished brooch was taken in 1954
The brooch, which was made by Cartier, London, was among the exhibits at the Cartier Exhibition in Canberra last year.
I read a lot Dave, and then try to put what I have found into context.
I rely a lot on the work of published jewellery historians. In this case, Ian Balfour and Hugh Roberts. But I am not always correct, and my guess --that only diamond dust remained from the polishing of the Williamson diamond -- may be totally incorrect. We need to see a lot more information before that can be proved!
Sometimes what I have read in newspapers may be inaccurate. I post those items as they may interest people -- but, I hope, always with the understanding that they not be 100% factual. As we all know the media often gets it wrong, especially in more recent times!
How I wish I could research more in primary source documents! To be able to do that is one of my dreams. As that is very difficult to do because I live so far away from Europe, I rely on authors such as Vincent Meylan, Hugh Roberts and others who have had access to the records which detail so much. I know that not every one can afford to purchase their books, but the books are invaluable and contain so much more information than what is on the net.
Thanks for the pics Maridje, I wonder much how the stone would look set in a ring or at the centre of a necklace. It is beautiful in its present setting though. Judging from the recent and past sales of pink diamonds maybe this would go for a cool 9 million dollars.
Keep up the good work Beth. You just don't now what your contributions on here may have done or does for people.
Regards,
Dave.
Previous Message
I read a lot Dave, and then try to put what I have found into context.
I rely a lot on the work of published jewellery historians. In this case, Ian Balfour and Hugh Roberts. But I am not always correct, and my guess --that only diamond dust remained from the polishing of the Williamson diamond -- may be totally incorrect. We need to see a lot more information before that can be proved!
Sometimes what I have read in newspapers may be inaccurate. I post those items as they may interest people -- but, I hope, always with the understanding that they not be 100% factual. As we all know the media often gets it wrong, especially in more recent times!
How I wish I could research more in primary source documents! To be able to do that is one of my dreams. As that is very difficult to do because I live so far away from Europe, I rely on authors such as Vincent Meylan, Hugh Roberts and others who have had access to the records which detail so much. I know that not every one can afford to purchase their books, but the books are invaluable and contain so much more information than what is on the net.
What a fascinating thread. It is one of favourite brooches of QE11.
I have been fortunate to see it twice once at the recent Cartier exhibition in Canberra and once about 15 years ago in the Queens Gallery in London.
What great information and stories we bring up.
Mike
Previous Message
I have never read anything about what happened to the rest of the diamond, but reading between the lines, I doubt if there was anything other than diamond dust.
Hugh Roberts names the firm which cut the diamond as Briefel and Lemer of Clerkenwell, a district known for diamond cutting in London. According to Ian Balfour, Famous Diamonds page 292 Sidney Briefel, after having studied the diamond, decided not to use the usual cutting methods (sawing and cleaving) but to polish the diamond into its final shape.
Balfour writes "It was cut and polished entirely on the scaife and the future shape of the gem was achieved by the polisher grinding away the circumference in a series of small straight facets"
The process which Balfour describes was designed to eliminate a flaw created by the under side of the rough diamond while preserving the maximum diameter of the stone.
The stone, which had been found by a child in the dust at the base of a baobab tree in October 1947, was originally 54.5 carats; the final polished gem was 23.60 carats (Balfour, p 292).
The cutting was done between February and March 1948.
On 10 March 1948 QEII and Queen Mary visited Briefel and Lemer's premises to inspect the stone.
Later, photos were published of the stone in its various stages from rough to final gem as we know it today.
According to the press QEII was going to allow the gemstone to be exhibited later in 1948, and according to the press it was exhibited at the British Industries Fair in May 1948. It was also exhibited at the "Ageless Diamonds" exhibition in 1959.
re 1948
I think that the first portrait of QEII wearing the finished brooch was taken in 1954
The brooch, which was made by Cartier, London, was among the exhibits at the Cartier Exhibition in Canberra last year.
on January 18, 2019, 1:40 am
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