of
the gems displayed. It is fashioned of hoops of silver enclosing a cap
of deep blue velvet. Precious stones completely encase the hoops, which
are surmounted by a ball covered with diamonds and bearing a Maltese
cross of brilliants, with a splendid sapphire as the central jewel.
The rim of the crown is clustered with brilliants and Maltese crosses.
On the cross at the front of the crown is set the magnificent
heart-shaped ruby, which was worn by Edward, the Black Prince, and
beneath this ruby in a circular rim is an oblong sapphire of
extraordinary size and beauty. Clusters of drop pearls add to the
resplendent effect of the massing of the diamonds, emeralds, rubies,
and sapphires.
The
exquisite beauty of the jewels of Queen Isabella of Spain has been
particularly noted. At the London Exhibition in 1851 two sets of her
jewels were shown. One consisted of a diamond necklace, in the form of
a ribbon, interlaced with foliage of emeralds. Brilliants were arranged
also to form a bouquet of lilies with emerald leaves, encircled with
ribbons of brilliants and pendants of pearls. A ribbon of brilliants,
interlaced with emeralds, formed a bracelet, and the crown of this set
was of the like combination of gems, with aiguillettes of flowers whose
stamens were pearls. The second set of jewels was made up entirely of
diamonds and sapphires of the finest quality and most artfully matched.
It
is scarcely to be expected that any private collections of gems should
rival in extent the treasures of sovereigns, whose crown jewels may be
the display of centuries of accumulation, but some of the noble
families of Europe and other wealthy owners have gems that any monarch
in the world might covet, and there are a considerable number of
collections ranging in value over a million dollars. In the United
States it is estimated that there are at least half a dozen such
collections, one of which contains a necklace valued at $320,00c1
At every leading court reception, or grand ball or opera, the display
of jewels may be measured in millions of dollars, and the diffusion of
gems is constantly spreading with the extension of wealth.
1 George F. Kunz.
