More than 10,000 diamonds—including seven stones cut from the world-famous Cullinan—are currently on display at Buckingham Palace in London.
The exhibit, Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration, is on display from June 30 to July 8, and from July 31 to October 7, and is meant to honor the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, which celebrates the 60th year of her reign.
Several pieces of jewelry, such as the Delhi Durbar Tiara, Queen Victoria’s Fringe Brooch, and the Kokoshnik Tiara, are on display for the first time.
The exhibition also includes jewelry from seven of the nine stones cut from the world’s largest diamond, the 3,106 ct. Cullinan, including the 94 ct. Cullinan III and 63.3 ct. Cullinan IV Brooch.
The exhibition includes several pieces commissioned by Queen Victoria, the only other monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee, including the Coronation Necklace, with 25 graduated cushion-cut diamonds, created for Victoria and worn by other queens on their Coronations. Also on display is the miniature crown with 1,187 diamonds worn by Queen Victoria for her official Diamond Jubilee portrait in 1897.
The Diamond Diadem, made for the coronation of George IV in 1821 and worn by the Queen at the annual opening of the Parliament, is also being showcased. Set with 1,333 brilliant-cut diamonds, it is one of the Queen’s most widely recognized pieces of jewelry, appearing on stamps and coins.
Among items of the Queen’s personal jewelry are the South Africa Necklace, which was presented to then-Princess Elizabeth on her 21st birthday in 1947, and includes a 6 ct. stone gifted to her by then-De Beers chairman Ernest Oppenheimer.
The Williamson Brooch incorporates a 23.6 ct. round brilliant pink diamond, considered among the finest ever found. Found in Tanzania in 1947, the uncut stone was given to Princess Elizabeth for her wedding.
“Diamonds have of course long been associated with endurance and longevity, so this is a very fitting way to mark Her Majesty’s 60 years on the throne,” exhibition curator Caroline de Guitaut said in a statement.
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