Jewellery
Amethyst Royal Jewels for February
In ancient times the color purple was associated with royalty and the nobility because purple dye was so costly that Theopompus, a 4th century historian, once remarked that “Purple for dyes fetched its weight in silver at Colophon.” Fabrics made using the color purple became emblematic of royalty, and in fact, there were even laws forbidding that it be used by any except the elite classes. The color purple was extracted from shellfish, and their production was both funded and controlled by the royal courts, which meant that the color could only be used for royalty. Amethysts, the birthstone for February, can be found in those same prized royal tones, with hues ranging from light pink-violet to deep purple, the most prized hue being “Deep Siberian” and mined in Russia.
Garnet Royal Jewels for January
Tiffany and Co. published a poem in 1870 based on the Gregorian calendar which had poems that matched each month with a birthstone. January leads off the year with the following stanza:
Turquoise Royal Jewels for December
December’s birthstone, turquoise, has long been considered a sacred stone which protects the wearer from evil and ill health. It is an opaque phosphate mineral of medium hardness and comes in many shades of blue-green, of which robin’s-egg blue is the most valuable. Its use in royal jewellery goes back for thousands of years.
Topaz Royal Jewels for November
November is a time when we see leaves change and take on warm-toned autumn hues with gold undertones. It is only appropriate that the official birthstones for November would be the golden topaz and citrine, with their variety of autumnal hues. Although citrine is just a semiprecious stone it still figures in some royal collections; topaz, on the other hand, is one of the most sought-after precious stones.
Opal Royal Jewels for October
October demonstrates the shifting façade of nature; it brings with it a spectacular array of varying and vibrant shades of autumn hues. It is only appropriate that October’s gemstone is one which has an impressive array of hues as well. The opal shows an ever-changing display of colors because light is diffracted from arrays of tiny hydrated-silica spheres within the stone. Milky white opals occur when tiny inclusions of gas bubbles are present. A yellow or red body color is due to the presence of iron oxides in the stone, and the spectacular and rare black opals, with their intense play of color, contain manganese oxides and organic carbon. The “harlequin” pattern, which is comprised of large angular patches of red, yellow, and green, is the most valuable type of opal.
Sapphire Royal Jewels for September
In ancient times, it was believed that the earth was embedded into an enormous blue sapphire which was represented by the blue sky. Sapphires are beautiful stones which are rich with color and depth. They come in a beautiful array of colors and hues, yellow, pink, orange, purple, and blue. The hues of each magnificent color vary in intensity. The most abundant color found in sapphires is blue, with a wide array of shades that range from a glorious sky blue to a rich, mesmerizing ink blue. The sapphire is associated with truth, honesty, and faithfulness and is a popular choice for an engagement ring. It is also September’s birthstone.
Upcoming Sale of the Duchess of Windsor’s Jewels
Edward VIII couldn’t give Wallis Simpson a crown, but throughout their lives together, possibly to compensate for the royal jewels he felt she deserved, he gave her a constant stream of jewellery.