ARTS
The Crown Jeweler
A
t a little after midnight on August 31, 1997, Princess Diana was tragically killed. The story of her death is well known and need not be repeated here. My involvement with Diana though, began about a year and a half later. As the head of Guernsey’s, I was accustomed to receiving interesting, auction-related phone calls. But the call that came amid a raging New York City snowstorm was far more special than most. On the line were two men, an English lord and the British Crown Jeweler, the person responsible for maintaining, in the Tower of London among other places, the precious jewels of Britain’s Royalty. Tradition had it that the Crown Jeweler was selected from amongst the heads of that nation’s most prestigious jewelers, and so it was that the Crown Jeweler was also the president of Garrard.
The Necklace In May of 1997, the completed necklace was described in jewelers’ terms as follows: “A brilliant cut diamond and marquise diamond scroll motif center with a South Sea cultured pearl five stone and marquise diamond fringe drop, to a brilliant cut two row collet back chain tapering to a single row; mounted in platinum, claw set with an integral claw clasp.” The necklace contained five matching cultured South Sea pearls, 12mm; eleven marquise diamonds , 7.71 carats; three marquise diamonds, 0.88 carat; one hundred and sixty-four diamonds, 42.35 carats. In layman’s terms, it was...”beautiful.”
Swan Lake @ London’s Royal Albert Hall Princess Diana had had a lifetime love affair with dance. And so it was that at that season’s premier gala performance of Swan Lake at London’s Royal Albert Hall, she was named “Patron of the English National Ballet.” Though she had often been seen in designs by Versace, Ungaro, Cerruti, Moschino, Lacroix and Valentino, Diana expressed her newfound independence through fashion. Never forgetting her British roots, for the Swan Lake performance she chose an ice-blue, silk Georgette shift dress featuring hand-beaded crystal bugle beads set off by “Hepburn-esque” bows on the straps. The dress was created for T H E S T O R Y B E H I N D T H E N E C K L AC E her by British designer Jacques Azagury. A short hemline, BY A R L A N E T T I N G E R opalescent hose and high heels by Jimmy Choo accentuated her long, slender legs. The whole outfit complemented the stunning, newly created diamond and South Princess of Wales Sea pearl necklace she wore for the first, and The Crown Jeweler explained that in the sadly, only time. spring of 1997, he was working closely with Diana. The goal was to produce a simple but Tragedy Struck. stunning necklace and pair of matching It is believed that other than on her wedding earrings consistent with the Princess of Wales’ day, more photographs of the Princess of Wales elegant image. Indeed, Garrard had scoured were taken on that June 3rd evening than on the world in search of just the right diamonds any other occasion. Pictures appeared and South Sea pearls with which to create the everywhere. The necklace, a marvelous anticipated set.
Diana & the Swan Lake Suite
success. But in the rush to complete his work in time for Swan Lake, the jeweler had not finished fabricating the matching earrings. The earrings worn at the ballet were a pair she already owned. So, after the event, the jeweler requested the necklace back. He was determined to make the stones all perfectly match. After all, this was for Diana. Less than three months later, the completed set consisting of the necklace and matching earrings - which came to be known as the “Swan Lake Suite” - was about to be returned to Diana when tragedy struck. Diana’s Secret Lover It could be said that grieving for Diana has never stopped. It was certainly with great sadness that the Crown Jeweler told me, not only the background of the jewels, but the fact that there had been an outstanding bill for their creation. “After all,” he said, “this was to
