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The Romanov Sapphire | Empress Marie Alexandrovna’s Sapphire
The Odyssey of an Important Sapphire: From Imperial Tiara to Royal Sautoir
In 2007 and 2011, I first wrote about the jewels on my website. Now, my research has added important new insights to their history.
The journey begins with a magnificent 311-carat egg-shaped sapphire, originally part of a tiara belonging to Empress Maria Alexandrovna of Russia. This tiara and its sapphires were later in the possession of her son, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich.
Grand Duchess Vladimir & Cartier’s Introduction (1908-1909):
In 1908, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna (née Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin), known as Grand Duchess Vladimir (wife of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich), discreetly inquired with Cartier in Paris about resetting a suite of these Romanov sapphires, likely mined in Ceylon. The sapphires had come to her husband’s side of the family, specifically from his brother Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich who died in 1908 and left the parure to his brothers Grand Duke Paul and Grand Duke Vladimir.
Cartier’s ledgers note discussions about using the sapphires for a sautoir or a modern diadem. The grand 311-carat cabochon sapphire was specifically mentioned.
By June 1909, the original tiara was dismantled, and Cartier received the sapphires. While other sapphires from Grand Duchess Vladimir’s collection were sold, the impressive 311-carat egg-shaped sapphire was retained by Cartier, with a note in their vault inventory about it being held „per Cartier option.“ A minor scratch on its pavilion was noted, to be concealed in any new setting.
Grand Duchess Victoria Melita Commissions the Sautoir (1911):
In March 1911, Grand Duchess Victoria Melita (née Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha), who was the wife of Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich (the son of Grand Duchess Vladimir), placed an urgent order with Cartier.
She commissioned a sautoir to feature the 311-carat sapphire (explicitly noted in Cartier’s ledger as „provenance GDV [Grand Duchess Vladimir] stock 1909“) alongside a newly acquired 35.12-carat Ceylon star sapphire. The design included 18 transitional diamonds and a platinum chain.
This sautoir was intended as a 15th-anniversary gift from her husband, Grand Duke Kirill. Cartier cleverly suspended the 311-carat gem as a pendant, concealing the previously noted scratch. The piece was delivered by May 1911 – learn more, take the link in bottom.
Revolution and a Sister’s Support:
After the Russian Revolution in 1917, Grand Duchess Victoria Melita fled Russia, managing that her maid brought the jewels to her from the vault, while she was in exile.
At some point later, Victoria Melita sold the sautoir to her sister, Queen Marie of Romania.
A Royal Wedding Gift to Princess Elisabeth (1921):
In 1921, Queen Marie of Romania gifted this historic Cartier sautoir, featuring the 311-carat Romanov sapphire, to her daughter, Princess Elisabeth of Romania (Victoria Melita’s niece), for her marriage to Prince George of Greece (who would later become King George II of Greece).
Princess Elisabeth (later Queen of Greece) retained the sautoir even after her separation.
Following her death in 1956, the necklace „vanished into the private market.“
Today, this magnificent sautoir, a testament to Romanov splendor, Cartier’s artistry, and tumultuous royal lives, resides in a Swiss private collection and is occasionally loaned for prestigious exhibitions.
Empress Maria Alexandrovna‚s Sapphire Tiara | Romanov Sapphire Parure Jewels | Tsarina Saphir Romanov RussiaR Sapphires Kokoshnik| Romanov Tiara
Sapphire Sautoir of Grand Duchess Kyrill| Grand Duchess Victoria Melita’s Cartier Sapphire Necklace
Queen Consort Elizabeth of Greece Cartier Sapphire Diamond Sautoir| Star Sapphire Necklace Greece | Royal greek Jewels
Royal Sapphires Cartier Sautoir Necklace |Romania| Queen Consort Elisabeth of Greece
Tiara with The Prussian Diamonds | Jewels of The Royal House of Greece
Prussian Diamond Jewelry of the Greek Royal Family
Diamond brooches, diamond jewelry elements and Devant de Corsage | from the Dowry of the Princess Louise of Prussia
The tiara was originally a diamond stomacher / devante de corsage – with 27 pearls and six pendants with a poire pearl each.
Queen Ingrid of Denmark changed this 4-piece set into a historic Pearls and Diamond Tiara with a pendant >>
A jewelry with many possibilities – in change – the different versions as a large picture >>
The tiara’s provenance traces directly to Princess Louise of Prussia (1838–1923), the intellectual and philanthropic Grand Duchess of Baden, and her husband, Grand Duke Frederick I of Baden.
Their daughter, Victoria of Baden (1862–1930), became Queen of Sweden upon marrying King Gustaf V in 1881.
Victoria’s son, Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden, later married Princess Margaret of Connaught (1882–1920). Margaret, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria of Britain, became Crown Princess of Sweden and mother of Ingrid of Sweden (later Queen Ingrid of Denmark). Thus, Victoria of Baden was not only Queen Ingrid’s grandmother but also the original link between the Prussian diamonds and the Swedish-Danish-Greek royal axis.
This lineage explains how the jewels passed from the dowry of Princess Louise of Prussia – Baden → her daughter Queen Victoria of Sweden → to Queen Ingrid (via her father, Gustaf VI Adolf) → and ultimately to Queen Anne-Marie of Greece.
The Prussian Diamonds Tiara
- Princess Victoria of Baden, daughter of Grand Duke Frederick I of Baden and Princess Louise of Prussia, married Sweden’s King Gustaf V in 1881, uniting Prussian and Swedish royalty. Queen Victoria of Sweden inherited from her mother, in 1923. In her will , the swedish Queen Victoria left this jewel to King Gustaf V and Queen Victoria’s Foundation. but in 1935 King Gustaf presented it – in the shape of a stomacher, a small brooch and a pair of earrings – to their granddaughter Ingrid when she married the future King Frederik IX of Denmark.
At the time, the press reported that the ornaments was first commissioned by King Friedrich the Great of Prussia and had been worn by six queens – who must have been the Prussian queen Elisabeth Queen Christine, Princess Victoria of Baden, daughter of Grand Duke Frederick I of Baden and Princess Louise of Prussia, married Sweden’s King Gustaf V in 1881, uniting Prussian and Swedish royalty. Queen Victoria of Sweden inherited from her mother, in 1923. In her will , the swedish Queen Victoria left this jewel to King Gustaf V and Queen Victoria’s Foundation. but in 1935 King Gustaf presented it – in the shape of a stomacher, a small brooch and a pair of earrings – to their granddaughter Ingrid when she married the future King Frederik IX of Denmark.
At the time, the press reported that the ornaments was first commissioned by King Friedrich the Great of Prussia and had been worn by six queens – who must have been the Prussian Queen Elisabeth Queen Christine, Queen Friederike Luise,Queen Luise, Queen Elisabeth and (Empress) Augusta and Queen Victoria of Sweden.
In 1964, Queen Ingrid of Denmark (1910–2000) transformedit into the Pearls and Diamond Tiara with Detachable Pendant. This transformative act bridged four royal dynasties:Prussia, Baden, Sweden/Denmark, and Greece.. - Friederike Luise, Luise, Elisabeth and (Empress) Augusta and Queen Victoria of Sweden.
In 1964, Queen Ingrid of Denmark (1910–2000) transformedit into the Pearls and Diamond Tiara with Detachable Pendant. This transformative act bridged four royal dynasties:Prussia, Baden, Sweden/Denmark, and Greece.. - Her son, Gustaf VI Adolf, wed Princess Margaret of Connaught (1882–1920), a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Their daughter Ingrid (later Queen of Denmark) inherited the Baden jewels.
- Victoria’s ownership of the parure directly ties the tiara’s diamonds to the House of Baden, illuminating its journey from Karlsruhe (Baden’s capital) to Stockholm, Copenhagen, and ultimately Athens.
- 1964: Queen Anne-Marie got the tiara on her 18th birthday, just before her wedding to King Constantine II of Greece, from her mother the
- ueen Ingrid of Denmark.
- 1995: Crown Princess Marie-Chantal (née Miller) dons the tiara for her marriage to Crown Prince Pavlos.
- 2025: At Prince Nicholas of Greece’s wedding to Chrysi Vardinogiannis, Queen Anne-Marie accessorized with the tiara’s repurposed earrings and brooch,
- while her daughter -in-law Princess Tatjana wore it also as bridal jewel in the year 2010.
- Princesses Alexandra and Theodora of Greece continue to reinterpret it for modern audiences, ensuring its status as a symbol of continuity between Baden’s history and Europe’s evolving monarchy.
- Delicate diamond scrolls with pearl accents, topped by the detachable pear-shaped pendant.
The tiara’s resurgence at Prince Nicholas’ 2025 wedding to his 2nd wife Chrysi Vardinogiannis underscores its timeless role in Greek royal ceremonies.
Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden’s Khedive of Egypt Diadem Diamond Tiara| Royal Wedding Gift Margaret Princess of Connaught|Royal Jewel History Princess
Khedive of Egypt Tiara Diamond Diadem| Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden, Princess of Connaught|Royal Jewel History Princess Wedding Gift
Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden’s Khedive of Egypt Diadem Diamond Tiara| Royal Wedding Gift Margaret Princess of Connaught|Royal Jewelry History Princess
in german:
Turquoise Tiara Turquoise Necklace Turquoise Brooch |Wedding Princess Sophia of Prussia | Sophia Queen of the Hellenes| Greece Royal Jewels
The morning of the Royal wedding in Athens was splendidly sunny, with the locals referring to it as „King’s weather.“ The King of Greece, like Queen Victoria, was renowned for his luck with auspicious skies for such occasions. The scent of myrtle filled the city’s streets, where it had been generously used for decorations, transforming Athens into a town of myrtle. The whole town was adorned with flags, evergreens, and triumphal arches at all major street intersections. Early in the day, people from the surrounding countryside flocked to the town, and the national costumes of the peasants added to the picturesque scene. At five o’clock, a salute of five guns was fired, and the bugle calls rang out from all points about the town through the clear morning air, bringing the streets to life with animation. This animation quickly developed into enthusiasm of the wildest description that Athens has ever seen. Every inch of vantage ground along the route followed by the bridal procession was taken up, with all the windows occupied by ladies, gentlemen, and children, and thousands of people viewing the parade from the roofs of houses. The streets were lined with soldiers, and for weeks there had been the keenest desire to obtain tickets for the Cathedral to witness the wedding ceremony.
The first lady to appear in the diplomatic circle was Mrs. Ylakos, dressed in a magnificent Greek costume of white, red, and gold. She was followed by Madame Traubenborg in a court costume, with a pink train and a white satin front, surmounted by a headdress with a pink band ornamented with diamond stars, from which depended a veil. They were closely followed by Olanesko in a sky blue dress with a gold train, Princess Antzo in a costume of red velvet with pink cut en train, a pink front trimmed with gold, and a grand display of diamonds, Madame Rackmetiew wearing a Russian costume of orange and gold, Ojeda with a white Spanish mantilla about her head, Baroness Kosjek in a light blue dress trimmed with gold embroidery, and Lady Monson in a pretty pink silk costume trimmed with gold. The ladies of the Court followed, led by Theocheri, Madame Bapountzakis, and Madame Anargyro, all wearing the national Greek Court costume.
Their entrance was immediately followed by 96 ladies belonging to the suites of the Empress of Germany, the Queen of Italy, the Princess of Wales, and the Empress Frederick, with those of the latter dressed in sombre colours.
The Royal party left the palace at eleven o’clock, and the bride, though nervous, looked very happy. She gracefully acknowledged the applause of the people, who were all pleased with her girlish sweetness. Upon their arrival at the Cathedral, the Metropolitan greeted them at the door.
The company entered the church in the following order: The French Ambassador accompanied the Empress of Germany; the Emperor of Germany escorted the Empress Frederick; the King of Denmark accompanied the Queen of Italy; the Prince of Wales accompanied the Queen of Denmark; Prince Henry of Prussia and the Princess of Wales; the Czarewitch and the Princess of Saxe-Meiningen. Then followed the Duke of Sparta and the Princess Sophie. The ceremony began immediately, with the Empress Frederick leading her daughter to the table and the King of Greece leading his son. The ceremony was of the most impressive character and lasted an hour and a quarter. The wedding service was conducted by the Metropolitan of Athens, Gerraanos, assisted by the Archbishops and Bishops of Greece, all in magnificent vestments. A platform, about a foot high, had been erected, occupying a good half of the floor beneath the dome in front of the altar. ….more
Wedding Princess Sophia of Prussia | Queen Consort of the Hellenes| Greece Royal Jewels | Royal Marriage gifts and jewel presents
Prinzessin Sophie von Preussen | Hochzeit | Kronprinzessin von Griechenland, Königin der Hellenen | Königlicher Schmuck und Juwelen zur Vermählung
Turquoise Tiara Turquoise Necklace Turquoise Brooch |Wedding Princess Sophia of Prussia | Sophia Queen of the Hellenes| Greece Royal Jewels
Emerald and Diamond Brooch Devante de Corsage Queen Olga|Hellenes | Greek Royal Jewels | Queen Consort Elisabeth of Greece
Grand Duchess Alexandra Petrovna of Russia | Romanov Emeralds – Emerald Parure| Wedding Gift from the Tsar
Born Duchess Alexandra Frederica Wilhelmina of Oldenburg.
2 June 1838 – 25 April 1900 was a great-granddaughter of Emperor Paul I of Russia and the wife of Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia, the elder.
Princess Xenia Georgievna of Russia| Mrs William B. Leeds| Ivy Leaf Brooch |Romanov Gift Greek Royal Family Bracelet Imperial Marriage Royal Jewels History
Queen Olga of Greece wedding gift to her granddaughter Xenia Georgievna
Princess Xenia Georgievna of Russia| Mrs Leeds | Romanov Tiara
update …
Princess Xenia Georgievna of Russia |Royal Wedding William B. Leeds |Marriage Gifts Royal Jewels History
Romanov Princess Xenia Georgievna of Russia|Royal Wedding William B. Leeds|Imperial Marriage Gifts Royal Jewels History
Prinzessin Xenia Georgievna von Russland | Königliche Hochzeit William B. Leeds | Hochzeitsgeschenke Royal Jewels Geschichte
Romanov Princess Xenia Georgievna of Russia|Royal Wedding William B. Leeds|Imperial Marriage Gifts Royal Jewels History
Prinzessin Xenia Georgievna von Russland | Königliche Hochzeit William B. Leeds | Hochzeitsgeschenke Royal Jewels Geschichte
updated from the earlier post in 2007
Important Turquoise Parure | Royal Jewel History
Journal des villes et des campagnes, 20 octobre 1889
Les principaux bijoux de la corbeille de mariage de la princesse Sophie, fiancée du prince royal de Grèce, consistent en un diadème et un collier en brillants.
Le diadème, qui est un cadeau do l’empereur, est fait de trois rangées do turquoises entourées de diamants. La plus grande des turquoises, ayant la forme d’une poire, forme le sommet du diamant. Elle est tout ornée de diamants. Le collier est également en turquoises et d’une très grande valeur; les pierres sont très pures. Ce collier est un joyau de famille et provient, d’après la tradition, de la raine Anne d’Angleterre, a appartenu à la princesse Charlotte de Galles et est revenu, après la mort, de son mari, Léopold Ier, roi des Belges, à la reine Victoria. Il tut donné à l’impératrice Frédéric, qui vient de le donner à son tour u sa fille la princesse Sophie.Le Gaulois, 28 octobre 1889
Wedding Princess Sophia of Prussia | Queen Consort of the Hellenes| Greece Royal Jewels | Marriage gifts and presents
Prinzessin Sophie von Preussen | Hochzeit | Kronprinzessin von Griechenland, Königin der Hellenen
…Die Ausstattung der Prinzessin Sophie an Juwelen hat den Werths eines Schatzes. Das Hauptstück derselben ist ein Schmuck aus Brillanten und Türkisen, bestehend aus Diadem, Brosche und Halsband. Das Diadem ist ein Geschenk des Kaisers.
Es ist sehr hochgearbeitet, die Zeichnung von graziöser Erfindung. Drei übereinander stehende Reihen von
Türkisen in sich vergrößerndem Maßstabe sind von den zierlichsten Arabesken in Brillanten umgeben. Die größten Türkise in Birnenform bilden krönende Spitzen, eingefaßt von großen Brillanten.
Nach den beiden Endseiten hin verkleinert sich das Diadem. Das Halsband ist in Form von Bandschleifen in Brillanten gearbeitet, die Knoten desselben von großen Türkisen gebildet. Von großem Werth und seltener Schönheit, namentlich der Türkise, ist das daranhängende Kreuz.
Es ist ein Erbstück der Englischen Königsfamilie. Nach einer Tradition soll es von der Königin Anna stammen, factisch war es im Besitz der Prinzessin Charlotte von Wales, der einzigen, früh verstorbenen Tochter Georg IV. Ihr Gemahl, der spätere König Leopold I. der Belgier, schenkte es der Königin Victoria, diese der Prinzess Royal und Kaiserin Friedrich gab es zum Brautschatz der Prinzessin Sophie, ebenso auch einen großen runden, von großen Brillanten umgebenen Türkis, der als Armband wie als Brosche getragen werden kann und mit welchem der Vater, der PrinceConsort, einst das Taufkleid seines ersten Kindes, der Princess Royal, geschmückt hatte.
Der Türkisschmuck wurde von der Prinzessin von Sparta nicht öffentlich getragen. Er ging vermutlich zurück nach England und dann an Königin Maud von Norwegen….