A versatile and highly important diamond tiara, composed of six graduated diamond clusters each intersected by diamond collet and riband scrolls forming heart-shaped centres enclosed in a diamond collet and riband frame forming a small bow above five of the clusters. The six clusters are all detachable for alternative use. The provenance is not known, but it looks like a Russian item, very solid in workmanship and with fine diamonds. It could have been bought from one of the Russian imperial family members. The tiara was offered at the 1970 auction of the Princess Royal’s jewels and sold for £9,500.
Queen Mary’s wedding present to her daughter consisted of a single large sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds. It greatly resembles Prince Albert’s sapphire and diamond brooch given by him to Queen Victoria as a wedding present.
The Princess Royal could replace the central element of the diamond tiara with this brooch. The brooch which was described as “a highly important sapphire and diamond brooch, composed of a large oval sapphire held by rose diamond claws in a border of fourteen brilliant-cut diamonds” at the 1970 auction sold for £10,500 to S.J. Phillip.
She wore the sapphire cluster also as brooch on her shoulder with her pearls>>
Sources: The Times, 1922. Christie’s. Catalogue of Highly Important Jewels. October 7, 1970.
The bracelet was composed of eleven sapphire and diamond clusters.
Sources:The Illustrated London News, March 11, 1922..