Emma, the 11th Duchess of Rutland, graced her daughter Lady Violet Manners’ June 2025 wedding in the family’s historic diamonds—the legendary almond-drop Georgian earrings and the sweeping diamond rivière. Below, we revisit press accounts of these heirlooms from their 1930s–1940s heyday.
As Chronicled by the Press
“Among the jewels, pride of place must be given to the Rutland diamonds. The large diamond tiara of floral design is of exquisite workmanship, and nothing could be more splendid—yet more simple—than the two Georgian diamond earrings with drops the size of almonds.”
The Duchess herself was frequently the cynosure:
“The Duchess of Rutland looked very young and exquisite in white satin, with some of her marvellous diamonds...”
“...the Duchess of Rutland looked well that night in gold, with a long diamond necklace...”
Exhibitions & Anecdotes
At the 1930s Georgian Art Exhibition in Sir Philip Sassoon’s Park Lane residence, Violet, Duchess of Rutland, regaled guests with tales of wearing the family tiara:
“A massive jewel in floral design, it must be desperately heavy. Violet, Duchess of Rutland, admitted she only found it comfortable when worn at the very back of her head.”
The exhibition also featured a diamond belt that epitomized Georgian extremes:
“Another interesting jewel lent by the Duchess was a diamond belt measuring just 17 inches—made for a 17-inch waist. Its original owner, a rival of Louise, Duchess of Devonshire, reportedly entered a drawing room triumphantly with it fastened, exclaiming: ‘At last I’ve done it!’”
A Georgian Masterpiece
As historian E. Beresford Chancellor noted, the era marked British art’s zenith—“a century where jewelers rivaled painters in brilliance.” The Rutland collection remains its sparkling testament.
From the Collection of the Duke of Rutland
Lent by the Duke of Rutland for the Four Georges exhibition at 25 Park Lane, 1934
Sources:Instagram,DuchessofRutland;Elizamanners; Sheffield Daily Telegraph - The Times;
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