Queen Elizabeth II | QUEEN ELIZABETH the Queen Mother's Pair of Ruby BROOCH | Cartier Ruby and Diamond Flower Brooches Clip | Queen Mother Royal Jewels Great Britain and Ireland

This exquisite pair of ruby and diamond flower brooches was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 1943 from Cartier London. The brooches were designed to complement a matching bracelet, also crafted by Cartier London.

The Queen Mother provided the loose stones herself, ensuring a personal touch to the creation. Each brooch in the pair mirrored the other, featuring two flowers—one centered with a ruby and the other with a diamond. The final design was distinguished by the tapering midribs of the leaves, which were left as negative space rather than adorned with rubies, as seen in some preliminary sketches. This choice highlighted the enduring popularity of clip brooches, which could be worn separately or together.

The Diamond Ruby Clips exemplify the Queen Mother’s fondness for figurative jewels. They were designed by Frederick Mew, Cartier London’s leading designer at the time. Mew’s work marked a departure from the rigid geometric style that dominated London’s jewelry output during the 1930s—a stark contrast to the contemporary designs emerging from Paris. His influence at Cartier London was comparable to that of Pierre Cartier’s renowned designer, Jacques for Cartier, in Paris.

A payment record from the King, dated 17 July 1944, confirms the order placed on 5 November 1943 for "a fine ruby and diamond bracelet" and the remounting of the client’s diamonds and rubies into a pair of clips.

Contrary to earlier assumptions, these Cartier Ruby and Diamond Flower Brooches were not part of the Greville legacy. Their provenance is firmly rooted in the Queen Mother’s personal commission, adding a unique chapter to the history of royal jewelry.

 

After her death it was left to Queen Elizabeth II, which wore it but only one item of the pair, see above in the picture.

 

Queen Elizabeth II | QUEEN ELIZABETH the Queen Mother's Pair of Ruby BROOCH | Cartier Ruby and Diamond Flower Brooches Clip | Queen Mother Royal Jewels Great Britain and Ireland

 

Sources: Cartier Archive; Royal Collection;