Saturday Sparkle: Elizabeth II’s Cartier Wedding Necklace

Diamond and Platinum Necklace
Cartier, London
Rebult from an Earlier Piece
Presented, 1947, to Princess Elizabeth
The Royal Collection

While Queen Elizabeth II may presently have her hands full as her grandson breaks from tradition with some of his wedding plans, she might take comfort in remembering her own wedding. When the Queen (then Princes Elizabeth) wed Prince Philip in 1947, nations from all over the world sent her an array of lavish gifts. This tasteful bauble was a gift from the Nizam of Hyderabad (Hyderabad is an Indian State, the Nizam is its Administrator).


This piece, created by the jewelers at London's Cartier, is actually rebuilt from an earlier Cartier necklace. The necklace was altered so that the Queen could wear the double drop pendants separately from the necklace. The necklace itself contains thirty-eight brilliant-cut, open-back collets as well as emerald-cuts and some substantial cushion-cuts. The double drop pendants incorporate brilliant-cut diamonds with thirteen emerald-cuts which surround two large cushion-cut diamonds and a rather impressive pear-shape.

This would make a nice gift for the Queen’s soon-to-be Granddaughter-in-law. Yes?