Queen Victoria’s Diamond Bracelet

This month, we are marking the Bicentenary of the Birth of Queen Victoria by featuring her Top 20 Jewels, one for each decade since the Birth of 2nd-longest reigning British Monarch, in the 20 days leading up to the Anniversary itself, and today’s feature is her Diamond Bracelet.

Embed from Getty Images

Featuring five links each containing nine diamonds of considerable size, surrounded by  diamond foliage, this Diamond Bracelet was made for Queen Victoria in 1838, soon after her accession, using existing diamonds in her collection. After bing worn in her official Golden and Diamond Jubilee portraits, the Diamond Bracelet was designated by as an Heirloom of the Crown upon her death in 1901, meaning it passes from Queen to Queen.

Embed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty Images

Queen Victoria’s Diamond Bracelet was worn by Queen Alexandra for her coronation in 1902, and by Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth for official portraits, being worn by the latter even as Queen Mother for some of her most iconic portraits.

Embed from Getty Images

Unlike some of the other Heirlooms of the Crown retained by the Queen Mother, Queen Victoria’s Diamond Bracelet seems to have passed to the Queen at some point in the 1960s, and was notably worn for iconic Cecil Beaton portraits in 1968. While it is not a favourite like some of her other bracelets, it has been frequently worn over the decades, and will hopefully continued to be worn for years to come.

12

One thought on “Queen Victoria’s Diamond Bracelet

  1. Golly! This is one bracelet that announces to the world who’s the queen! 🙂

Leave a Reply to BlueSaphire70Cancel reply