Infanta Beatriz’s Bulgari Diamond Necklace

Today marks the 20th Anniversary of the Death of Infanta Beatriz, Princess of Civitella-Cesi, who died on this day in 2002! The Spanish Princess who married an illustrious Italian Aristocrat, and lived a glamours life in Rome, Infanta Beatriz possessed a spectacular jewellery collection, and since we’ve already covered her Aquamarine Parure, today we are featuring her Bulgari Diamond Necklace!

Queen Victoria Eugenie’s Aquamarine Parure | Queen Victoria’s Sunray Fringe Tiara | Bulgari Diamond Necklace

Around the time of her Wedding to Don Alessandro Torlonia, 5th Prince di Civitella-Cesi in 1935Infanta Beatriz of Spain, the elder daughter of King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, received this spectacular Diamond Necklace from Bulgari from her groom, which consisted of seven Floor-de-Lys and 28 collet Diamonds, which came from the legendary collection of Queen Victoria Eugenie.

Not only could the piece be worn as a necklace, but in 1954, Infanta Beatriz attached the Aquamarines from Queen Victoria Eugenie’s Aquamarine Parure upright and used the Bulgari Necklace as a Tiara for the 18th Birthday Ball for her elder daughter, Princess Sandra Torlonia, at the Torlonia.

The Bulgari Diamond Necklace was post prominently worn by Infanta Beatriz with the empty diamond frame of her Bulgari Tiara and her Bulgari Diamond Earrings for the Wedding Ball of her nephew, Prince Juan Carlos of Spain, and Princess Sophia of Greece at the Royal Palace of Athens in 1962.

Infanta Beatriz wore the Bulgari Diamond Necklace and the Bulgari Tiara for an audience with the Pope and it was also worn for a spectacular Ball hosted by the French Ambassador to Italy at the Palazzo Farnèse in Rome in 1963, as well as for family events well into the 1970s.

In 1980, Infanta Beatriz sold her Bulgari Diamond Necklace at auction at Christie’s in Geneva for 34 million pesetas and two years later, it was sold in New York City for $297,000. The current location of the Bulgari Necklace is unknown. 

Queen Victoria Eugenie’s Aquamarine Parure | Queen Victoria’s Sunray Fringe Tiara | Bulgari Diamond Necklace

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