Happy Birthday to Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy, who turns 83 today! The middle daughter of Italy’s last sovereign, “il Re di Maggio”, who has dedicated her life to preserving the history and legacy of the House of Savoy. Throughout the years, the dashing Princess has worn many family heirloom jewels, as well as modern acquisitions, and commissions. To mark the day, we are featuring a very meaningful heirloom: the Diamond and Pearl Bracelet Tiara!
Duchess of Aosta’s Musy Pearl Tiara | Queen Margherita’s Pearl Bracelet Bandeau | Pearl and Diamond Ivy Wreath Tiara | Queen Elisabeth’s Diamond Bandeau | Queen Marie Jose’s Sapphire Necklace | Princess de Réthy’s Cartier Flower Tiara
This flexible bracelet, of a delicate trellis design, presents 32 button pearls, and almost a hundred diamonds, all set in gold. It was bought in 1869 by the then Prince of Piemonte, later King Umberto I, from Crown Jeweller Musy, for his wife, Princess Margherita, on the occasion of the birth of their first (and only) son, who would later reign as King Vittorio Emanuele II.
As Princess Margherita was only 18 years old when she gave birth to her son, this piece seemed very appropriate for such a young lady. The Princess of Piemonte also converted it into a small tiara, which she paired with many of her famous pearl strands and a stunning blue gown for several portraits.
She was very passionate about jewellery. After Umberto ascended to the throne in 1878, Margherita started assembling an impressive jewellery collection having in mind the future generations of her family. The new Queen of Italy soon became extremely popular. Her elegance and exquisite taste were worldwide known. “The Queen of Pearls”, as she was called due to her fondness for pearls, kept wearing her Diamond and Pearl Bracelet very often. It was usually paired with some of her sumptuous jewels, namely the Savoy Knot Tiara, the Mellerio Wreath Tiara, and the Savoy Family Emeralds.
When Queen Margherita died, in 1926, the Diamond and Pearl Bracelet was reportedly inherited by her son and daughter-in-law. In 1929, they offered it to Princess Marie José of Belgium on the occasion of her engagement to their son, Umberto, Prince of Piemonte. Princess Marie José wore Queen Margherita’s Musy Diamond and Pearl Tiara on her wedding day in 1930.
The Princess favoured this bracelet very much. She started wearing it in public after her arrival in Italy, following her marriage to the heir to the throne. Princess Marie José, making use of her Privilége du Blanc, can be spotted wearing the Diamond and Pearl Bracelet on several formal visits to the Vatican, namely the Coronation of Pope Pius XII in 1939.
Queen Marie José kept wearing her Diamond and Pear Bracelet even after the Italian Royal Family’s Exile in 1946. It was paired with the Mellerio Wreath Tiara for the Wedding Gala of Archduke Robert of Austria and Princess Margherita of Savoy-Aosta in 1953, and with the Diamond Bow Brooch, the Savoy Knot Diamond Clips, and the Musy Diamond and Pearl Tiara for the Galas held ahead of the Wedding of Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia and Princess Maria Pia of Savoy in 1955.
In 1958, the Pearl and Diamond Bracelet was again converted into a petite tiara. This time, for the young Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy to wear at the Grand Bal de la Cour, which was held at the Royal Palace of Brussels on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition.
As Princess Maria Gabriella would later note:
My mother did not attach any importance to jewels. She often misplaced this or that piece, and it even happened to her to call a spiritualist to find out where she had stored a sumptuous emerald necklace. On the other hand, my father took huge care of it. Whenever we attended a ball or a royal wedding in Europe, he was the one who carried the jewels and distributed them to his wife or daughters”.
The Queen wore her Diamond and Pearl Bracelet for most of the events held during the wedding festivities of her nephew, King Baudouin, and Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón, in 1960, namely the Wedding Banquet held at the Musee du Cinquantenaire, the Ball at the Royal Palace of Brussels, and the Civil and Religious Ceremonies. The bracelet was paired with the Musy Tiara for the Wedding Gala of King Constantine II of Greece and Princess Anne Marie of Denmark in 1964, and at the Wedding of the Duke of Aosta and Princess Claude of Orléans in 1964.
Together with other Savoy family pieces, Queen Margherita’s Diamond and Pearl Bracelet was sold at auction in 1998. Its current location is unknown.
Duchess of Aosta’s Musy Pearl Tiara | Queen Margherita’s Pearl Bracelet Bandeau | Pearl and Diamond Ivy Wreath Tiara | Queen Elisabeth’s Diamond Bandeau | Queen Marie Jose’s Sapphire Necklace | Princess de Réthy’s Cartier Flower Tiara
This article was written by assistant editor, David Rato, who runs the Spanish Royal Jewels account on Instagram!
