A Present From Brazil—Queen Elizabeth II’s Brazilian Aquamarine Parure Tiara

Jul 08, 2020

Queen Elizabeth II was gifted a stunning aquamarine necklace and earring set from Brazil at her coronation in 1953. Since then, she has added to her collection of diamond and platinum encrusted Brazilian aquamarines with a bracelet, broach, and tiara that underwent several designs until it took the form of the Brazilian Aquamarine Parure Tiara that has become one of the most popular pieces of royal jewelry today.

Queen Elizabeth II was crowned her country's sovereign in 1953. To honor this event, many countries sent lavish gifts to the Queen, including Brazil who sent a stunning collection of aquamarine stones as a matching necklace and earring set. Over the years, this original set has been redesigned a few times and new pieces have been commissioned to match, including the Parure Tiara which has become one of the most popular pieces in the Queen's collection.

The original matching necklace and earring set were designed by Rio de Janeiro’s Mappin & Webb. The pendant earrings were made with multiple large, oblong cut aquamarine stones encased in diamonds and platinum. The matching necklace was also made of large aquamarine stones, diamonds, and platinum. Nine of these stones formed the chain, while a larger stone was used as the focal point in a drop pendant.

In 1957, the jeweler Garrard created the first iteration of the Parure Tiara at the request of the Queen. This tiara was also made with the signature aquamarine stones from Brazil, cut and polished to match the look of the original necklace and earrings.

The tiara consisted of a band of rectangular aquamarine stones of alternating sizes surrounded by diamonds and held in platinum. Three larger rectangular aquamarine stones stood upright from the band, also surrounded in diamonds and platinum. The unique design of this tiara allowed the three larger stones to be detached and added to a basic platinum band or be worn as broaches.

In 1958, Brazil gifted the Queen even more of these stunning gems in the form of a bracelet and brooch. These pieces were made with stones that perfectly matched the previous set and were also surrounded by diamonds and platinum to complete the cohesive look.

In 1968, the Governor of São Paulo gave the Queen a uniquely stunning, ornate aquamarine and diamond piece. The Queen had the four ornate scroll ornaments removed from this hairpiece and added to the tiara in 1971. The tiara was further embellished when the Queen had the drop pendant from the necklace originally given to her in 1953 added to the center of the stunning headpiece, replacing the large upright aquamarine stone that used to be the focal point of the piece. The Queen then had a smaller stone attached to the original necklace to replace the pendant that was removed.

The final addition of the drop pendant created the iconic look of the Brazilian Aquamarine Parure Tiara that can be seen today. This piece quickly became a favorite of the public and is considered one of the Queen's most popular pieces of jewelry. It was last worn in public in 2011 on her visit to Australia.

What do you think of this stunning gemstone collection? Wouldn't it be nice to have the ability and resources to keep adding to a jewelry piece until it became one of the most lavish in the world? Let us know in the comments! Also, be sure to pass this article along to anyone who enjoys the history of jewels, royalty, or pretty, shiny things!