THE CROWN JEWELS OF THE U.K.
Examining the History of the World’s Premier Gem Collection
The term “crown jewels” is a popular and well-justified metaphor for just about anything of extraordinary value or significance. The term alludes, of course, to the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom (formerly the Crown Jewels of England), the world’s largest, best-known, and most valuable gem collection.
The Crown Jewels, part of the British Royal Family Collection, consists of 23,578 individual gems set into 140 ceremonial objects, many made of gold, silver, or platinum. These include crowns, orbs, swords, rings, and scepters that represent nearly 900 years of monarchy. Among the gems are some of the world’s largest diamonds and a dazzling array of rubies, sapphires, emeralds, spinels, peridots, amethysts, topazes, aquamarines, tourmalines, zircons, garnets, and pearls.
The Crown Jewels are considered priceless, but their overall worth is measured not merely in terms of the monetary value of gems and precious metals but also in their religious, historical, and cultural significance. They are one of Britain’s most popular visitor attractions and a working collection of royal regalia that is used in coronations, weddings and baptisms, and the opening of Parliament and other state events. To the United Kingdom people, the Crown Jewels are the British Monarchy material symbols that signify the monarch’s authority to lead the nation.
A LEGACY OF GEM ADORNMENTS
Among the many items in the Crown Jewels collection, crowns are the most celebrated objects. As distinctive headwear that identifies authority, crowns have been associated with rulers since ancient times. The oldest known English crown, a bronze headband with simple arches, dates to 150 BCE.
During the six centuries of the Anglo-Saxon rule that followed the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the early 5th century CE, crowns and other royal regalia grew more elaborate, with gems receiving greater emphasis. During these medieval times, gems were considered magical objects and symbols of divine power that reflected the perfection of God’s creations—precisely the objects which, when set in crowns and scepters, clearly identified and confirmed royal authority.
By 1000 CE, gem-studded crowns and scepters were a regular part of English coronation ceremonies. The artwork depicts Edward the Confessor (reigned 1042-1066), the last Anglo-Saxon king, wearing a crown and holding a scepter. Before his death, Edward directed that his crown and scepter be used in future coronations, making these items Europe’s first collection of coronation regalia. Edward’s later canonization elevated the status of his regalia to that of holy relics.
By the 1400s, the classic, modern style of the royal crown was well established. Its basic features include a broad headband decorated with fleurs-de-lis on arches that join at the top. Usually culminating in a cross, these crowns provided ample surface area in which to set gems.
The crown of Henry VIII (reigned 1509-1547), known as the Tudor Crown, was first documented in 1521. When the most elaborate and valuable crown ever made, it consisted of seven pounds of gold studded with 344 gems and pearls. Although it no longer exists, its details are known from period artwork. Henry’s daughter Elizabeth I (reigned 1558-1603) is often depicted wearing a crown and holding an orb and a scepter, all set with jewels.
The concept of state regalia was formalized in English law when James I (reigned 1603-1625) decreed that “Roiall and Princely Ornaments and Jewells [would be] individually and inseparably forever hereafter annexed to the Kingdome of this Realme.”
CHANGING OF GUARD CHANGES VIEW OF JEWELS
But the future of the Crown Jewels soon became uncertain when Charles I (reigned 1625-1649) proclaimed the “divine right of kings,” his belief that monarchs’ authority came directly from God, not from their subjects. After Charles I surreptitiously sold off some royal gems, Parliament decreed that the Crown Jewels were not the monarchs’ personal property but were merely vested in them for their public role. Controversy
over the divine right of kings and the Crown Jewels’ ownership helped trigger the English civil war in 1642.
After Charles I was defeated and executed in 1649, Parliament abolished the monarchy. Oliver Cromwell, who became Lord Protector of the Commonwealth, considered the Crown Jewels to be “symbolic of the detestable rule of kings” and “monuments of superstition and idolatry,” and he ordered them to be “totallie broken and defaced.” In a historic act of vandalism, the jewels were removed from the regalia and sold. The gold and silver minted into coinage.
Following Cromwell’s death in 1658, Parliament restored the monarchy and ordered metalworkers and jewelers to create new coronation regalia. The cost of acquiring the requisite gold, silver, and gems equaled the amount needed to construct three new warships. This new regalia debuted at the 1661 coronation of Charles II (reigned 1660-1685) and remains the core of today’s Crown Jewel collection.
The Crown Jewels have since seen many additions and alterations. Here is a look at some of their most celebrated items.
St. Edward’s Crown: The centerpiece of the coronation regalia, this crown was made for the 1661 coronation of Charles II. Named for Edward the Confessor, it loosely replicates Edward’s 11th-century crown destroyed during the English civil war. Its gold frame has two arches edged with gold beads, four fleurs-de-lis, four cross pattées, and is surmounted by a small orb and a cross. This crown’s 440 gems include rubies, sapphires, white-and-yellow topazes, green tourmalines, amethysts, peridots, garnets, and zircons; it is adorned with a white ermine headband and a purple velvet cap.
St. Edward’s Crown is placed on the monarch’s head at the moment of coronation. Because of its considerable weight—nearly five pounds—it is carried rather than worn in the coronation procession. Until the early 20th century, its stones were often rented for coronation ceremonies, then returned to their owners. The crown was not permanently set with gems until 1911.
Imperial State Crown: The monarch wears this much lighter crown when leaving the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey and when opening Parliament. Made in 1937 for the coronation of George VI (reigned 19361952), it was modified in 1953 to fit Elizabeth II (reigned 1952-) and to present a more feminine appearance.
This crown has a broadband and four arches topped by an orb and cross. Made of gold, silver, and platinum, it is set with 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and five rubies. These include some of history’s most fabled gems: the Black Prince’s Ruby, the Cullinan II Diamond, the Stuart Sapphire, and St. Edward’s Sapphire.
ROYAL RUBY, BUT INSTEAD SPINEL
Contrary to its name, the Black Prince’s Ruby is not a ruby at all but a large, uncut spinel. According to legend, this two-inch, 170-carat, irregular cabochon was part of the spoils of war that Don Pedro, the King of Castile, took from Granada’s Muslim prince in 1367. Edward of Woodstock, the oldest son of Edward III (reigned 1327-1377), heir to the English throne and known as the Black Prince, later received the stone as payment for helping Don Pedro suppress a revolt.
Henry V (reigned 1413-1422) wore this gem on his helmet at the 1415 battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years’ War. Richard III (reigned 1483-1485) wore it when he died in the 1485 battle of Bosworth during the War of Roses. The gem is listed in Henry VIII’s 1521 crown jewel inventory as the “large ruby” set in the Tudor Crown. The gem subsequently vanished during the civil war but turned up for Charles II’s coronation in 1661.
When the Black Prince’s Ruby was mined, probably in what is now Tajikistan, most transparent, red gemstones were collectively called “rubies.” Only in 1783 did mineralogists differentiate between spinel, a
magnesium aluminum oxide, and ruby, the red gem form of corundum, or aluminum oxide. Nevertheless, the Black Prince’s Ruby retained its traditional name. At some point, the big spinel was drilled for use as a pendant. The hole is now being filled with a small, gold-sleeved ruby. Today, the Black Prince’s Ruby is set in front of the Imperial State Crown.
Just below the Black Prince’s Ruby is the Cullinan
II, a 317.4-carat, 1.8-inch-wide, cushion-cut brilliant diamond. The original Cullinan Diamond, named for Thomas Cullinan, head of the British company that mined it in the Transvaal (now South Africa) in 1905, weighed 3,106.75 carats and was the largest gem-quality diamond ever found. Transvaal’s premier purchased the stone and presented it to Edward VII (reigned 1901-1910) to mend relations with Britain following the Boer War.
The Cullinan Diamond was cut into nine principal and 96 minor gems. The two largest gems, the 530.2-carat Cullinan I, the “Star of Africa,” and the Cullinan II, the “Second Star of Africa,” are both part of the Crown Jewels. The Cullinan I is set into the Sovereign’s Scepter (discussed later).
The Stuart Sapphire is a 104-carat, 1.5-inch-long, oval-shaped cabochon. Named for the House of Stuart, it is thought to date to the 12th century but is first documented in Charles II’s 1661 inventory. Initially set below the Black Prince’s Ruby in the Imperial State Crown’s front, it was moved to the back in 1909 to make space for the Cullinan II.
St. Edward’s Sapphire, an octagonal, rose-cut stone from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), has a deep blue color but is flawed. Like the Black Prince’s Ruby, it had been drilled to wear as a pendant. Historians believe that St. Edward’s Sapphire was the cabochon in Edward the Confessor’s coronation ring, making it the oldest gem in the Crown Jewels. It was buried with Edward in 1066 at Westminster Abbey but later recovered from his tomb. The stone survived England’s civil war and was faceted in 1661.
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother’s Crown:
Made in 1937 for Queen Elizabeth, the consort of King George VI, this stylistically simple crown contains 2,800 rose-cut and brilliant diamonds in a platinum frame. Among them is the 105-carat Koh-i-nûr Diamond. Known as the “Mountain of Light,” this stone was mined from India’s River Krishna placers in Golconda during the 13th century.
The British East India Company acquired the stone in 1851 when Britain annexed India’s Punjab region and presented it to Queen Victoria (reigned 1837-1901). Recutting this flawed, asymmetrical diamond in 1852 reduced its original 186-carat weight to its present 105 carats. The diamond was added to the Crown Jewels after Queen Victoria’s death. Controversy surrounds the Koh-i-nûr; along with Britain, Iran, India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan all claim ownership.
The 17-carat Turkish diamond set below the Koh-i-nûr in the Queen Mother’s Crown was a gift from Sultan Abdul Medjid to Queen Victoria in 1856 in gratitude for Britain’s military support during the Crimean War. The cross atop this crown is set with a rock crystal replica of the teardrop-cut, 22-carat Lahore Diamond. The original Lahore Diamond is currently in Elizabeth II’s personal gem collection.
Imperial Crown of India: Widely considered to be the Crown Jewels’ most beautiful crown, the Imperial Crown of India has a frame of laminated gold and silver. Its headband and eight half-arches are set with 6,170 diamonds, nine emeralds, four rubies, and four sapphires. The rubies are from Burma (present-day Myanmar), the emeralds from Colombia, and the diamonds from India and South Africa. The primary gem is a magnificent 32-carat emerald.
This crown was made in 1911 for George V (reigned 1910-1936) in his capacity as Emperor of India, specifically for a diplomatic visit to India and to circumvent a constitutional decree that prohibits the Crown Jewels from leaving Britain. Because its cost of 60,000 ($6 million in 2020 U.S. dollars) was privately funded, it could legally accompany the monarch to India for a state ceremony. In his diary, George V found the two-pound crown uncomfortable to wear: “Rather tired after wearing my crown for three and one-half hours; it is heavy, and it hurts my head.” The Imperial Crown of India later became part of the Crown Jewels.
Sovereign’s Scepter: Part of Charles II’s regalia, the Sovereign’s Scepter, which represents the monarch’s temporal power and symbolizes good governance, is placed in the monarch’s right hand during the coronation ceremony. Thirty-six inches long and weighing 2.6 pounds, this golden scepter is set with 31 rubies, 15 emeralds, seven sapphires, six spinels, one large amethyst, and 333 diamonds—including the 530.2-carat Cullinan I, which was added in 1920. The gem value of the Cullinan I alone is currently estimated at between $500 million and $2 billion.
Sovereign’s Ring: Made for William IV’s coronation (reigned 1830-1837), this ring features a step-cut octagonal sapphire inset with four rectangular rubies and one square ruby to form the cross of St. George. Fourteen cushion-cut diamonds border the sapphire.
Sovereign’s Orb: This 6.4-inch-diameter, 42-ounce,
hollow gold sphere is set with 600 gems and pearls, including 18 rubies, nine emeralds, nine sapphires, 365 rose-cut diamonds, and one octagonal, step-cut amethyst. Pearl-encrusted bands divide the orb into three sections to represent the three continents that were known in medieval times. During the coronation ceremony, the orb, surmounted by a cross that symbolizes the Christian world, is placed in the monarch’s left hand.
Sword of Offering: Made for the coronation of George IV (reigned 1820-1830), the Sword of Offering has an engraved, Damascus-steel blade that is partly blued and partly gilded, as well as an elaborately sculpted, gem-encrusted, golden hilt. The scabbard of gold-gilded leather is set with 1,251 diamonds, 16 rubies, 12 emeralds, two sapphires, and two turquoises in patterns symbolizing the English rose, the Irish shamrock, and the Scottish thistle. The Sword of Offering signifies the monarch’s roles as Defender of the British armed forces’ Faith and commander-in-chief.
CROWN JEWELS REVEAL INNOVATION
The Crown Jewels reflect centuries of advancement in gem-cutting. Until the 15th century CE, gemstones had been merely polished, roughly shaped, or cut as cabochons. Symmetrical faceting appeared in France and the Netherlands about 1450. The first popular faceting styles were the rose cut and the step cut.
Rose-cut gems have a flat back and a dome of large, triangular facets terminating in a single apex. Although not particularly brilliant, rose-cut gems were well suited for mounting on the flat surfaces of crowns and other royal regalia. Step-cut gems have a large, flat table and long, parallel, rectangular facets above the girdle.
The older Crown Jewels, including the Black Prince’s Ruby and the Stuart Sapphire, are shaped and polished but not faceted, while gems added to the Crown Jewels from 1661 through the mid-1800s are mostly rose-cut or step-cut. Modern symmetrical faceting appears in gems cut after the late 1800s, such as the Cullinan I and Cullinan II diamonds.
Most gems in the Crown Jewels came from former British possessions, including India and South Africa (diamonds), Ceylon (colored gemstones), and Burma (rubies). Geopolitics was advantageous in acquiring many of the Crown Jewel gems; nevertheless, building this gem collection was a remarkable achievement considering that most of the stones were obtained from distant sources long before the advent of industrial gemstone mining.
That British royal tastes lean almost exclusively toward transparent gems is readily apparent. Apart from pearls, the only opaque gems in the Crown Jewels are a few turquoises. Absent are such gem materials as opal, lapis lazuli, and jade, even though their primary sources—Australia, Afghanistan, and Burma (now Myanmar), respectively—were once British possessions.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Further information about the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom is available on the Royal Collection Trust website at www.rct.uk/collection. A good print source is The Crown Jewels: The Official Illustrated History by Anna Keay (Thomas & Hudson Ltd., London, 2012). While this beautifully illustrated book provides much historical and cultural information, it does not offer much gemological detail.
The official repository of the Crown Jewels is the Jewel House in the Tower of London in central London. In their current display setting, the Crown Jewels, protected by bomb-proof glass, surveillance cameras, and armed military guards, are viewed by more than 2.5 million visitors annually in public tours that last about one hour.
The Crown Jewels can be seen every day except the Christmas and New Year holidays, and protective measures in line with COVID-19 precautionary measures are in place. Adult admission to the Tower of London, including the Jewel House, is $32.33 — a bargain for the experience of viewing the world’s greatest gem collection.