Foreign buyers flock to Garrards to purchase an iconic design

TLLK · January 14, 2017, 09:47:56 PM

Chinese and Russians queue up for replica of Princess Diana's sapphire and diamond engagement ring

The firm makes it clear that they're not making an exact copy of the original, but the new ones are similar and very popular. :)

Duch_Luver_4ever · January 15, 2017, 05:00:22 AM

Well, its close-ish, im no jewelry expert being a guy, but I dont like the metal surrounding the diamonds(are they real, i didnt read). Maybe thats an odd thing to pick out, idk, but theres just something about the original, that cant be copied (even though the original one was ordered off catalogue).

royalanthropologist · January 15, 2017, 06:59:35 PM

I don't know. I have always thought that was a ring of doom. Apparently Diana was asked to pick out what she wanted from a set with no input from her husband. The mother-in-law paid the bill. Sounds romantic...NOT. Just says it all really about the foundation of that marriage.

Duch_Luver_4ever · January 16, 2017, 04:46:28 AM

Very true on the romantic aspect of the rings origin, and its foreshadowing of events, in hindsight. IDK if it should have been thrown in a volcano or not, but its so entwined with its original owner, I tend to have more happy memories of her, rather than it reminding me of the result of the marriage, which I guess it should, considering the rings purpose, but whatta ya gonna do^^.

royalanthropologist · January 16, 2017, 07:12:22 AM

Interestingly despite its rather tragic origin, the ring is beautiful. It seems just right for Diana, a bit like the lover's Knot tiara. I don't think Diana could have carried off some of the big architectural pieces that Camilla likes. She seemed somewhat like a young princess whereas Camilla reminds me of an older wealthy Dowager. In any case I hope it gives pleasure to those who bought it.

michelle0187 · January 16, 2017, 04:26:24 PM

I don't think l like the replica. It looks like the Victorian era rings which I'm not a big fan of. The design of the original looked too plain. And i heard di didn't like the ring very much. Imo I would go for a ring that's worth staring at.

Duch_Luver_4ever · January 16, 2017, 05:26:08 PM

Well with what @royalanthropologist was saying with the pieces, yes the ring suited her with her blue eyes, the romantic Victorian era design fitting in with that whole new romantic movement in the early 80s, so it was a fortunate mix of reinforcing events.

True as a young woman she looked best in flowing rounded tiaras to play up her feminine lines in her hair and face. I find the Spencer family tiara the best in terms of going well with her.

As for "carrying off" the pieces Camilla wears now, well its a bit of apples and oranges. Most of the pieces Camilla wears now are from the QM which either by design or by association of being owned by her would be thought of as more suitable for an older woman and more formal. Also we didnt get to see what Camilla would look like in those pieces back in her 30s, so it might be a case of "growing into them" so to speak.

As an example, we had on one of the threads @TLLK and I were talking about the honeysuckle tiara the Spencers own, there's very few pics of Diana in it, ive only seen one, and you can tell that she's too young for it. Although she had her more formal swept up hair that she heat for on the Parliament opening, her face is too young for it. It would be interesting if she'd lived & been married what she'd have looked like in the QM tiaras, and if she'd have say changed out some of the gems for sapphires, etc?

royalanthropologist · January 16, 2017, 11:33:30 PM

Had she lived/not been divorced, I think Diana would have looked sensational in the George VI sapphire parue as well as the grand duchess Vladimir tiara or even the Aquamarine parue which does not like quite right on the queen. She was a very modern princess so I am sure she would play about with some of the designs. The Windsor jewels are quite grand but not always on point when it comes to design. For example I happen to think that there is something not quite right about the queen's ruby tiara.

I also find it strange that QEII is super stringent with her daughter and daughter's in law when it comes to jewels. As a result the full set is gathering dust while she focuses on a few favored pieces. Why not share like other monarchies do? Makes you wonder whether the queen is not a difficult mother in law underneath the calm exterior