Requests Sunday: Empress Maria Feodorovna's Sapphire Parure

As promised, today I present you the most requested piece ever since I started this blog. Hope you'll enjoy it!

Empress Maria Feodorovna's Sapphire Parure

The Romanovs had one of the most impressive jewellery collections of all times. None of the current Houses, not even the British one, can match the splendour of the Romanov Court. One of the most interesting and, unfortunately, mysterious parures belonged to Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia, wife of Alexander III and mother of Nicholas II. 

The Empress is depicted wearing this parure (most of it anyway) of the famous portrait by Konstantin Makovsky. The sketch for the portrait was actually drawn at the wedding celebrations of Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, the daughter of Emperor Alexander II (and thus Maria Feodorovna’s sister-in-law) who married Prince Alfred, the son of Queen Victoria. 

Maria Feodorovna wearing her sapphire parure

Italian Royal Jewels: Queen Margherita of Savoy's Emerald Parure

One of my favourite emerald sets of all times has to be Queen Margherita of Savoy's emerald parure.

Parts of the original parure: the necklace (with detachable centrepiece), the devant de corsage, and the earrings

This gorgeous parure may no longer be in one piece and indeed, no longer with the House of Savoy, but we can still admire its exquisite beauty. It is notable also notable for its historical value, the emeralds of amazing quality, and the somewhat unusual combination of emeralds, diamonds and pearls.

The parure made its way into Savoy jewellery collection as part of a marriage settlement: in 1841, King Charles Albert of Sardinia acquired the set from Viennese jeweller Delsotto for the marriage settlement between Archduchess Maria Adelaide of Austria (future Queen Adelaide) and his son, the Duke of Savoy (future King Victor Emamanuel II). 

Dutch Royal Jewels: The Mellerio Ruby Parure

The Dutch Royals have arguably the best collection of ruby jewellery the European Royal Houses. Apart from various separate jewels, they actually have two complete ruby parures – the Peacock Parure and this Mellerio Ruby Parure.

The Mellerio Ruby Tiara

In 1889, King Willem III commissioned Mellerio to create a parure as a 30th birthday present to his second wife, Queen Emma. Originally, the French jeweller intended to use sapphires but in the end it was decided that rubies would look more fetching with the general design.