British Royal Jewels: Cullinan III and IV Brooch (Granny's Chips)

The brooch consists of the third and fourth largest stones cut from the great Cullinan– the largest diamond ever found. Cullinan III is a 94.4-carat pear-shaped diamond, while Cullinan IV is a 63.6-carat cushion shaped Cullinan IV.

Cullinans III and IV Brooch (Granny's Chips)

After the Cullinan was cut into smaller pieces, two of the largest stones – Cullinan I and Cullinan II – were officially presented to King Edward VII (a gift from the Government of Transvaal). The King also purchased Cullinan VI in a separate transaction for his wife, Queen Alexandra.

The remaining numbered stones (Cullinans III, IV, V, VII, VIII and IX), along with 96 smaller stones remains with the Asscher as a commission. In 1910, the South African Government acquired the stones and presented them to Queen Mary.

Queen Mary's Crown and its detachable Coronet set with Cullinans III and IV

In 1911, Queen Mary had Cullinan III and Cullinan mounted in lattice-work settings by Carringtons. They were then temporarily set into her new crown made by Garrard for the coronation. Thus, at the 1911 coronation Queen Mary’s Crown contained three historic diamonds - the Koh-i-Noor, Cullinan III and Cullinan IV. 

After the coronation, these stones were replaced with quartz crystal replicas so that the jewels could be used in alternative settings. The Koh-i-Noor was later used for the Crown of Queen Elizabeth (The Queen Mother), while Cullinan III and IV were set as a brooch.

Queen Mary wearing Cullinan III and IV in her Crown (left), Coronet (2nd left), Delhi Durbar Tiara (2nd right), and as a brooch suspended from the Coronation necklace, together  with Cullinans I and II in a brooch setting (left)

Mary found a number of other uses for the stones as well. The Delhi Durbar Tiara was adapted in 1911 to be able to take both stones, when required. Queen Mary often used Cullinan III as a pendant to her Coronation Necklace (in place of the Lahore Diamond) and at least once wore Cullinan III and IV as a pendant to the necklace, with Cullinan I and II worn as a brooch. 

Nevertheless, the two diamonds were most often worn hooked together as a pendant brooch. Queen Mary loved this brooch (her “chips”, as she referred to them) for important events of official portraits. Probably one of the most memorable occasions Mary wore the brooch to was the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh in 1947.

Queen Elizabeth wearing "Granny's Chips" throughout her reign

Upon Queen Mary’s death in 1953, Queen Elizabeth inherited most of her vast jewellery collection, including this brooch. Because of its substantial weight, the brooch is not the most comfortable one to wear and the Queen has done so only a handful of times throughout her reign. The last time the brooch was worn was during Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012. 

The first time Elizabeth II wore Cullinans III and IV Brooch was for a visit to the Asscher Company in 1958, during a state visit to the Netherlands. Joseph Asscher – the man who was tasked with cutting the Cullinan diamond – was already dead by the time of Queen Elizabeth’s visit; however, his younger brother, Louis Asscher (who had also been present during the cutting of the original Cullinan stone) was there. The Queen unpinned the brooch and handed it to him for a closer inspection; the elderly man, nearly blind by the time, was deeply moved by Queen Elizabeth's thoughtfulness. That's also when Queen Elizabeth was heard referring to the stones as “Granny’s Chips” – a name it is now most commonly known under.

Queen Elizabeth during a visit to the Royal Asscher's in Amsterdam

The brooch was put on display in the new Queen’s Gallery from 2002. The stunning piece of jewellery, which has a combined weight of 158 carats, is now believed to be the single most valuable brooch in the world with a value of over £50,000,000 – and that without taking into consideration its historic value and significance which makes it very nearly priceless. 

To read more about the fascinating story of the uncut diamond, have a look at this article - Day in History: The world’s largest diamond ever, the Cullinan, is found.

Sources and photo credits: Royal Collection, “Diamond: A Journey to the Heart of an Obsession” by Matthew Hart, “The Queen’s Diamonds” by Hugh Roberts, "The Queen's Jewels" by Leslie Field