Royal Imperial Aqua Earrings

This set of jewellery is inspired by the pearls, diamonds and colours of stones and shapes appearing around the Imperial State Crown. The best known of all the crowns, the present Imperial State Crown was originally designed and made for Queen Victoria's Coronation in 1838 by Rundell, Bridge and Rundell, the Crown Jewellers. This crown was used at the Coronation of King Edward VII and King George V. It was remade with practically the same stones for King George VI in 1937. For the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 the shapes of the arches were altered to reduce the height. The jewels symbolise a lot more than precious stones, they represent virtues that a monarch should have. Pearls represent divine power, sapphires symbolise purity, chastity and sincerity and diamonds represent power, strength and courage.

The crown itself is mounted in gold and silver. It weighs 2 pounds 13 ounces and is set with 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 5 rubies and 273 pearls. The most important and mystical of these stones is St Edward's Sapphire. This is a square sapphire set in the top cross. This sapphire is said to have been taken from a ring found on the finger of Edward the Confessor by Abbot Lawrence on 13th October 1163, when the body was being reinterred in Westminster Abbey. Henry II was present at the time. It was presented to the King has been used by the Monarch ever since.

Measurements

Each earring measures 1.6cm(0.6in) in width by 3.5cm(1.4) in height.

Weight: approximately 10g per earring