Imperial State Crown Cross Ring

Imperial State Crown Cross Ring
This ring is inspired by the motif appearing just above the lower band of 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 2,868 , 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 5 rubies and 273 pearls. The most important and mystical of these stones are, 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, and it has been used by the Monarch ever since.