The study of jewelry can be one of the most fascinating areas of study. To truly appreciate it, one must understand everything from the different geological phenomena miles beneath the surface of the earth to produce such wonders as rubies and diamonds, to the social and economic intricacies of the time that influenced how people adorned themselves. Jewelry is a study of science, art, history—everything. One of the first places people turn to when learning about the evolution of jewelry is the monarchies of the world. Through letters, paintings, and civil wars, royal families provide us with a deeper knowledge of jewelry and its place in the world.

There is perhaps no royal family alive today as famous as that of the Royal House of Windsor. The British Royal Family has one of the most extensive jewelry collections in the world. Much of the collection we’ve seen today were acquired during Queen Mary’s reign. One of the most iconic pieces of jewelry from her collection was the Fringe Tiara. Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne both wore The Queen Mary Fringe Tiara on their wedding days, and Her Majesty most recently loaned the piece to her granddaughter, Princess Beatrice of York, for her socially-distanced wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020. The diamonds of this tiara, however, go back much farther than that; they were originally part of a necklace that Queen Victoria had made and given to Mary as a wedding gift in 1893. The avid jewelry collector, Queen Mary, had the necklace taken apart and made into the Fringe Tiara, to resemble those made popular by the imperial court of the Romanovs.

The quick and violent fall of the Romanov family in Russia saw a huge dispersion of the empire’s greatest jewels and treasures. Historians are still attempting to track down what happened to most of them, which were largely looted. Among the treasures that remain in the country is the Imperial Crown of Russia, a crown thought to be so valuable that its replica alone, which travels the globe as a part of museum exhibitions, is worth $15.1 million in material value. One particularly striking pearl drop tiara known as “the Russian Beauty” found its way into many great hands after the fall of the Russian empire. It went from Empress of Russia Marie Feodorovna, to the 9th Duke of Marlborough, to the First Lady of the Philippines, to eventually fall into the hands of the Philippine authorities when the presidential family fled to Hawaii. It is much hoped that the tiara remains in the possession of the current Filipino government and that it will one day make its way back to the public eye. Another item from the collection of Marie Feodorovna may have wound up in the possession of the British royal family. A diamond and pearl choker with a geometric sapphire and diamond was allegedly purchased by Queen Mary and has been seen on Queen Elizabeth II’s daughter, Princess Anne, on occasions such as the gala on the eve of Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton. 

There is much myth and lore surrounding jewelry, none perhaps as consequential as that of the discovery of the New World. Tale after tale has emerged of how Queen Isabella of Spain sold her precious royal jewels to fund the expedition of Christopher Columbus. Historians largely agree that this did not occur, as the Spanish had a large treasury at the time, but it painted the monarch as a passionate queen who believed in the journey west. In reality, much of Queen Isabella’s jewelry remains in Spain today, and much more was created upon the discovery of gold, silver, and valuable spices in South America.  The Spanish acquired great wealth as a result of the settlement of the New World, wealth whose remnants can still be seen today in the collection of jewelry amassed by the Spanish royal family. 

Amethysts were valued higher than diamonds for both their color and their rarity. Amethysts can be found on many Crown Jewels including the Napoleonic Amethyst Parure Tiara, today belonging to the Swedish Royal family. The Swedish Royal Family was put in place by Emperor Napoleon, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, one of Napoleon’s military leaders who ultimately was elected King of Sweden. The Swedish Royal Family has a vast collection of jewels dating back to the Napoleonic Empire. This stunning Napoleonic Amethyst Parure Tiarae was also once gifted to Empress Josephine by Emperor Napoleon.

Few have had as many jewels or started as many jewelry trends as royalty. True jewelry collectors can appreciate both the rare natural phenomena behind the creation of the stones used, the craftsmanship of the goldsmiths, and, quite importantly, the history of civilizations past that led the jewelry world to where it is today.

To celebrate March’s birthstone, our specialists are excited to share some of the finest aquamarine jewels—from a large range of style periods—to have passed through our auctions. 

The name “aquamarine” is derived from Latin, meaning “sea water.” It is a blue colored beryl stone that has been prized by collectors and jewelry craftsmen for its transparency and serene blue-green color. The rough crystals are relatively clean, with hardly any inclusions or markings appearing in finished gems—truly giving it the pure nature of a drop of water.     

Tony Duquette Aquamarine and Cultured Pearl Cuff

Why we love it:

An American artist that has been celebrated for his stage and film designs, Tony Duquette sure knows how to bring drama to his jewels. Crafted in 18K white gold, featuring three cut-cornered aquamarines weighing a total of approximately 130 carats, the statement cuff looks as if it could have belonged to one of the many fantastical characters in Duquette’s many productions. With the luster from the black pearl accents, Duquette adds the perfect touch to complete the magical look of this underwater-themed masterpiece.

The gorgeous piece achieved $17,500 at FORTUNA®’s past Important Jewels auction.

Buccellati Aquamarine Ring

Why we love it:

Buccellati has long been admired for their superior mastery of gold metalwork, creating stunning brushed textures likened to silk or linen cloth. The fine craftsmanship behind the textured foliage ring mount creates the perfect home for this startling 22.37-carat cushion step-cut aquamarine. This center stone is exceptional in both color and clarity, even amongst most other aquamarine stones.

The fine ring achieved $28,800 at auction, far surpassing its pre-sale estimate of $6,000–$8,000 in FORTUNA®’s February Fine Jewels auction.

Antique Large Aquamarine and Diamond Pendant Necklace

Why we love it:

Quite possibly dating back to the Edwardian era, this antique pendant encapsulates all the elegance and charm seen in the courts of the early 20th century. Crafted in platinum—a fine metal that was heavily utilized in Edwardian jewelry—this delicate pendant features a large 65-carat pear-shaped aquamarine, accented by antique diamonds ranging from Old European-cuts, single-cuts, and rose-cuts.

This gorgeous antiquity achieved $10,000 at FORTUNA’s Fine Jewels auction.  

The year 2020 has been an interesting one to say the least; but the year is not without its victories and we have you to thank for that! The global pandemic put everything in perspective, and here at FORTUNA®, we wanted to focus our efforts in reaching you directly, and creating the best content imaginable so you could feel confident in your purchases. It’s quite appropriate that in the year 2020, we managed to reach 20K followers (and growing) on Instagram! We are thrilled you love our content as much as we love creating it for you, so here is a look back at some of our top social media posts of 2020.

6.76-Carat Emerald & Diamond Ring

Our top social media post of 2020 came shortly after reaching the 10K follower mark and right before Labor Day weekend, with over 5.1K “Likes” and counting. Emeralds have always been a favorite of FORTUNA’s Instagram and Facebook audience, but this 6.76-Carat Emerald and Diamond Ring stood out amongst them all—going on to achieve $25,000 at FORTUNA’s August Jewels & Watches auction. The ring is quite reminiscent of the spectacular engagement ring in the film “Crazy Rich Asians”—a resemblance our followers, old and new, were quick to point out in the comments section!

Cartier Rubellite & Diamond Ring

Our social media followers share our love of deep-colored gemstones. This Cartier Rubellite and Diamond Ring didn’t just make it big on social media with almost 4K likes, it also made it big on auction day. The beautiful ring, which had a starting bid of only $3,250, went on to achieve $22,500 on auction day!

Tiffany & Co. Art Deco Aquamarine & Diamond Ring

It’s hard to find a piece that has quite so much going for it as this Tiffany & Co. Art Deco Aquamarine and Diamond Ring. Lovers of colored gemstones, admirers of the Art Deco style that characterized the Roaring Twenties, and fans of the British Royal Family can all find what they’re looking for in this beautiful ring. With a starting bid of $4,500—and over 3.9K likes on social—this beautiful ring achieved $11,250 on auction day.

Art Deco Jaeger-LeCoultre Diamond Ladies Watch

Approval of the British monarchy is at an all-time high, so it’s no surprise that our bidders fawn over their more famous looks. This Art Deco Jaeger-Lecoultre Diamond Ladies Watch in Platinum holds the same mechanical watch movement that Queen Elizabeth II wore on her coronation day and is similarly set in an exquisite diamond bracelet. The beautiful watch got over 3K likes and many big bids, bringing it from its starting bid of $8,500 to its total achieved price of $37,500 in our October Jewels & Watches sale.

Aletto Brothers Fine Sapphire & Diamond Ring

Our followers sure do love rings! This Aletto Brothers Fine Sapphire and Diamond Ring was our fifth top post of 2020—though we have a feeling it may be pushed out of that place soon. After all, we have plenty of content in store with all the exciting auctions we have on the horizon. This ring, however, is perfectly worthy of the spot with nearly 3K likes, 34 comments, and endless glisten!

Thank you to everyone for making 2020 so special. Your support is especially significant to us, now more than ever, and we genuinely look forward to bringing you more beautiful jewels and watches in 2021.

Behind the stunning aesthetic of these five infamous jewels lies a sinister past. Passed down through the centuries, these jewels have left a trail of destruction and death in their wake, leading many to believe they are cursed. Explore the storied pasts of the five gems known as the most beautiful and dangerous jewels in history.