The passing jewels represent a group of jewels gathered by the Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain, are linked to the Head of the Royal House of Spain, and are worn in turn by the Queens of that nation. Queen Victoria, before she died, wrote in her will that she would leave some of her valuable jewels as the property of her descendants. Although after the death of Queen Victoria Eugenie In 1969, these jewels fell into the hands of the Count of Barcelona and were used by his wife, however, they never came to reign.
Queen Victoria Eugenia gave birth to a collection of jewels for the queens of Spain to use and enjoy, but the idea was not for them to be dispersed among the heirs, as has happened. In total the jewels are few, but significant and extremely important. It was the Countess of Barcelona herself who gave them the definition of passing jewels. Once Queen Victoria Eugenia handed over her historical pieces upon her death to her husband, King Alfonso XIII. These jewels were to be passed from Queen to Queen, alluding to what Queen Victoria left written in her will.
During her lifetime, Queen Victoria dedicated herself to collecting this considerable quantity of valuable jewels, some more emblematic and valuable than others, but all with the same purpose of being awarded to the current monarchs of the Spanish Kingdom. Going through the list of Queen Victoria Eugenia jewelry We will see all these valuable jewels that represent history and power in turn.
The first one that overflows all its splendor is the aforementioned, Diadema de las lises, the most representative piece among all those in the collection. Its creation was in the year 1906 by the Spanish firm Ansorena. Made of platinum and diamonds in the shape of a basket with hinges that allow it to be open or closed. The valuable diadem represents the fleurs-de-lys, emblem of the Bourbons, joined with diamond-shaped leaves, by scrolls and decreasing waves. It is very special, so much so that only queens wear it.
Another of the jewels is the Diadema de Cartier, it was created and designed by Cartier in 1920 for the sovereign Victoria Eugenia of Spain, it was adorned with diamonds and seven huge pearls, on platinum as its base. Six of the pearls in each vegetal scroll and embraced by circles of diamonds, and the seventh pearl crowning the diadem. The first modification of the tiara happened when it was received by Queen Victoria Eugenia, as a gift from her godmother, Empress Eugenia of France, and they placed emeralds on it, which would first be embedded by Ansorena and then by Cartier.
In this modification, the pearl that crowned it was removed and the rest of the pearls would be changed to emeralds. In exile, Queen Victoria would sell the emeralds, and the tiara would again be seen with the pearls, getting the look it originally wore, but without the top pearl. The Tiara, when the queen died, remained in the hands of her daughter, the infanta María Cristina de Borbón y Battenberg. King Juan Carlos then reached an agreement with his aunt, María Cristina, and would buy her the Cartier Tiara.
These valuable pieces are followed by a Russian Pearl Necklace. Which is also one of the most expensive pieces of the real jewelry box. It was Alfonso XII’s gift to María de las Mercedes, who died of typhus at the age of 18, five months after her wedding. Later, Queen Victoria Eugenia would say many years later that this jewel “only a queen could wear”. The necklace originally had 41 thick pearls and a diamond brooch, later, Victoria Eugenia reduced it to 37, in order to adapt it to the taste of the time. The Sovereign would wear it on her wedding day.
The following is the Diadema de la Chata, which was created by order of Isabel II, for the wedding of her daughter the Infanta María Isabel with Prince Cayetano María de Borbón-Dos Sicilia, at the Mellerio jewelry store, Paris in 1867. It is known as the shell diadem for its shell-shaped ornaments, thus representing the sea through the shells and the foam of the waves by the succession of pear-shaped pearls.
An extremely brilliant and elegant necklace continues, El Collar de Chatones, a piece that was also worn by Queen Victoria Eugenia at her marriage. When she died, she left two chaton necklaces, the first, which she herself refers to as the largest, was obtained by Alfonso XIII on her wedding day. The piece would be inherited by her son Don Juan and later her grandson King Juan Carlos. This necklace also made by Ansorena, who designed it from a choker of 30 round carved chatons, set in the Russian style and placed on a platinum base.
The second was of smaller proportions with 27 diamonds, it was given by inheritance to Don Jaime and auctioned by his widow in 1982. The jewel was acquired by a person very close to the Royal Family of Spain. Along with some brilliant buttons, which are referred to as non-hanging earrings, likewise attributed as Ansorena’s creation, and which go together with the chaton necklace.
It is followed by the jewel called, Tiara de la Reina María Cristina and as its name indicates, it belonged to Queen María Cristina, wife of King Alfonso XII and Archduchess of the Austrian Empire, she would wear it for the first time in 1906. After her death , inherits the jewel his son, King Alfonso XIII, who, in turn, and motivated by the marriage of his son, Don Juan, with Doña María de las Mercedes, gives it to his daughter-in-law in 1935. The diadem It is crowned by two rows of fourteen pearls and has the shape of an inverted teardrop.
One of the most mysterious and rare jewels ever seen, La Peregrina, is a pearl of strange brightness and unusual size that was discovered in the Gulf of Panama in 1569. It was acquired by King Felipe II of Spain, thus adding to the collection of jewels, belonging to the Crown of Spain. Placed in a large gray Brooch, with diamonds around it, from which the large Pearl usually hangs. Then we see the two exact diamond bracelets, from Cartier’s hand, coming from a small crown which he got rid of in these two pieces, because of how uncomfortable it was.
Last but not least, we find four short strands of large pearls that Queen Victoria Eugenia used to wear very often. Thus completing one of the most valuable jewelery collections in the world, which, nothing more and nothing less, are in the hands of the current Spanish crown, and we see them being exhibited by Queen Letizia in all her important meetings.