Origin of Name
The three components, the pearl and diamond necklace,
the pearl and diamond pendant and the pearl and diamond ear clips,
formed a suite of jewelry that was commonly worn by the Duchess of
Windsor, complementing her fashionable wardrobe, during the almost four
decades she had owned them. The jewelry pieces, particularly the
single-strand natural pearl and diamond necklace and the natural pearl
and diamond pendant, came to be closely identified with the Duchess of
Windsor, as she had been photographed wearing them on numerous
occasions. Thus the appellation Duchess of Windsor added to the pearl
and diamond necklace, pendant and ear-clips seem to be more than amply
justified, reflecting its unique provenance. However, before the Duchess
of Windsor came to own the natural pearl and diamond necklace, a signature piece
from Cartier's of Paris, it originally belonged to Queen Mary, the Queen
consort of King George V of the United Kingdom, the British Dominions
and the Emperor of India. Queen Mary, who became famous for superbly
bejeweling herself for formal occasions, and had a great passion for
collecting jewels and jewelry, gifted the single-strand pearl and
diamond necklace to her son, the Duke of Windsor, who in turn gifted it
to his beloved paramour, the twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson,
after his marriage to her in 1937 following his abdication as King of
the United Kingdom. Wallis Simpson assumed the title Duchess of Windsor
after her marriage to Edward, the Duke of Windsor. Thus the modification
of the name to "Duchess of Windsor/Queen Mary" gives a true reflection
of the provenance of the celebrated jewelry pieces.
Characteristics of
the necklace, pendant and ear-clips
1) Single-Strand
Natural Pearl and Diamond Necklace
The single-strand natural pearl and diamond necklace
is a signature piece of Cartier's of Paris, designed and executed by the
company for Queen Mary of Teck, during the reign of her husband King
George V, from 1910 to 1936. The necklace is composed of 28 natural
pearls ranging in size from approximately 9.2 mm to 16.8 mm. The length
of the necklace is 14 inches, which under the modern system of
classification of necklaces, adopted by Mikimoto, based on their length,
falls under a "choker." (see table below)
Mikimoto's
classification of pearl necklaces based on the length of the strand
| S/N |
Length of strand in inches |
Category |
| 1 |
10"-13" |
Collar |
| 2 |
14"-16" |
Choker |
| 3 |
18"-20" |
Princess |
| 4 |
20"-24" |
Matinee |
| 5 |
28"-34" |
Opera |
|
6 |
>37" |
Rope |
Queen Mary/ Duchess of Windsor Pearl and Diamond
Necklace
A close examination of the pearls show that, the
shape of the pearls vary from round to near-round, button, oval and
near-baroque. The variety of shapes found in the necklace is a strong
evidence for the natural provenance of the pearls in the necklace. The
color of the pearls are white. The luster and orient of the pearls are
characteristic of natural saltwater pearls, associated with their thick
nacre. The clasp of the emerald which bears the signature of Cartier,
Paris, is oval in shape, and set with two emerald-cut diamonds, weighing
approximately 2 carats and two fancy-shaped diamonds, weighing
approximately one carat, surrounded by 20 small round single-cut
diamonds, weighing approximately 0.70 carat.
2) Natural Pearl and
Diamond Pendant
This is another piece created by Cartier of Paris,
for the Duke of Windsor in 1950, who gifted it to his beloved wife the
Duchess of Windsor. The Duke showered his wife from time to time with
pieces of jewelry like this, that kept alive their love and devotion to
each other until his death in 1972. Such pieces of jewelry are a silent
testimony to the greatest love story of the 2Oth century, that baffled
the entire world.
The Duchess of Windsor Pearl and Diamond Pendant
The pendant consists of a large natural almost
drop-shaped (slightly baroque) pearl, weighing 190.60 grains equivalent
to 47.65 carats or 9.53 grams and having a diameter of approximately 18.4 mm.
The pearl is drilled at the top and fitted with a bell cap, set with
round single-cut diamonds, to which is attached a detachable,
stirrup-shaped, diamond-set pendant fitting. The pendant was usually
worn as a drop, on the above single-strand natural pearl and diamond
necklace.
3) Natural Pearl and
Diamond Earclips
The piece consisted of a pair of black and
white natural pearl and diamond earclips, designed and executed by Van
Cleef & Arpels of New York, in 1957. The Duke of Windsor purchased the
piece from Van Cleef & Arpels, the following year i.e. in 1958. The
centerpiece of the earclips mounted in white gold, are a perfectly
spherical black pearl with a diameter of 18.2 mm and another spherical
white pearl with a diameter of 18.1 mm. The pearls are surrounded by 32
pear-shaped and 64 rounded diamonds, with a total weight of
approximately 9.25 carats.
Duchess of Windsor Black and White Natural Pearl and
Diamond Ear Clips
History of the
Duchess of Windsor Pearl and Diamond Necklace, Pendant and Ear Clips
The source of the
pearls in the pieces of jewelry
The traditional
sources of natural saltwater pearls and reasons for the collapse of the
natural pearl industry in these regions.
Out of the three pieces of jewelry, the single-strand
natural pearl and diamond necklace has the oldest provenance, ascribed
to the period of Queen Mary of Teck (1910-1936), and designed by
Cartier's of Paris. The other two pieces are of relatively recent
origin, the pearl and diamond pendant originating in 1950 and the pearl
and diamond earclips in 1957. Given the period of origin of these
jewelry pieces, it is difficult to predict the source of the pearls, as
most of the traditional sources of natural pearls had been exhausted and
abandoned by then. In the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, one of the most
ancient sources of natural pearls in the world, the natural pearl
industry collapsed in the 1920-1930s, due to the twin effects of large
scale production of cultured pearls by Japan and the depression. In the
Gulf of Mannar, between India and Sri Lanka, another ancient
source of pearls, the natural pearl industry collapsed in the early
1900s due to overexploitation by the British colonialists, and the final
death blow given by Mikimoto. The pearl industry of the New World,
centered around Venezuela, Colombia and Panama, which was very vibrant
following the discovery of pearls by Columbus in Venezuela in 1498,
during his third voyage, was totally exhausted by 1650, within a period
of only 150 years, due to overexploitation by the Spanish colonialists.
The natural pearl industry of western and northwestern Australia, a by
product of the lucrative mother-of-pearl industry centered around the
town of Broome, collapsed in the 1930s due to the twin effects of
depression followed by World War II. The mother-of-pearl industry
recovered after World War II, but collapsed totally in the mid-1950s
following the manufacture of cheap plastic buttons.
Was Western
Australia the possible source of the pearls in the Duchess of Windsor
Pearl and Diamond Necklace ?
Thus based on the above information, a possible
source of the natural pearls in the single-strand pearl and diamond
necklace is western Australia, where a natural pearl industry survived
until the 1930s and after World War II, up to mid-1950s. These natural
pearls were derived from the oyster species Pinctada maxima, the
silver-lipped pearl oyster commonly found in the pearl beds off the
coast of western and northern Australia. The same species is found in
the other countries of the region situated in the South Sea, such as
Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and southern China, and the
pearls produced are known as South Sea pearls. The larger size of the
natural pearls in the necklace ranging from 9.2 mm to 16.8 mm, seem to
confirm this viewpoint, as South Sea pearls produced naturally or by
culturing are the largest pearls in the world. This is attributed to the
larger size of the pearl oyster, reaching a maximum size of 12 inches
(30 cm). In keeping with the larger size of the oyster, the gonads,
inside which the pearls grow are also large, enabling larger pearls to
grow inside the oyster. The color of the pearls in the necklace are
silvery-white, which also seem to agree with the range of colors found
in South Sea pearls, such as silver, silver-white, silver-pink, cream
and yellow. However, it is not known whether the pearls possess the
deep satin-luster characteristic of South Sea pearls.
Other possible
sources of the pearls ?
In the alternative, it is also possible that the
pearls used in the necklace and other jewelry pieces, were pearls
already harvested from the traditional sources when they were in active
production, but subsequently stored either as loose gemstones or set in
some form of jewelry. If it was so the pearls could have originated in
any one of the traditional sources listed above, with the Persian Gulf,
being the most likely source.
Queen Mary of Teck a
great connoisseur and collector of jewels. The Duchess of Windsor pearl
and diamond necklace was part of her valuable collection of jewels.
Queen Mary of Teck, the queen of the United Kingdom,
the British Dominions and the Empress of India, during the reign
of her husband King George V (1910-1936), developed a great passion for
collecting objects of art, jewels and jewelry, and other objects with a
royal provenance, such as porcelain, cameos, royal seals, Faberge
animals and eggs, jeweled fans, gold boxes encrusted with jewels etc.
She is credited with transforming the British Royal Family's jewel
collection, both the crown jewels and the personal jewelry collection,
into one of the greatest jewelry collections in the world. Among the
notable jewelry collections she acquired were the Romanov jewels, that
once belonged to Russia's Dowager Empress Marie Feodrovna, mother of
Czar Nicholas II, the last Czar of Russia, and sister of England's Queen
Alexandra, and jewels belonging to Grand Duchess Maria Vladimir
Alexandrovich, the aunt of Czar Nicholas II. The Queen became famous for
superbly bejeweling herself for formal occasions, and her crowning
moment of glory came when she was hailed as the most spectacular royal
guest at the wedding of Kaiser Wilhelm's daughter in 1913, which she
attended heavily bedecked with jewelry. She also owned some spectacular
pieces of pearl jewelry, that included the famous Cambridge Lovers Knot
Tiara. The Duchess of Windsor pearl and diamond necklace was also part
of her valuable pearl jewelry collection, which she later gave to her
eldest son Edward, who ascended the throne of the United Kingdom as
Edward VIII.
King Edward VIII- A
short biography
From the time of
his birth until his assumption of the title of Prince of Wales
Edward, who was born on June 23, 1894 in Richmond,
Surrey, was the eldest son of Prince George, the Duke of York (the
second son of Prince Edward Albert, the Prince of Wales) and Princess
Victoria Mary of Teck, the Duchess of York. After the death of Queen
Victoria in 1901, Prince Edward Albert ascended the throne as Edward
VII, and Prince George, the Duke of York, became the new Prince of Wales
and the heir to the British throne, and his wife Princess Mary, the new
Princess of Wales. After the death of King Edward VII, on May 6, 1910,
Prince George ascended the throne as King George V, and Princess Mary
became the Queen consort of the United Kingdom. Their eldest son Prince
Edward, who was now 16 years old, inherited the titles of Duke of
Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay, and later, on June 23, 1910 was
created the new Prince of Wales, and the heir to the British throne.
Edward the VIII, as Prince of Wales
His early
education and his days in the naval college and Oxford
Edward and his siblings were mainly tutored at home,
by experienced tutors like Frederick Finch and Henry Hansell. Edward
entered the Osborne Naval College in 1907, at the age of 13, where he
spent two years, and was later transferred to the Royal Naval College,
at Dartmouth. However, halfway through the course, when Edward was
created the Prince of Wales, on June 23, 1910, he was withdrawn from his
naval course, and assigned as midshipman for three months aboard the
battleship "Hindustan." He then entered Magdalen College, Oxford, where
he spent almost eight terms, and left finally without any academic
credentials.
Prince Edward-Duke of Windsor at the White House in
1945, on the day of the surrender of Japan.
His service in the
army during World War I
At the time World War I broke out in 1914, Edward who
had reached the minimum age of 20 years for active service, joined the army and was
very keen to serve on the front lines. Even though his request for
action in the frontlines were not granted, he was given the opportunity
to witness trench warfare firsthand, and visit the frontlines whenever
it was feasible. Edward's concern for the soldiers, made him very
popular in the army.
His grooming for
the future role as the King of the British Empire
After his assumption of the title of Prince of Wales,
Edward was exposed to the formalities of the royal court, and made aware
of the duties and functions of the monarchy and its relationship with
the elected parliament. This was in preparation for him to take over as
the future king of the United Kingdom, after his father. As part of this
training King George V, assigned Prince Edward the task of representing
him at various occasions both at home and abroad. At home he took a keen
interest in visiting poverty-stricken areas of the country, which
enhanced his popularity among the people. Between the
years 1919 and 1935, he undertook 16 tours to various parts of the
British Empire. This enabled the Prince to gain first hand knowledge of
the problems of the people, not only at home, but also in the British
Dominions and other colonies throughout the empire. Prince Edward was
now fully prepared for the arduous task ahead as the future king of the
British Empire.
His inability to
settle down and lead a normal family life. His falling in love with
Wallis Simpson, the once divorced wife of British shipping executive
Ernest Aldrich Simpson.
Prince Edwards greatest weakness was his compulsive
womanizing habit that manifested itself in the early 1920s and continued
into the 1930s. Unlike his brother Prince Albert who married Lady
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, and was happily settled down in life, with
children, even by the mid-1930s when he was already over 40 years old,
Prince Edward was not able to marry and settle down. This was a
continuous source of worry for the ailing king, who it is said was
sincerely hoping that Prince Edward would not be his successor. In 1930,
when the King gave Fort Belvedere to Prince Edward, in order to set up
his home, he brought in a series of married women friends, with whom he
established relationships, and eventually fell in love with Wallis
Simpson, the American wife of a British shipping executive Ernest Aldrich
Simpson. Mrs. Simpson had divorced her first husband Earl Winfield
Spencer, a U.S. Navy Pilot in 1927 and had
subsequently married Ernest Aldrich Simpson. Prince Edward showered
Wallis with money and jewels, a practice that lasted throughout their
relationship and until his death in 1972, that resulted in Wallis
subsequently known as the Duchess of Windsor, accumulating one of the
largest and most expensive collections of jewels and jewelry in the
world. King George V and
Queen Mary did not approve of their son's relationship with a divorced woman
with a questionable past. However, at least on one occasion they
received Mrs. Simpson at the Buckingham Palace, but refused to do so
subsequently.
Prince Edward
ascends the throne as King Edward VIII. Mrs. Simpson files for divorce
from her husband in anticipation of her marriage to the King
When King George V died on January 20, 1936, Prince
Edward ascended the throne as King Edward VIII. Edward continued to
occupy Fort Belvedere, from where he performed his official duties.
However, it is said that government ministers were reluctant to send
confidential documents and state papers to Fort Belvedere, because they
felt that King Edward had little time to attend to them, and because of
the possibility that Mrs. Simpson or other guests in the house might see
them. In the summer of 1936, the King deliberately avoided the
traditional holiday at Balmoral Castle, and instead holidayed together
with Mrs. Simpson in the Eastern Mediterranean on board the steam
yacht, "Nahlin." The British Press kept mum about the King and Wallis
Simpson's trip to the Mediterranean, that created sensational headlines
all over America and continental Europe. By October King Edward VIII's
intentions were becoming clear, as Wallis Simpson filed for divorce from
Mr. Ernest Aldrich Simpson, at Ipswich's crown court. The foreign press
continued to give wide coverage to the sensational news, while the
British press still maintained a self-imposed silence. The news coverage
depicted Mrs. Simpson in bad light, and as an unscrupulous woman who was
after money and position.
King Edward VIII
expresses his desire to marry Wallis Simpson, and Prime Minister Stanley
Baldwin's response to this suggestion
On November 13, 1936, the King's private secretary,
Alec Hardinge, in a letter written to the King, warned him of the
consequences, if the British press decided to go public on his affair
with Mrs. Simpson. On November 16, 1936, King Edward invited the prime
minister Stanley Baldwin to Buckingham Palace, and expressed his desire
to marry the twice-divorced Wallis Simpson, when she was free to
re-marry again. Baldwin who knew in advance why he was being summoned,
expressed in no uncertain terms the strong opposition of the Government,
to the King marrying a twice-divorced woman with a questionable
character. The main reasons adduced to the government's opposition was on
moral and religious grounds. King Edward VIII, who was also ex-officio
head of the Church of England, was to set an example and uphold the
teachings of the church, that forbade the marriage of a divorced woman
in church, while a former spouse was still living. In the case of Wallis
Simpson, she divorced not once, but twice, and both husbands were still
living. Moreover the government by using the police and the secret
services had found that Wallis Simpson's background, behavior and moral
character was totally unacceptable, to hold the highest position of the
Queen of Great Britain and the British Empire. Police detectives had
discovered, that while Wallis Simpson was involved with King Edward
VIII, she was also concurrently maintaining two other sexual
relationships, one with a married car mechanic and salesman, named Guy
Trundle and the other with Edward Fitzgerald, Duke of Lainster.
Alternative
proposal of a morganatic marriage put forward by the King
As Edward's wishes to marry Wallis Simpson and make
her the queen of the United Kingdom was rejected by Prime Minister
Stanley Baldwin, he put forward an alternative proposal for the
consideration of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, that involved a
morganatic type of marriage, for which there was already precedence in
the royal families of Europe, in which Edward would continue to remain the
King, by virtue of the succession laws of the country, but Wallis
Simpson would not become the Queen; instead being given some lesser
title, and any issues they might have forfeiting their right to the
throne. This proposal too was discussed by the Cabinet, and rejected.
The Dominion governments of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada
and Ireland, were also consulted on this issue, as required by the law,
which stated that any changes to the succession laws would also require
the approval of Parliaments of the Dominions, apart from the Parliament
of the United Kingdom. Accordingly Australia, New Zealand, South Africa
and Canada, conveyed their opposition to the King marrying a divorcee;
but the Irish as expected expressed indifference over the issue, stating
however that Ireland being a Catholic country did not recognize divorce.
Was moral and
religious grounds the only reasons for the British Government's
opposition to the marriage ?
Apart from the moral and religious implications of
King Edward VIII's marriage to a divorcee of questionable character,
another significant factor emerged during this period that militated
against the proposed marriage of the King to Wallis Simpson. This was the finding by the British Secret Service that
Wallis Simpson was possibly an agent of Nazi Germany. Copies of
leaked dispatches sent by Joachim von Ribbentrop, the German Reich's
ambassador to the United Kingdom, obtained by the Foreign Office,
revealed his strong view, that the opposition to the marriage was mainly
organized by anti-German groups in Britain, in order to defeat the
pro-German groups that had been working through Mrs. Simpson. The
British Government feared that
Wallis had free access to confidential government papers sent to King
Edward at his Fort Belvedere residence. Reports of the FBI investigation
into the case written after the abdication seemed to substantiate the
findings of the British, but went further in implicating Wallis Simpson
of carrying on an affair with Joachim von Ribbentrop, while at the same
time she was deeply involved with the king. Thus security considerations
appear to have played a major part in the opposition of the British
Government to the marriage, just as much as moral and religious
considerations.
Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin
Options presented
by Prime Minister Baldwin to King Edward, and his final abdication in
favor of Prince Albert, the Duke of York
After both options presented by the King to the Prime
Minister and the cabinet (marriage and Wallis Simpson becoming the queen
and morganatic marriage and Wallis Simpson not becoming the queen), were
rejected, King Edward informed Baldwin, that he would abdicate if he
could not marry Mrs. Simpson. Baldwin now presented King Edward with
three options :-
1) Give up the idea of marrying Wallis Simpson, and
instead look for a wife befitting the high office of the queen of the
most powerful nation in the world, and acceptable to the King's
subjects.
2) Marry against the wishes of the ministers of his
government, and risk an en masse resignation of his government,
precipitating a constitutional crisis.
3) Abdicate in favor of his younger brother, Prince
Albert, the Duke of York.
Baldwin and his ministers were quite certain that
King Edward would no doubt pick the 3rd option, given the close
attachment of the couple towards one another, and the fact that the King
himself had informed them that he would abdicate if he was not able to
marry Wallis Simpson. When on the advice of his staff, King Edward
decided to send Wallis Simpson to the south of France on December 3,
1936, to avoid exposing her to intense press attention, the temporary
separation was devastating for both Wallis and the King. At a tearful
farewell, the King is reported to have told her, "I shall never give you
up," and this is what exactly he did on December 10, 1936, at Fort
Belvedere, giving up his throne in favor of the woman that he loved so
deeply. Edward signed the instruments of abdication, in the presence of
his three surviving brothers, the Duke of York, Prince Albert, the Duke
of Gloucester, Prince Henry and the Duke of Kent, Prince George who
countersigned as witnesses. In a broadcast to the Nation and the
Commonwealth from Windsor Castle, via the BBC on December 11, 1936, the
day his reign officially ended, His Royal Highness Prince Edward
explained the reasons for his decision to abdicate. The statement
attributed to him that subsequently became famous was, "I have found
it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to
discharge my duties as king, as I would wish to do, without the help and
support of the woman I love." Edward's reign of 327 days, was one of
the shortest in the history of the British Monarchy. He left
Britain for Austria, the day following his official broadcast.
Wallis Simpson in 1936 wearing the emerald engagement
ring
The marriage of
Wallis Simpson to the Duke of Windsor at a private ceremony in France,
on June 3, 1937.
Prince Albert, who ascended the throne after King
Edward's abdication, as King George VI, conferred the title of "Duke of
Windsor" on his elder brother, on December 12, 1936, with the style "His
Royal Highness," and this was one of the first acts of his reign.
However, the use of the attribute of "His Royal Highness" was only
limited to the Duke of Windsor, but not his wife the duchess. Wallis
Simpson's divorce was made final on May 3, 1937, after which the Duke
left Austria to France where the couple were reunited after five months
of separation. The Duke married Mrs. Simpson on June 3, 1937, at a
private ceremony in France, but none of the royal family was in
attendance. Mrs. Simpson now became the Duchess of Windsor, without the
attribution Her Royal Highness.
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor on their wedding day
The Duke and
Duchess of Windsor meet Adolf Hitler in Germany. Their pro-Nazi
sympathies
The Duke of Windsor, who was 43 years at the time of
his marriage to Mrs. Simpson, led a life of retirement in France, except
for a short period during World War II, when he was appointed as the
Governor of the Bahamas. However, one of the first trips abroad he
undertook soon after settling down in France in 1937, was a
controversial visit to Nazi Germany by him and the duchess, against the
advice of the British Government, as if to tell the whole world of their
sympathies towards the Nazi regime. The Duke and Duchess of
Windsor, met Adolf Hitler at his Obersalzberg retreat, where he was
reported to have given full Nazi salutes. Hitler regarded the abdication
of Edward VIII, as a loss to Nazi Germany, and blow to the improvement
of Anglo-German relations. Fellow Nazi Albert Speer quoted Hitler as
saying, "I am certain through him permanent friendly relations could
have been achieved. If he had stayed, everything would have been
different. His abdication was a severe loss for us."
The Duke is
appointed to the British Military Mission in France, but later
transferred as Governor to the Bahamas, after allegations of pro-Nazi
activities
When World War II broke out in September 1939, the
Duke and the Duchess of Windsor were brought back to Britain, by Lord
Mountbatten in HMS Kelly. Later, the Duke was sent back to France, after
being gazetted a Major General, and appointed to the British Military
Mission in France. Again his loyalty to his motherland was thrown into
question, when in February 1940, the German Minister in the Hague, Count
Julius von Zech-Burkersroda, claimed that the Duke had leaked Allied war
plans for the defense of Belgium. In May 1940, when Germany invaded the
North of France, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, moved to Spain and
then to Lisbon in Portugal, where they stayed with a Portuguese banker
with British and German contacts. From Portugal the Duke contacted the
German forces occupying France and requested that guards be placed at
his homes in Paris and Riviera, and they obliged. A "defeatist"
interview given by the Duke, that was widely published in newspapers,
caused the Prime Minister Winston Churchill to issue a warning to the
Duke to return to British soil immediately or face court-martial. The
Duke and Duchess obeyed Churchill's orders and returned to Britain,
after which the Duke was appointed as Governor of Bahamas and dispatched
with his wife by British warship to the island nation. This was a
deliberate attempt by the British Government to minimize the effect of
the Duke and the Duchess on the British war effort.
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor with Adolph Hitler in
1937
The Duke's racist
attitudes reflected in his remark about the Australian Aborigines and
the black Negroes.
While serving as Governor of the Bahamas, which he
referred to as a third class British Colony, he was praised for his
efforts to combat poverty on the islands. Yet, he disliked the
Bahamians, as he disliked most non-white people of the British Empire.
His racist tendencies were manifested when he toured various parts of
the British Empire between 1919 and 1935. His remarks made about the
Australian Aborigines after his tour of Australia is most unfortunate
and revolting, and clearly showed his racist tendencies which later
manifested in his support of Hitler. He said of the Australian
Aborigines, "They are the most revolting form of living creatures I've
ever seen!!! They are the lowest known form of human beings and are the
nearest thing to monkeys." While commenting on Etienne Dupuch, the
editor of the Nassau Daily Tribune, he said, "It must be remembered that
Dupuch is more than half Negro, and due to the peculiar mentality of
this race, they seem unable to rise to prominence without loosing their
equilibrium." Anti-Semitic remarks attributed to the Duke have not been
reported, but his sympathy for Hitler and his policies, seemed to be an
endorsement of Hitler's Anti-Semitic and racist stand.
While at Bahamas, the Duchess was severely criticized
for her extravagant shopping trips to the United States, undertaken at a
time when Britain was under rationing and blackout. Like her racist
husband the Duke, the Duchess of Windsor also showed a racist attitude
towards the indigenous population. She called them lazy, thriving
niggers, in letters written to her aunt. Thus both the Duke and the
Duchess of Windsor, appears to have developed racist attitudes, that
eventually led them to support Hitler and his racist regime.
Other pro-Nazi
remarks by the Duke and modification of his views after Hitler's defeat
While at Bahamas, he is reported to have made another
strong pro-Nazi remark to an acquaintance, "After the war is over,
Hitler will crush the Americans,......we'll take over......The
Commonwealth don't want me as their king, but I'll soon be back as their
leader." He also told a journalist, "It would be a tragic thing
for the world if Hitler was overthrown." Such comments only
strengthened the belief, that the Duke and the Duchess held strong Nazi
sympathies, and the actual cause of the abdication in 1936, was the
removal from the throne of a king whose political views could have been
a threat to his own country, and replaced by a king (George VI) who
showed no such sympathies. After the defeat of Germany and Hitler in the
World War II, the Duke modified his views, to explain the pro-German
stand taken by him, "It was in Britain's interest and in Europe's
too, that Germany be encouraged to strike east and smash communism for
ever.......I thought the rest of us could be fence sitters while the
Nazis and the Reds slogged it out." In his memoirs written after the
war, he admired the Germans, but denied being pro-Nazi. He wrote of
Hitler, "the Fuhrer struck me as a ridiculous figure, with his
theatrical posturing and his bombastic pretensions."
His sources of
income after he settled permanently in France
After the war the Duke of Windsor was never given
another official appointment, and settled down permanently in France
with his wife, where they spent the remainder of their lives in
retirement. The City of Paris provided the Duke with a house, at a nominal
rent, at No. 4, rue du Champ d'Entrainement, on the Neuilly-sur-Seine
side of the Bois de Boulogne. As a distinguished guest citizen, the
Government of France granted them additional favors such as exemption
from paying income tax, and permission to buy goods duty-free through
the British Embassy and the military commissary. His brother King George
VI, also gave him a monthly tax-free allowance, which he supplemented by
other activities such as writing his memoirs. In 1951, the Duke
published his memoirs, under the title, "A Kings Story" and the
royalties from the book augmented his income. He also wrote another
book nine years later, "A Family Album" about the fashion and habits of
the royal family, from the time of Queen Victoria up to his own period.
The Duke also profited by the sale of two estates in England to his
brother King George VI, that were his private property, Balmoral Castle
and Sandringham House. He also had accumulated a substantial sum of
money during his tenure as the Prince of Wales, which he carried when he
finally left the country.
The Duke becomes
part of the elitist society of Paris, and establishes contacts in New
York
During their stay in Paris in the 1950s and 1960s,
the Duke and the Duchess almost played the role of minor celebrities,
and were part of the cafe society of Paris. They hosted regular parties
in Paris, and established contacts in New York, and shuttled between the
two capital cities from time to time. In 1955, they visited President
Dwight D. Eisenhower at the white house. In the mid-1960s they
entertained Nixon in Paris, while his political fortunes were still low.
After Nixon became the President of the United States, he reciprocated
the kind gesture of the Duke and Duchess, by inviting them as guests of
honor to a dinner at the White House in 1970.
The Duke's
contacts with the royal family in England
During his stay in Paris, the Duke continued to
maintain some form of contact with his family back in England. He met
his brother King George VI and his mother Queen Mary on some occasions
before their death. He attended King George's Funeral. In 1953, he did
not attend Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, in keeping with the
precedent that former sovereigns do not attend the coronation of a
successor. However, they watched the ceremony on television in Paris. On
a visit to London in 1965, when the Duke was to undergo eye surgery, the Duke and the Duchess of Windsor were
visited by Queen Elizabeth, Pincess Marina, the Duchess of Kent and
Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood. When the Princess Royal
died a week later, they attended her memorial service. Again, in 1967
they joined the royal family for the centenary of Queen Mary's birth.
The funeral of Princess Marina, the Duchess of Kent, in 1968, was the
last royal ceremony attended by the Duke.
The Duke's last
days and his burial in the Royal Burial Ground in England
In late 1971, the Duke who was a smoker from an early
age, was diagnosed with throat cancer, and was given cobalt treatment.
Queen Elizabeth II, visited the Duke and Duchess of Windsor in 1972,
while on a state visit to France. The Duke died at his home in Paris on
May 28, 1972, at the age of 77. His body was returned to Britain, where
it lay in state at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. The funeral
service that was held in the same chapel on June 5, 1972, was attended
by the Queen, the royal family and the Duchess of Windsor. The coffin
was interred in the Royal Burial Ground, behind the Royal Mausoleum of
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The Duchess of Windsor, stayed at the
Buckingham Palace during this period.
The Duchess'
funeral ceremony and burial attended by the entire royal family
The Duchess returned to Paris, after her husband's
funeral. She was senile and frail, and lived the remainder of her life
in seclusion, supported by her husband's estate. Queen Elizabeth II was
gracious enough to give the aging duchess a monthly allowance. In
October 1976, when the Queen Mother was due to visit her, the trip
was cancelled at the last minute by her staff, as the Duchess was too
frail and mentally ill to receive her. In 1980, the Duchess lost the
power of speech, and then towards her end in 1986, she was bed-ridden,
and did not receive any visitors, except for her doctor and nurses. The
Duchess of Windsor
died on April 24, 1986, 14 years after her husband's death, at her house
in the Bois de Boulogne in Paris. Her funeral ceremony too was held at
St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, and was attended by the royal
family that included the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles,
Princess Diana, and her two surviving sisters-in-law, the Queen Mother
and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. The Duchess was buried next
to her beloved husband Prince Edward, the Duke of Windsor, in the Royal
Burial Ground and the epitaph placed on her graveyard read simply as, "Wallis, the Duchess of Windsor."
The Duchess of
Windsor bequeaths her estate to the Pasteur Institute medical
research foundation
The Duchess of Windsor, bequeathed her estate that
included mostly an enormous collection of Jewelry, to the Pasteur
Institute medical research foundation. The Duchess herself had not shown
much interest in charity during her life time. Therefore her decision
took everybody by surprise, including the royal family. The decision
seem to have been prompted by the magnanimity of the French Government,
which provided the Duke & the Duchess with a home and other favors
during their stay in France. Thus the decision to bequeath the estate to
a French Research Institute, served many purposes, such as serving the
cause of charity, serving the cause of medical research and reducing
human suffering, reciprocating the help given by the French Government
at their time of crucial need. The Duchess also left a portion of her
estate to the French Government in lieu of death duties, and this
included the Duchess's collection of Louis XVI furniture, and a
collection of porcelain and paintings. The sale of the Duchess of
Windsor's jewels, by Sotheby's of Geneva in April 1987, realized a sum
of $50,208,315 the highest amount realized ever for the sale of a single-owner
collection, and approximately seven times its pre-sale estimate. In
accordance with Wallis' final wishes, the entire proceeds of the sale
were donated to the Pasteur Institute in Paris. Mohammed-al-Fayed, owner
of the Harrods Department Store was reported to have bought much of the
non-financial estate, including the lease of the Paris mansion. A
greater part of his collection was sold in 1998, and raised
£14 million for charity.
The Duchess of Windsor in 1970
The jewelry
collection of the Duchess of Windsor
After Prince Edward fell in love with Wallis Simpson
in the early 1930s, he is reported to have showered her with money and
expensive jewels. The magnanimity of the Prince lasted throughout their
relationship and until his death in 1972. The result of this magnanimity
was that the Duchess of Windsor accumulated one of the largest and
most expensive collection of jewels and jewelry in the world, a silent
testimony demonstrating to the whole world the deep love and affection
with which the Prince held his wife, and sacrificed his throne for. A
testimony reminiscent of the Taj Mahal, the monument built by the Mughal
Emperor Shah Jahaan, symbolizing his undying love for his Queen Mumtaz
Mahal. It would have been ideal if the Duchess had bequeathed the
enormous collection of sentimental value to a museum of natural history,
in either Paris or London, to remain as a lasting monument to their
eternal love. But alas ! it was not to be. The Duchess instead chose to
disperse the collection, by sale and donate the proceeds to the Pasteur
Institute in Paris, an act of charity deemed to serve the cause of
humanity, and lessen human suffering.
The Duke and the Duchess of Windsor who shared a
passion for jewelry during their lives together, commissioned many
pieces of jewelry, from some of the greatest jewelers of their time,
such as Cartier's, Van Cleef & Arpels and Harry Winston. The Duchess is credited
with bringing yellow gold into the mainstream of fashion. Both the Duke
and the Duchess had an intimate knowledge of jewelry designing, and were
able to give valuable suggestions to their designers. The Duke is said
to have spent many hours with reputed designers like Jeanne Toussaint
and Renee Puissant discussing and designing jewelry. Some of her
designs had naturalistic themes, such as animals, like her famous over
the shoulder panther and tiger brooches, bangle bracelets and the
Cartier flamingo brooch. She mixed the colors of pearls in some of her
pieces, and was bold enough to wear a black pearl in one ear and a white
pearl in the other, as seen in the natural pearl and diamond earclips,
the third piece considered on this webpage.
Some of the important pieces of jewelry that belonged
to this collection were :-
1) A single-strand natural pearl and diamond necklace
made up of 28 natural pearls, designed by Cartier for Queen Mary, who
gave it to her son Prince Edward, and who in turn gave it to his
wife Wallis Simpson. The natural pearl necklace is the main subject of
this webpage.
2) A natural pearl and diamond pendant designed by
Cartier for the Duke in 1950 and made up of an enormous, almost
drop-shaped, white pearl, weighing 190.60 grains and used as a drop for
the single-strand pearl necklace referred to above, another topic of
this webpage.
3) A pair of natural black and white pearl and
diamond earclips designed by Van Cleef & Arpels, New York, in 1957
and purchased by the Duke in 1958. Another topic of this webpage.
4) A sapphire and
diamond pendant created by Cartier in 1951, that incorporated as its
centerpiece an enormous 206.82-carat Ceylon (Sri Lanka) sapphire,
surrounded by round brilliant-cut and baguette diamonds.
5) A ruby and diamond necklace, created by Van Cleef
& Arpels, and designed by Lacaze, bearing the personal inscription, "My Wallis from her David
19/3/36," evidently a piece designed just six months before the Duke's
abdication as the King of the United Kingdom, and when Mrs. Simpson was
living with the king at Fort Belvedere as his mistress. The piece is
complementary to the ruby and diamond bracelet also designed by Lacaze.
7) An emerald engagement ring by Cartier incorporating a
19.77-carat emerald, believed to have belonged once to a Mughal
emperor. Emeralds of this quality and size are rare, and was said to
have been cut from an emerald as large as a bird's egg. The Duke and the
Duchess preferred to have their jewelry inscribed with short personal
messages, and dates to mark the important event it commemorated. The
engagement ring had the following inscription : "WE are ours now 27X36"
meaning "Wallis and Edward, now belong to each other. 27-10-36 (27th
October 1936) was the date of their engagement, and also the day the
Simpson divorce was heard. The ring was reset in 1958 with a leafy
border each leaf set with a brilliant-cut diamond.
8) The Flamingo brooch made by Cartier in 1940 and
designed by Jeanne Toussaint, whose body and legs
are set with diamonds; the plumage containing an assortment of colored
stones such as rubies, sapphires and emeralds; and the beak set with a
cabochon citrine and sapphire.
9) Ruby and diamond bracelet, designed by Rene-Sim
Lacaze, and sold to the Duke by Van Cleef & Arpels in March of 1936. The
bracelet made of several links, has each link set with 10 cushion-shaped
rubies, surrounded by baguette and circular-cut diamonds. The bracelet
has an inscription on its clasp which reads, "Hold Tight 27-iii-36."
The phrase "hold tight" is a commonly used coded message of love by the
Duke in their correspondence.
10) The Cross Bracelet, consisting of a single row of
spectacle-set brilliant-cut diamonds, supporting one plain and eight colored
gemstone-set Latin crosses. There are 22 brilliant-cut diamonds in
the row. The clasp is also set with diamonds. The bracelet is made up of
platinum. The diamonds set on platinum setting are interconnected by
short platinum chains. Each of the nine crosses are also connected by
short chains
to a diamond in the row. Moving in the clockwise direction from the
clasp, the Latin crosses are attached to the following diamonds on the
bracelet :- 1) Plain unadorned platinum cross attached to diamond No. 1.
2) The second cross set with six caliber-cut blue sapphires attached
to diamond No. 3. 3) The third cross set with six caliber-cut yellow
sapphires attached to diamond No. 5. 4) The fourth cross, set with
six caliber-cut rubies, attached to diamond No. 8. 5) The fifth cross,
set with six caliber-cut baguette diamonds, attached to diamond No. 11.
6) The sixth cross set with six caliber-cut emeralds, attached to
diamond No. 14. 7) The seventh cross set with six caliber-cut
amethysts, attached to diamond No. 17. 8) The eight cross set with
six caliber-cut aquamarines, attached to diamond No. 19. 9) The
ninth cross set with sapphire, emerald, ruby and diamond, attached to
diamond No. 21.
The Duchess of Windsor Cross Bracelet
The Cross Bracelet is said to be the most significant
of all the jewelry pieces in the collection as it is intimately linked
to events in their life, each of the crosses representing a significant
event in their life, a stepping stone in their love story, symbols of
the depth of love they shared in sickness and health, at happy moments
and moments of danger. The
inscription on the plain unadorned platinum cross reads, "WE are too
25-XI-34" meaning Wallis and Edward are two individuals in love
with one another. The inscription on the second blue sapphire cross
reads, "Wallis-David 23.6.35" commemorates the 41st birthday of the
Duke. The third yellow sapphire cross with the inscription "'Get Well'
Cross Wallis Sept.1944 David" expresses the Duke's wish for his beloved
wife's speedy recovery after her Appendectomy surgery. The 4th Latin
Cross set with rubies and with the inscription "Wallis-David St Wolfgang
22.9.35" refers to Wallis and Edward's fall vacation in 1935, which
included a stopover in a small town called St. Wolfgang. It is believed
that it was during this trip that the then Prince of Wales made the
decision to marry Wallis. The 5th Latin Cross set with baguette-cut
diamonds carries the inscription "The Kings Cross God Bless WE 1.3.36"
and was said to serve as a reminder that Wallis' then husband, Ernest
Simpson, at a meeting held in the first week of March, 1936, agreed to
divorce Wallis after the King promised to always take care of her. The
6th cross encrusted with emeralds and inscribed as "X-ray Cross
Wallis-David 10.7.36" refers to the X-ray that revealed an ulcer scar in
Wallis' stomach. The 7th Latin Cross set with caliber-cut amethysts and
with the inscription, "Appendectomy Cross Wallis 29.VIII.44 David"
refers to Wallis' admission to Roosevelt Hospital in New York, on August
29,1944 for an appendicitis operation. The 8th Cross set with aquamarine
and carrying the inscription "God save the King for Wallis 16.VII.36."
refers to an apparent assassination attempt on King Edward, by an Irish
Journalist, McMahon, who was carrying a loaded gun. The 9th cross set
with an assortment of colored stones, such as emerald, sapphire, ruby
and diamond has the inscription "Our marriage Cross Wallis 3.VI.37
David" marks their wedding day June 3, 1937, at the Chateau de Cande, in
France.
The Plume-Shaped Diamond Brooch
11) Plume-shaped diamond brooch, designed by the
Prince of Wales for his future bride in 1935. The brooch consists of
three plumes, one vertical, a second bent towards the right and the
third towards the left.
12) A diamond ring set with a diamond weighing 31
carats and designed by a jewelry house in Japan
13) Gold bracelet by Cartier with the inscription
"Wallis from David November 1946 More & More"
14) A flower brooch designed by Cartier and made of
yellow gold and black enamel, set with carved emeralds, rubies and
diamonds. The carved emerald resembles a flower with sepals and petals
and gold leaves. The flower is surrounded by small diamonds.
15) A lace-like necklace made in gold and set with
diamonds, amethysts and turquoise, was designed by Cartier in 1947. The
filigree work is made up of step-cut amethyst and turquoise, and
brilliant-cut diamonds. A heart-shaped amethyst dangles from the center.
The necklace has a pair of matching earrings, a pin, bracelet and a
ring.
16) A six-inch long pin brooch, made up of two
serrated Holly leaves, placed besides each other. The left leaf is set
with diamonds and the right leaf with rubies. The veins of the leaves
are made up of thin baguette-cut diamonds. The gemstones of the brooch
are placed in an invisible setting, in which the stones are held by
small grooves at the back, and no gold is visible from the front. The
brooch was designed by Lacaze for Van Cleef & Arpels, and sold to the
Duke, who gave it as a Christmas gift to Wallis.
17) A pair of pear-shaped, fancy yellow diamonds,
weighing 40.81 and 52.13 carats and incorporated into lapel pins were
sold by Harry Winston to the Duke in 1948. Harry Winston also sold a
pair of brilliant-cut yellow diamonds, weighing 5.17 and 5.18 carats,
and incorporated into a pair of earrings matching the lapel pins.
18) The India necklace, sold by Harry Winston to the
Duke in 1956, is made up of emeralds and pink-colored diamonds. The
necklace could be worn as a single strand or as a double-stranded
choker.
The 1987 Sotheby's
auction of the Duchess of Windsor's jewelry
Pre-sale exhibition
at Sotheby's New York
In accordance with the wishes of the Duchess of
Windsor her estate which also included an enormous collection of jewelry
was bequeathed to the Pasteur Institute, after her death on April 24,
1986. The collection included magnificent examples of signature pieces
by renowned jewelers like Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Harry Winston.
On April 2, 1987, Sotheby's Geneva organized a special sale of the
personal jewelry collection of the Duchess of Windsor, on behalf of the
Pasteur Institute. But, prior to the actual sale, Sotheby's New York,
organized an exhibition of the jewels at its galleries in New York, for
the benefit of its customers and potential bidders. The jewels were
displayed for five days beginning Wednesday, March 18, 1987, and turned out to be
an unexpected public event, with people from all walks of life turning
out. More than an hour before the opening time of the exhibition, 1.00
p.m. long queues formed along York Avenue, from 72nd to 71st Street.
People came in their thousands, and did not seem to mind the three hours
of waiting on the sunny side walk, before gaining entry into the
gallery. They included old people, who on December 11, 1936, heard over
their radios that King Edward VIII had given up the his throne for the
woman he loved, and young people for whom the former Wallis Warfield
Simpson, has always been an epitome of style, worthy of emulation.
The organizers of the exhibition were genuinely
shocked by the public enthusiasm generated by the event, that they were
forced to cancel newspaper advertisements and cut back television
coverage for the last two days of the show. The night before the public
exposition started, Tuesday night, a special exhibition of the jewels
were held for celebrities and other distinguished social figures, that
was well attended. The strong response generated by the exposition in
New York, was a harbinger of what was to take place when the actual
auction was held in Geneva 10 days hence, on April 2, 1987. The demand
for the Duchess of Windsor's jewelry was so high, that eventually the
total sales realized ($50.2 million) was more than seven times the
estimated value of 7 million dollars.
The historic
Sotheby's sale on April 2 & 3, 1987
The special Sotheby's sale featuring the Duchess of
Windsor's personal jewelry collection, and conducted on behalf of the
Pasteur Institute of France, was held on April 2 & 3, 1987. Sotheby's
Geneva who were well aware of the enthusiasm generated by the proposed
sale constructed a huge tent next to Lake Geneva to accommodate the
large number of bidders and media personnel who were expected to
converge on the site. Over 1,000 bidders and 300 members of the media
crowded into the large tent for the historic sale. At Sotheby's New
York, another 600 bidders were assembled in their main salesroom to view
slides of the jewels and to have their bids relayed to Geneva.
The Duchess of Windsor's jewelry collection was
broken down into 305 lots, out of which 87 pieces were signed by
Cartier, the Duke and Duchess' favorite jeweler and 23 pieces by Van
Cleef & Arpels. Many of these pieces bore personal inscriptions. Some of
the buyers included, Elizabeth Taylor, the Cartier Museum and jeweler
Lawrence Graff. The provenance of the jewels played a major part in the
auction, enhancing the prices of the pieces several folds, sometimes as
much as ten times or even more. The highest price realized was for a
31-carat diamond ring, designed by a Japanese jeweler, that sold for
$3.15 million. Actress Elizabeth Taylor successfully bid for a
plume-shaped diamond brooch, designed by the Prince of Wales in 1935,
for his future bride, which sold for $566,000. Ms Taylor, who was a
close friend of the Duke and the Duchess of Windsor, said later, that
she purchased the brooch for sentimental reasons, and often admired the
brooch whenever it was worn by the duchess. "I loved it so much, I
had to buy it. It's the first important jewel I've ever bought myself,"
said Ms Taylor after her purchase. Another important piece, a
sapphire and diamond pendant by Cartier in 1951, was rumored to have
been purchased on behalf of another British actress Joan Collins.
The sale of the
Duchess of Windsor/Queen Mary pearl and diamond necklace, pearl and
diamond pendant and the pair of black and white pearl and diamond
earclips
The three pieces that form the subject of this
webpage, the single-strand natural pearl and diamond necklace, a natural
pearl and diamond pendant and a pair of natural black and white pearl
and diamond earclips was purchased by Calvin and Kelly Klein for $1.18
million. The natural pearl and diamond necklace which was lot 65 in the
sale sold for $733,333. The natural pearl and diamond pendant which was
lot no. 67 sold for $300,667 and the pair of black and white natural
pearl and diamond ear clips, sold for $154,000.
The total proceeds of
the sale creates a world record for the amount realized for a
single-owner collection at a public auction
At the end of the auction, the total amount realized
by the sale of the Duchess of Windsor's jewels was $50,208,315 (approx.
$50.21 million), which was over 7 times the estimated pre-sale value of
$7 million. This has gone down on record as the highest ever amount
realized by a single-owner collection at a public auction. Sotheby's
president John Marion said that the prices achieved reflected a "unique
outpouring of nostalgia," for the jewels of a woman whose husband had to
sacrifice his throne for the sake of her love. In accordance with
Wallis' final wishes, the entire proceeds of the sale went to the
Pasteur Institute in Paris, known for its AIDS and cancer research.
Wallis Simpson's
obsession with haute-couture
Wallis was always immaculately dressed at school, a
character that persisted throughout her life. She was a woman of style,
impeccably groomed and knew how to dress to suit her slim boyish figure.
When she settled down
in Paris with her husband after World War II, she acquired an obsession
for haute-couture, that led to her becoming a faithful customer of
internationally renowned couture like Cristobal Balenciaga and Monsieur
de Givenchy. In 1935, even before her marriage to Prince Edward, and at
the height of their love affair, Wallis Simpson was awarded the title of
"The Best Dressed Woman in the World" by a syndicate of renowned fashion
houses in Paris, that included Chanel, Molyneux, Vionnet, Lelong and
Lanvin. After her entry into the Paris Couture's list of "best dressed
women" in 1935, she remained there for the next 40 years. She built up an enormous wardrobe of fashionable clothing, and
became a trend setter in the world of fashion.
Theft of a part of
the Windsor jewels in 1946 from Ednam Lodge the home of the Earl of
Dudley
In 1946, when the Duke and the Duchess stayed at
Ednam Lodge, the home of the Earl of Dudley after their return from
their assignment in Bahamas, and before their departure to Paris,
thieves broke into the house and stole some of the jewels that belonged
to the Duchess of Windsor. Rumors were rife about the theft and the
possibility that it was masterminded by the British Royal Family, in an
attempt to recover jewelry taken by the Duke of Windsor from the royal
collection, when he was the Prince of Wales and subsequently the
King for eleven months. In 1960, the police were able to apprehend the
thief Richard Dunphie, who confessed to the crime. However, the stolen
pieces represented only a small portion of the Windsor Jewels, that were
either bought privately, inherited by the Duke, or given to the Duke,
when he was Prince of Wales. Subsequently, the Duke and the Duchess were
reported to have made a large deposit of loose stones at Cartier in
1947.
Pearl jewelry suite from the Duchess of Windsor's collection, purchased by
Calvin Klein in 1987, come up for auction again, on December 4, 2007, at
Sotheby's New York
Calvin Klein
purchased the natural pearl jewelry suite for $1.18 million at the 1987
Sotheby's auction
At the 1987, Sotheby's auction of the Duchess of
Windsor's jewels, Calvin Klein, the modern fashion royalty,
world-renowned for his leading influence on fashion and lifestyles,
bought the natural pearl jewels for his wife Kelly, for a sum of $1.18
million. Calvin and Klein bought the natural pearl jewels not only
because of their extraordinary quality and classic style, but also
because of their unique provenance. The pieces constituted a suite of
natural pearl jewelry commonly worn by the Duchess of Windsor, and
included a single-strand natural pearl and diamond necklace by Cartier
made up of 28 natural pearls, a natural pearl and diamond pendant also
by Cartier, made up of a single large drop-shaped pearl weighing 190.60
grains, and a pair of black and white natural pearl and diamond earclips,
by Van Cleef & Arpels.
Kelly Klein's tribute
to the pearls that held a very special place in her heart
Kelly Klein who had used the pearl suite for many
formal occasions for nearly 20 years since 1987, said "These
pearls hold a very special place in my heart. They were a present from
Calvin early on in our relationship. They represent passion, tenderness,
and a promise about the future. Pearls in my mind are different from
diamonds and gold. They are warm, mysterious, a small miracle created by
nature. They should be worn close to the skin, imbued with the essence
of the wearer. It is my hope they will be given again, as they have been
in the past, as a gesture of love and worn often and proudly."
Lisa Hubbard's
comments on the beauty, rarity and historic provenance of the pearls,
and the Kleins contribution to its provenance
Lisa Hubbard, Chairman, North and South America,
International Jewelry Department of Sotheby's, who was present at the
1987 auction in Geneva, commenting on the upcoming sale of some of the
natural pearl jewels of the Duchess of Windsor, belonging to the
collection of Kelly and Calvin Klein, said, "The sale of the jewels
of Duchess of Windsor was the definitive iconic auction. Her jewels, in
some cases literally with small inscriptions, spoke of the romance they
celebrated and the glamorous life style she shared with the Duke of
Windsor. We are honored to be able to offer to a new generation of
collectors these magnificent pearls on behalf of Kelly and Calvin Klein,
with whom they have resided for the past 20 years. The classic style for
which the Kleins are known has immeasurably added to the tale these
jewels have to tell. Their beauty and rarity, and historic provenance,
are a unique combination that will appeal to a worldwide audience of
connoisseurs who seek to own the best of the best."
Around the world
pre-sale exhibition of the pearl jewelry
In the 20 years, since the legendary Sotheby's auction
of 1987, of the Duchess of Windsor jewels, only a few pieces from this
incomparable collection have been re-offered for sale again, and none as
significant as the iconic natural pearls belonging to Kelly and Calvin
Klein. Prior to the December 4, 20007, auction at Sotheby's New York,
the pearl jewelry were featured in an extensive pre-sale exhibition,
held around the world, with stops in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and
the United States. The final exposition was held at Sotheby's New York
from November 29 to December 4, 2007.
The total realized by
the sale of Klein's natural pearl jewelry
The combined pre-sale estimate of the three pieces at
the "Magnificent Jewels" sale, was $2.2 million to $3.1 million.
However, the actual price realized at the auction, far exceeded the
upper pre-sale estimate, selling at $4.82 million. The single-strand
natural pearl and diamond necklace was purchased by an anonymous
European collector for $3.625 million. The natural pearl and diamond
pendant was purchased by the same collector for $505,000. The pair of
black and white natural pearl and diamond earclips, was sold to another
collector for $690,600. Thus the total realized by the sale of the
Klein's natural pearl jewels was $4,820,600. Thus, the $1.18 million
spent by the Klein's on the natural pearl jewels in 1987 turned out to
be an intelligent investment, which within 20 years had brought in a
profit of $3,640,600, equivalent to 308%.
$3.6 million realized
for the single-strand natural pearl necklace is the second largest
amount realized for a pearl necklace at an auction
The value of $3.6 million realized for the
single-strand natural pearl necklace was a new record for a
single-strand natural pearl necklace sold at an auction, and broke the
previous record held by a single-strand natural pearl necklace that
belonged to Barbara Hutton, that sold for $1.47 million, at a Christie's
auction in Geneva, in November 1999. The world record for a natural
pearl necklace irrespective of the number of strands, is presently held
by the double-stranded re-constituted Baroda Pearl Necklace, that sold
for $7.1 million, at a Christie's auction in New York, in April 2007.
Thus the Duchess of Windsor/Queen Mary natural pearl necklace, that sold
for $3.6 million in December 2007, qualifies for the second most
valuable pearl necklace sold at an auction.
You are welcome to discuss this post/related topics with Dr Shihaan and other experts from around the world in our FORUMS (forums.internetstones.com)
Related :-
1)
Barbara Hutton Pearl Neklace
2)
Baroda Pearl Necklace
References :-
1) Magnificent Natural Pearls from the Collection of
Kelly and Calvin Klein to be sold by Sotheby's - Sotheby's Press
Release, 2007
2) World's Most Dazzling Royal Jewels - Carrie
Coolidge, May 15, 2008. www.forbes.com
3) Wallis, Duchess of Windsor - From Wikipedia, the
free encyclopedia
4) My Favorites of the Duchess of Windsor Jewels - by
Eileen Sullivan. The Unofficial British Royal Family Pages.
www.etoile.co.uk
5) The Jewels of the Duchess of Windsor - John Culme
and Nicholas Rayner
6) Windsor Jewels Draw Bidders And Browsers - Georgia
Dullea, Thursday, March 19, 1987. The New York Times.
www.nytimes.com
7) Calvin Klein to sell Duchess of Windsor's natural
pearl necklace - Pearl-guide.com
8) 1987 : Windsor gems fetch record price - BBC On
This Day, 3rd April.
www.news.bbc.co.uk
9) The Luxe Chronicles - Wednesday 5, 2007. Auction
update : Duchess of Windsor's Pearls Sold at Sotheby's New York For 4.82
Million USD.
www.theluxechronicles.com
10) Sotheby's Press Release - Magnificent Natural
Pearls From The Collection Of Kelly And Calvin To Be Sold By Sotheby's -
Sotheby's website.
