At the heart of the high jewellery masterpiece is a carved 63.44 carat Zambian emerald
With Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations set to kick off on May 12, Bulgari has revealed its contribution to the festivities: the Jubilee Emerald Garden high jewellery tiara.
Conceived as a tribute to the British royal, the Italian luxury jeweller created the sparkling piece out of platinum—a nod to the Queen’s 70th anniversary as a monarch—and emeralds, exquisitely designed to resemble a floral bouquet.
The highlight? A magnificent 63.44 carat Zambian emerald, which has been masterfully carved to feature a lotus flower, a symbol of purity and eternity.
Read more: Here’s How Queen Elizabeth II Is Celebrating Her Platinum Jubilee
Elaborating on the process behind the piece, Bulgari high jewellery creative director Lucia Silvestri said: “I was inspired by the Queen, a strong and powerful woman, an icon of our times, and by her historic admiration of emeralds to design a piece centred around this striking carved emerald, which showcases Bulgari’s mastery in craftsmanship and creativity.”
A showcase of mastery indeed, according to Bulgari, the construction of the tiara took over 1,500 hours by a master goldsmith and a team of five, including two craftsmen who were dedicated to setting the glittering green gemstones.
But that’s not all. As precious as it looks, the Jubilee Emerald Garden high jewellery tiara is also transformable, allowing the Queen to wear it crowned upon her head or as necklace.
The tiara stays true to Bulgari’s design ethos that was once described by the Roman brand’s vice president: “The same jewel should be worn both to a picnic and to a grand ball.”
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