London auction house Dix Noonan Webb is selling a stunning art deco bracelet owned by Princess Margaret. The jewel, strung with cultured pearls and mounted with white diamonds, is estimated between US$40,000 and US$55,000. Worn during a Cecil Beaton photoshoot marking the princess royal's 19th birthday on August 21, 1949, this sparkler is breathtaking and comes with a unique history.
Beaton wrote in his diary: “She [Princess Margaret] was at Lords for the Eton and Harrow match and got back a bit late but she is such a quick dresser that a few moments after her return she appeared changed into the new evening dress Hartnell had supplied her that morning—a dull dress of white tulle embroidered with sequin butterflies and a rainbow tulle scarf around the waist. She looked very pretty and wore quite a lot of make-up—and the eyes are of a piercing blue—catlike and fierce and so very pristine and youthful….”
He added that the future Countess of Snowdon had been up until 5:30am the night before, and “towards the end of the two-hour sitting, started to wilt and became very tired”.
See also: The Rise Of Coloured Gemstones And How To Wear Them

