When Queen Victoria died in 1901, it marked the end of the Victorian era, a reign that spanned over 63 years – making her the longest-serving British monarch at the time.
The great-great-grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II, Victoria left behind not only a powerful legacy but also a remarkable collection of royal jewellery – much of which now resides in the British Royal Collection.
Queen Victoria had a deep love for jewellery – and she wore a lot of it, both in grand public displays and in more personal, informal settings. Among the many dazzling pieces in her possession, one standout set was crafted from diamonds she already owned: her iconic trio of bow brooches.
Fine jewellery experts at UK retailer Steven Stone have taken a closer look at these exquisite brooches, uncovering their full history, and estimating their current value.
With so many incredible jewels to play with, Queen Victoria had three bow brooches created using a selection of 506 diamonds she already owned – 497 brilliant cut diamonds and 9 rose cut diamonds, which were sourced from unused or surplus pieces in her own collection.
But why? According to The Court Jeweller, all the jewels that had once belonged to her grandmother, Queen Charlotte, were awarded to her cousin, the King of Hanover. She lost numerous pieces, including a set of three diamond bow brooches, which Queen Victoria wanted to recreate in her honour.
Designated as heirlooms of the Crown upon Queen Victoria’s death in 1901, the bow brooches are passed from queen to queen “to be worn by future Queens in right of it.” As such, they are now likely part of Queen Camilla’s collection.
Both Queen Elizabeth and Queen Elizabeth II tended to wear them as separate pieces, rather than as a trio. Queen Elizabeth II wore one of them as part of her Diamond Jubilee on 13th June 2012, on a visit to Nottingham with the Princess of Wales, and most notably, to the funeral of Princess Diana in 1997.
“The three brooches were designed to mimic ribbon bows in varying sizes – two larger and one smaller. Created in 1858 by Garrard, they were created using a selection of diamonds in Queen Victoria’s collection.
The brooches appear to be set with old mine-cut diamonds, a hallmark of antique jewellery. Most of the stones are circular, following the elegant curves of the bow design, with a few oval cuts featured in the broader loops. Given their vintage style, it’s also likely that some of the round-looking stones are actually cushion-cut, known for their soft, square shape with rounded corners – another classic trait of old mine cuts.
The bow brooches are poignant heirlooms of the Crown, passed from queen to queen since Queen Victoria’s death in 1901. As such, they are now likely part of Queen Camilla’s collection, continuing the tradition of being worn by the reigning monarch.
I would estimate the combined value of the trio of brooches to be around £120,000.”
maxwell stone, creative director, steven stone
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