Gifts of Grandeur: The Diamond Fringe Necklace, First Half of the Nineteenth Century

The Diamond Fringe Necklace
Diamonds, Gold, Silver, Silk Thread
The First Half of the Nineteenth Century
Presented to Queen Elizabeth, 1947
The Royal Collection

Since Queen Elizabeth II was wearing the Russian Fringe Tiara on the day of her wedding in 1947 (see below), it only made sense that she should have a matching necklace. The tiara started its life as a necklace, and this similarly-styled neck ornament was created around the same time—at some point in the first half of the Nineteenth Century.


This exceptional piece, made of diamonds, gold and silver—is held together with silk thread. It was a gift to the then-Princess Elizabeth from the Lord Mayor of London and the Court of Aldermen, the Governor of the Bank of England, the Chairman of the Stock Exchange, the Chairman of Lloyds, the Chairman of the Baltic Exchange and the Committee of London Clearing Banks. Her Majesty has been known to wear this necklace with some regularity.