Mastery of Design: The Eye of Princess Charlotte of Wales, 1817

Eye of Princess Charlotte of Wales
English, 1817
The Royal Collection

Traditionally, English artists often represented a single eye of a woman as an homage to her beauty. These intimate miniature souvenirs were often incorporated into pieces of jewelry.


Such is the case of this beautiful charm bracelet from 1817. The centerpiece of the bracelet is a miniature of watercolor on ivory of the eye of Princess Charlotte of Wales in a gold locket, framed in diamonds and rubies.

The gold bracelet also features eight other charms of various shapes and sizes featuring enamel and an assortment of diamonds and other precious stones. We can thank Mary of Teck for keeping this bracelet in the Royal Collection. It’s just one of the many shiny things she managed to collect over her long life.