Mirror Mirror on the Wall…Who’s Got the Nicest Crown of 'em All?
Yeah…well…it ain’t the Persians this time. Though I am sure
there are those who will beg to differ. Fact of the matter is
folks, though the Persians do have more jewels than any other
country in the world, dear old mother England ain’t no slouch. Let
me tell you a bit about her Imperial State Crown. And of course,
for you who are chomping at the bit, wondering: Did he put up a
graphic? Kin we see…hunh? The answer is yuppers. To my home page.
Down the table menu. Stop at Tidbits graphics and…click!
At the end of a coronation service, the Sovereign takes Holy
Communion, goes to St. Edwards Chapel, changes into purple velvet
robes, and receives the Imperial State Crown…the best known of
all the State Regalia. So?..some of you may be saying. So what’s
the big deal about a crown.
Oh…let me tell you something…there’s a lot of big deal. Let me
take you for a stroll through the diadem. Here we are, at the top,
standing on the cross which you can all see when you look at my
image. As we peer down over the edge, someone says…hey…how many
diamonds does this crown have, anyway. Okay. How about 2,800
diamonds. But these are the small goods. There are precious stones
and there are semi-precious stones in this, the grandest of
headpieces.
First…there is a sapphire in the top cross which was found on
the finger of Edward the Confessor when he was re-interred in 1163.
Found…is the key word here folks. Hey, Max, look. On his finger.
Wow. Great looking sapphire. Wanna put it in a crown?
Beneath the “monde”…I digress here for a second folks. I’m
taking this from an English as in England version. Why they use the
French word “monde” instead of just saying “world” or “globe”
knocks me out. But anyway, beneath the “monde” are 4 pearls out of
a collection of seven which were once presented to Catherine de
Midici.
Now comes a kicker my friends. That red stone you see in the lower
cross-- the one you are all assuming is a great ruby with a great
history–well that ruby is no ruby. It’s a spinel. A semi-precious
stone. Now I know that some spinels are quite rare and are worth a
fortune. But for me, the dichotomy of a spinel with diamonds is a
tad striking. For you historical buffs, this spinel was once owned
by Don Pedro the Cruel, King of Castille.
And now…for the finale. Underneath the spinel is the second
largest diamond in the world…the Second Star of Africa…The
Cullinan II. It weighs 317 carats and it is removable, and, should
the need arise, for a special affair, maybe a black tie sit down
dinner, it can be clipped together with the Cullinan I–the First
Star of Africa which resides in the Royal Scepter–to form a
brooch which would have a total weight of 847 carats for the two
diamonds. Now that’s what I call majesty.
And there ya have it.
That’s it for this week folks.
Catch you all next week.
Take care,
Benjamin Mark
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