Queen Mary Brooch

During the early 20^th century, conch pearls were extremely popular in Europe. Jewelry from this time is known as Belle Epoque or “Beautiful Time” which refers to the elegance of the era. Conch pearls are non-nacreous which make them have a porcelain-like look to them. They also contain a “flame structure” which gives it a red look due to the interaction of light rays on the pearl.

Queen Mary’s Brooch was given to her by her husband, King George V, in the early 18th century. It contains two conch pearls, one in the center which weighs 24.9 carats and the other which hangs from the bottom weighing 28.1 carats. The pearl in the center is surrounded by a triangular shape which contains many beautiful diamonds. The shape of the pendent is very similar to the shape of the center pearl. The bottom pearl however, is more of an oval shape. Compared to other conch pearls in the world, Queen Mary’s are much bigger and extremely rare.

Queen Mary Brooch

The Queen Mary Brooch was one of 12 pearls that were part of “The Allure of Pearls” Exhibition at the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution in 2005.

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