The Romans were great lovers of Opal and regarded the gems as good luck pieces. Many Roman generals carried Opal-tipped staves to their campaigns to … Read more
The du Pont family, one of the most prominent American families, descend from French nobility having emigrated to the United States in 1800. Initially … Read more
Fine taste, positive thoughts and good fortune are the hallmarks of remarkable individuals.
Sir Thomas Brassey (1836-1918), 1st Earl Brassey, was the son of a self-made millionaire and aire to a railroad fortune.
Louis XVI (1754-1793) wore an Opal finger-ring befitting the illustriously luxuriant Court he held with his Queen at Versailles. Indeed Marie Antoinette owned a famous flame Opal known as the ‘Forest Fire’.
Opals became a sine qua non of royal and aristocratic dress in Renaissance England. Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603) and indeed members of the Elizabethan nobility, wore lavish parures of Opal.
Due to its exceptionality Opal has always been well represented in private collections around the globe. The mysterious ‘Queen of Gemstones’ is synonymous with graceful power, beauty and rarity.
A HISTORY OF JEWELLERY: 1100-1870, Joan Evans, 1970 (2nd Ed.). (Drake’s Sun Jewel c.1579; Mlle Mars) A JOURNEY WITH COLOUR Vol II Part B, A … Read more