AuctionsJun 30, 2023
Princess Diana’s ‘Swan Lake Suite’ Sold to Private Buyer AuctionsJul 05, 2023
A Medallion With Locks of Hair from King George III, Queen Charlotte Is Going to Auction
Queen Charlotte originally commissioned the piece on occasion of the king’s recovery from illness.
This medallion Queen Charlotte commissioned to commemorate King George III’s return from illness, later refashioned into a locket on the reverse with a lock of King George and Queen Charlotte’s hair, is headed to the auction lock at Christie’s London this week.
London—This week, amid an auction of silver and gold boxes, a jewel with royal provenance stands out.
Part of Christie’s London’s “Bayreuth: A Connoisseur’s Collection of English Silver and Gold Boxes” collection is a pendant incorporating a medallion Queen Charlotte (1744-1818) commissioned on occasion of King George III’s (1738-1820) recovery from illness in 1789.
Queen Charlotte presented the medallions to close friends who were loyal during the king’s illness.
George III became king in 1760 at age 22, succeeding his grandfather, George II, upon his death
George III’s father died in 1751, never having held the throne.
George III married Charlotte in 1761. They had 15 children, 13 of whom reached adulthood.
Best remembered as the king during the American Revolutionary War, George III’s legacy surrounding his mental health is foggy.
He suffered from bouts of mental illness from 1788-1789 and in 1801. In the last decade of his life, he was said to have completely lost his mental faculties, and from 1811-1829, his eldest son, who would eventually become King George IV, took over royal duties as Prince Regent.
Experts have theorized the king’s mental issues were a result of the hereditary disorder porphyria, which may have caused mania, or bipolar disorder.
After the king’s first significant period of mental illness, the British Parliament officially congratulated King George on his return to royal duties on March 10, 1789. The date is commemorated on the medallion’s enamel face.
The medallion was later converted into a locket pendant featuring an enamel crown, diamonds, rubies, and emeralds circa 1820, the year the king died. Queen Charlotte died in 1818.
On the reverse, a compartment holds a lock of the king and queen’s hair.
The reverse of the pendant features a compartment with a lock of Queen Charlotte and King George’s hair. Their dates of death are depicted in enamel.
The locket pendant’s pre-sale estimate is a modest £3,000-£5,000, or approximately $3,807-$6,345 per current exchange rates.
It’s on offer alongside more than 200 decorative objects such as tableware and snuff boxes amassed over 40 years comprising the Bayreuth collection.
The sale is happening as part of Christie’s “Classic Week,” which includes several auctions in London and online offering art from antiquity to the 20th century.
The pendant is on view through July 6 and will hit the auction block on July 7.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Auctions
The Latest
CollectionsJan 29, 2025
Boucheron’s High Jewelry Takes the Form of ‘Untamed Nature’The jeweler’s latest high jewelry collection looks into the Boucheron archives to create a “living encyclopedia of high jewelry.”
FinancialsJan 29, 2025
LVMH Watch, Jewelry Sales End the Year DownWatch and jewelry sales slipped 3 percent in 2024, though the luxury conglomerate did see business pick up in the fourth quarter.
MajorsJan 29, 2025
Chanel Names New General Manager of Watches, Fine Jewelry for USOlivier Kessler-Gay will take over the role on March 3.
Brought to you by
3 New Year’s Resolutions for Jewelry Lovers The new year feels like a clean slate, inspiring reflection, hope, and the motivation to become better versions of ourselves.
SurveysJan 29, 2025
Consumer Confidence Slips for Second Consecutive Month It hit a four-month low in January due to concerns about the job market, though consumers remain bullish about the stock market.
Weekly QuizJan 23, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsJan 29, 2025
Chris Ploof To Teach Mokume Gane at AJSThe jewelry designer and master metalsmith will present on the ancient Japanese metalworking technique at the Atlanta Jewelry Show in March.
SourcingJan 28, 2025
WFDB Joins Efforts to Promote Natural Diamonds With New CampaignThe “Moments” social media campaign emphasizes the emotional ties between natural diamonds and life’s special milestones.
Brought to you by
A Diamond Is Forever Celebrates "Forever Present" Holiday CampaignA Diamond is Forever hosted a holiday celebration in honor of their new marketing campaign, ‘Forever Present.’
CollectionsJan 28, 2025
Bliss Lau Celebrates the Intricate Mosaic of Identity in New CollectionThe versatile “As We Are” collection features 14 pieces with interlocking designs allowing for 27 different looks worn around the body.
SourcingJan 28, 2025
Botswana’s First Olympic Gold Medalist Is Now a De Beers Ambassador Letsile Tebogo will help to promote natural diamonds and the good they have done for his country.
Events & AwardsJan 28, 2025
NouvelleBox Show Returns to New York CityThe showcase, in its second year, will feature more than 20 international brands at its curated event from Feb. 2-4.
Recorded WebinarsJan 28, 2025
Watch: Fine Jewelry Market Predictions for 2025 “My Next Question” guests Sherry Smith and Edahn Golan share their 2025 forecasts, from sales and marketing to what retailers should stock.
Events & AwardsJan 28, 2025
Here Is the 2025 AGTA GemFair Tucson Educational LineupThe seminar series covers topics from market trends and colored stone terminology to working with museums and growing an Instagram profile.
MajorsJan 27, 2025
Le Vian Corp. Chairman Larry LeVian, a Man of Faith and Family, Dies at 73 LeVian is remembered for his leadership in the jewelry industry and for being a selfless and compassionate person.
CrimeJan 27, 2025
New Jersey Jeweler Sentenced to 2 1/2 Years for Evading CustomsMonishkumar Kirankumar Doshi Shah pleaded guilty to evading customs on more than $13.5 million of jewelry imported into the U.S.
SourcingJan 27, 2025
Dev Shetty To Head New Auction House for Rare Colored GemsJemora Gemhouse’s inaugural auction, slated for March, will take place in Dubai and feature polished sapphires.
CollectionsJan 27, 2025
Rachel Quinn Embodies Feelings of Falling in Love in New CollectionQuinn partnered with Gemfields to create “Crazy Love,” which features Zambian emeralds and Mozambican rubies across 10 pieces.
MajorsJan 27, 2025
Arch Crown’s 2025 ‘Tag & Label’ Catalog Is Out Now The catalog is 48 pages and features more than 100 styles.
CollectionsJan 24, 2025
Piece of the Week: Ashley Zhang Jewelry’s Lunar New Year NecklaceThe one-of-a-kind necklace was designed in celebration of the Chinese New Year, as 2025 is the Year of the Snake.
SourcingJan 24, 2025
Ethical Gem Fair Heads Back to Tucson The gemstone show is slated to take place at the Scottish Rite Cathedral.
Policies & IssuesJan 24, 2025
These Designers and Retailers Are Raising Money for LA Wildfire Relief From raffles to auctions to donations, the industry is working to aid charities in Los Angeles amid the raging wildfires.
CrimeJan 23, 2025
4 Men Arrested After Allegedly Plotting to Kidnap JewelerThe suspects are accused of planning to kidnap a Miami jeweler and rob him of his cryptocurrency.
CrimeJan 23, 2025
Security Guard Killed in Armed Robbery at Namibian Diamond Co. Francis “Gosh” Eiseb, 58, was a senior protection officer for Namib Desert Diamonds, also known as Namdia, in Windhoek, Namibia.
SourcingJan 23, 2025
RapNet, AGTA Partner to Launch Gemstone Trading NetworkThe online diamond and jewelry marketplace has expanded, introducing a new platform dedicated to colored gemstone trading.
Events & AwardsJan 23, 2025
Plumb Club Announces Speaker Lineup for Symposium ‘25The second annual learning forum for retailers is slated for March 13 at City Winery in Pier 57 in New York City.
SourcingJan 23, 2025
Fancy Color Research Foundation Names New CEORoy Safit took over the role on Jan. 1.
ColumnistsJan 22, 2025
On Data: How Did Independent Jewelers Fare in 2024? Sherry Smith shares data on the year gone by, including the breakdown between natural and lab-grown diamond sales.
