Lab-GrownJul 13, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb Changes Her Mind on Lab-Grown DiamondsThe designer, who once said she’d never sell lab-grown diamonds, debuted two capsule collections designed to be fun and easy to wear.
TrendsJan 17, 2018
6 Fascinating Facts About the Crown Jewels
In a rare televised interview, the Queen of England shared her thoughts on her coronation 65 years ago and the iconic jewels that haven’t been worn since.
In a rare televised interview, the Queen of England shared her thoughts on her coronation 65 years ago and the iconic jewels that haven’t been worn since.
London--Queen Elizabeth II has been the subject of extra fascination since the debut of “The Crown,” the Netflix series that recounts her life, but fans of the royal were able to witness what she’s really like when she made a rare televised appearance in a BBC documentary that aired Sunday.
“The Coronation with Her Majesty the Crown” recounted details of the sovereign’s official coronation 65 years ago, with the queen herself joining royal expert and interviewer Alastair Bruce to watch the event (it was televised at the time) and lend her own commentary.
Bruce and the queen spoke in depth about the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom, which were brought from the Tower of London to Buckingham Palace for personal inspection during the interview.
Here are six interesting facts we learned about the Crown Jewels from the documentary.
Elizabeth Wore Two Crowns During the Coronation
The Crown Jewels is comprised of over 140 items containing more than 23,000 precious stones, the most famous of which are the Cullinan I and Cullinan II diamonds, cut from the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond, the largest gem-quality rough ever found. Most of these items, known as the regalia, are used in the coronation.
The most important of these is St Edward’s Crown, made in 1661 for the coronation of Charles II. The solid gold crown weighs five pounds and boasts 440 gemstones.
The queen hasn’t worn St Edward’s Crown since her coronation. A second crown—the Imperial State Crown, which is lighter—was placed on her head at the end of the coronation ritual. She still wears it for most state openings of Parliament.
The Queen Isn’t Afraid to Handle These Rare and Important Jewels
While many would be intimidated to handle jewels of such great value and historical import, not so much Her Majesty.
Only she, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the crown jeweler are allowed to touch St Edward’s Crown.
During the queen’s interview, Bruce asked if the crown could be placed closer to the queen as they discussed it. She grabbed it roughly with both hands, telling Bruce simply: “This is what I do when I wear it.”
Or talk about them plainly.
She was similarly less than pretentious in her observations of it.
“Is it still as heavy? Yes it is,” she remarked. “Weighs a ton. It’s very solid isn’t it?”
Other gems of wisdom from the queen
included: “Fortunately, my father and I have about the same sort of shaped head … once you put (the crown) on it stays.” And, “You can’t look down to read the speech; you have to take the speech up because if you did, your neck would break, it would fall off.”
When Bruce ventured to Queen Elizabeth, “I imagine your principal memory is wearing it ma’am,” she responded, “And how heavy and unbalanced it was.”
Our favorite was the unsentimental: “There are some disadvantages to crowns but otherwise they’re quite important things.”
The Queen Wishes She Had Seen the Cullinan Get “Smashed”
Discovered in 1905, the Cullinan Diamond made its way to Britain from South Africa, shockingly, “in the post.”
Joseph Asscher was charged with cutting the rough in Antwerp in 1908.
“I always wish I’d been there when they smashed it into pieces,” said Queen Elizabeth. “These are the chips that were left,” she added, motioning to an enormous cushion-cut and an enormous pear-cut diamond pinned to her dress.
The largest polished diamond from the original rough, the Cullinan I, is in the scepter, while Cullinan II is mounted in the Imperial State Crown.
She said that she heard Asscher fainted after he cut the stone, though she couldn’t be sure if that was just a story.
The Crown Jewels Were Hidden from the Nazis in Biscuit Tins
The Crown Jewels are so important to England that special care was taken to hide them from the Nazis during World War II.
A royal librarian recently unearthed evidence that showed that the jewels were stored in a secret room 60 feet below Windsor Castle, which could only be accessed by descending a very long ladder.
Some of the most important jewels were removed from their settings and stowed in biscuit tins, lest they need to be moved again.
The Queen Seems To Think That Pearls Are Alive
The queen looked delighted to examine four dangling pearls that make up one element of St Edward’s Crown.
Two of the pearls are believed to have been owned by Mary Queen of Scots, and purchased by Queen Elizabeth I after the former’s execution.
Upon examination of them, the Queen remarked that the pearls, “don’t look very happy now … Most pearls like to be sort of living creatures so they’ve just been out, hanging out here for years, so they’re all sad. The trouble is that pearls are sort of live things and they need warming.”
When Bruce ventured to Queen Elizabeth, “I imagine your principal memory is wearing it ma’am,” she responded, “And how heavy and unbalanced it was.”
Our favorite was the unsentimental: “There are some disadvantages to crowns but otherwise they’re quite important things.”
The Queen Wishes She Had Seen the Cullinan Get “Smashed”
Discovered in 1905, the Cullinan Diamond made its way to Britain from South Africa, shockingly, “in the post.”
Joseph Asscher was charged with cutting the rough in Antwerp in 1908.
“I always wish I’d been there when they smashed it into pieces,” said Queen Elizabeth. “These are the chips that were left,” she added, motioning to an enormous cushion-cut and an enormous pear-cut diamond pinned to her dress.
The largest polished diamond from the original rough, the Cullinan I, is in the scepter, while Cullinan II is mounted in the Imperial State Crown.
She said that she heard Asscher fainted after he cut the stone, though she couldn’t be sure if that was just a story.
The Crown Jewels Were Hidden from the Nazis in Biscuit Tins
The Crown Jewels are so important to England that special care was taken to hide them from the Nazis during World War II.
A royal librarian recently unearthed evidence that showed that the jewels were stored in a secret room 60 feet below Windsor Castle, which could only be accessed by descending a very long ladder.
Some of the most important jewels were removed from their settings and stowed in biscuit tins, lest they need to be moved again.
The Queen Seems To Think That Pearls Are Alive
The queen looked delighted to examine four dangling pearls that make up one element of St Edward’s Crown.
Two of the pearls are believed to have been owned by Mary Queen of Scots, and purchased by Queen Elizabeth I after the former’s execution.
Upon examination of them, the Queen remarked that the pearls, “don’t look very happy now … Most pearls like to be sort of living creatures so they’ve just been out, hanging out here for years, so they’re all sad. The trouble is that pearls are sort of live things and they need warming.”
More on Trends
The Latest
SourcingJul 13, 2026
De Beers Announces Potential Layoffs, 2-Year Production Pause at VenetiaThe diamond miner and marketer is undergoing another round of cost-cutting measures ahead of its sale by Anglo American.
Events & AwardsJul 13, 2026
Registration Opens for JIS Fall 2026 ShowThe annual trade-only buying event is slated for Oct. 16-19 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
Events & AwardsJul 13, 2026
AGTA Accepting Entries for Spectrum 2026AGTA also has announced the lineup of judges for the colored gemstone cutting and jewelry design contest’s various categories.
Weekly QuizJul 09, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TechnologyJul 10, 2026
There’s a New Blind Box for Luxury Watches Collectibles platform Arena Club’s new Time Boxes could contain a Rolex or Patek Philippe watch.
SourcingJul 10, 2026
CFO of De Beers’ Consumer-Facing Division Leaves Company Shaun Wills joined the company in 2024 and was chief financial officer of the De Beers Brands and Consumer Markets division.
Brought to you by
Building the Future of Jewelry Retail: DCA Expands Education, Leadership Development, and Workforce SolutionsDCA is preparing the next generation of professionals by supporting workforce development, leadership growth, and career advancement.
WatchesJul 10, 2026
Brilliant Earth Expands Into WatchesIn honor of its 20th anniversary, the jewelry brand has released a limited-edition collection of Swiss-made timepieces.
CollectionsJul 09, 2026
Boucheron’s New High Jewelry Collection Is an Ode to the Human Touch“Human Being” highlights the similarities and differences between us through five sets of jewelry that celebrate fine craftsmanship.
WatchesJul 09, 2026
Damiani Group Finalizes Acquisition of Baume & MercierRichemont will continue to provide operational services for the watch brand for a period while the group prepares to integrate it.
AuctionsJul 09, 2026
Pharrell Williams’ Joopiter Hires Former Bonhams Exec to Head New Watch DivisionNate Borgelt will lead the digital auction house and content platform’s new division as head of watches.
Events & AwardsJul 09, 2026
Halstead Names 2026 Grant WinnerEnoch Platero, founder and designer behind Enoch Michael, is the first Native American jeweler to win the award.
Events & AwardsJul 09, 2026
AGS, GIA Name 2026 Beatrice Shipley Scholarship WinnerAGS also announced the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.
MajorsJul 08, 2026
Kendra Scott Joins ‘Shark Tank’ As Permanent Investor The founder of the billion-dollar jewelry and lifestyle brand will debut as a full-time “Shark” on the upcoming season of the show.
SurveysJul 08, 2026
Signet Jewelers Falls 5 Spots on NRF’s ‘Top 100’ Retailers ListPlus, why retailers should be ready to adjust as the U.S. population may decline this year for the first time since the Great Depression.
CrimeJul 08, 2026
Here’s What Thieves Stole From the Lalique Museum René Lalique’s “Woman Dragonfly With Open Wings” pendant, the first piece the museum acquired, was one of the jewels taken.
MajorsJul 08, 2026
Richline Group Promotes 2 ExecsArien Gessner and Moss Makhoulian have been elevated into newly created roles.
ColumnistsJul 07, 2026
Peter Smith: Diamond Branding and the Origin ParadoxA podcast prompted Smith to share his views on where origin fits into the natural diamond story and the viability of branded diamonds.
Events & AwardsJul 07, 2026
JA Announces 2026 Impact Initiative RecipientsThe association selected eight recipients for the funding program, which is in its second year.
CrimeJul 07, 2026
Thieves Steal Millions in Jewels From France’s Musée LaliqueAround 20 pieces of jewelry were stolen from the museum dedicated to French jeweler and glassmaker René Lalique.
CollectionsJul 07, 2026
Robinson Pelham Is Partying Like It’s 1996The “Summer of ’96” campaign and collection celebrate the year the brand was founded for its 30th anniversary.
SourcingJul 06, 2026
Gemfields CEO Sean Gilbertson Steps DownAfter eight years, Gilbertson is leaving his post at the mining company, which is currently facing a slew of operational challenges.
IndependentsJul 06, 2026
Bachendorf’s To Open Fifth Store In DallasThe new location is set to open this winter, featuring the retailer’s first rotating jewelry designer residency.
MajorsJul 06, 2026
Graff Names BTS Star Jung Kook as New AmbassadorThe pop artist appears in the latest campaign for the “Laurence Graff Signature” collection.
CollectionsJul 06, 2026
Pandora’s New Baroque Pearl Collection Is a Whimsical ‘Wonder’One-of-a-kind pearls take the shape of ice cream cones, frogs, submarines, and other imaginative charms.
SourcingJul 02, 2026
London Diamond Bourse Elects First Female PresidentCharlotte Rose said her election is “a sign that this is an industry capable of change.”
