Queen’s Baring Ruby Necklace
Today marks the second Anniversary of the Death of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away on this day in 2022! The oldest and longest reigning British Monarch had one of, if not the, largest jewellery collections, and today’s piece is one that had been in her jewellery box for almost six decades, the Queen’s Baring Ruby Necklace!
Composed of eighteen clusters of rubies and diamonds leading to a central diamond element, from which three pends are suspended, each a flat-cut ruby surrounded by brilliants, which were originally used as a pair of earrings and a pendant.
Early and mid-19th century
The three large flat-cut rubies set in brilliant-cut diamond clusters were probably first made as a pair of earrings and a pendant and were later adapted to form the centerpiece of the necklace. The center pieces can come off to wear as brooches or in the hair.
Formerly in the Baring collection, the necklace was acquired by The Queen in 1964.
“Mummy will hand them back eventually’
However, in 1964, the Queen acquired the Baring Ruby Necklace at Auction at Sotheby’s, which was debuted a few years later with the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara on a visit to Malta in 1967.
In the early 1970s, the Queen commissioned her Burmese Ruby Tiara which was paired with the Baring Ruby Necklace on her first State Visit to Japan in 1975, after which it was worn for her Silver Jubilee Gala at Covent Garden in 1977, as well as on the Silver Jubilee Tours around the Commonwealth.
Through the 1970s and 1980s, the Baring Ruby Necklace was frequently paired with the Burmese Ruby Tiara as well as the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara including for the British State Visit to France in 1972, the British State Visit to Denmark in 1979, the British State Visit to Sweden in 1983, the British State Visit to China in 1986, and also the State Openings of Parliament in 1974, 1982, 1986 and 1989.
The Queen continued to wear the Baring Ruby Necklace through the 2000s, usually with the Burmese Ruby Tiara, but in 2005, the Necklace made a notable appearance with Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara on a visit to Malta.
During the last decade of her life, the late Queen wore the Crown Ruby Parure instead of the Baring Ruby Necklace, though it is due now for a reappearance, likely on either Queen Camilla or the Princess of Wales!
