House Diamond Parure

In 1690 Wilem III bought a large rough diamond as a present for his wife Mary II Stuart. The rough diamond was most probably cut in Amsterdam that same year. The result was a rose-cut pear shaped diamond weighing 39,75 carats. This “Stuart,” after its owner, became the center stone in a large brooch. After Queen Mary II’ s death in 1694 all of her possessions, including her jewellery, went to her husband. When Willem III himself dies in 1702 the jewellery, including the “Stuart” Diamond, was inventoried and since most of it was originally the property of the House of Orange, returned to the Netherlands. Years later, in a twist of fate, the “Stuart” diamond returned to England with Prince Willem V, his wife Princess Wilhelmina and their family who were escaping French army in 1795. In England, Princess Wilhelmina was introduced to the British jewellers Rundell & Bridge by Queen Charlotte. The Dutch Princess had several items of the family’s jewellery redesigned by them, including the “ Stuart” diamond into a pendant suspended from a necklace. It’s during this time that the diamond is now referred to as the “Holland”. In 1815 the House of Orange was able to resume their rule, now as monarchs, and their jewel box moved back with them to Holland. The setting of the “ Holland” diamond was changed so that it could be detachable from the necklace created by Rundell & Bridge.
 

An inventory conducted of the jewellery in the possession of the House of Orange in 1874 shows that the Holland diamond was now surrounded by 22 brilliant cut diamonds and was set in an Agraffe (a decorative hook or clasp for clothing). In 1879 the Holland diamond is yet again reset in a necklace. This time it’s part of a new parure for King Willem III’s young new bride, Queen Emma. Not long after, in 1897, German jeweller Schürmann in Frankfurt set the Holland diamond in the centre of a tiara that was created from the " House diamonds" for Queen Wilhelmina’s investiture the next year. Queen Wilhelmina always referred to the bluish, pear shaped diamond as the Stuart diamond.

The large all diamond tiara which does not only contain the Holland diamond but also 10 very large rose cut diamonds can be worn in a high and low setting although the latter has never been documented. At the time Jeweller Shürmann &Co. also made a large diamond necklace that became part of the parure together with a devant de corsage: a large diamond bow. The diamond bow itself already existed but several large diamonds, among which two rare triangular cut, where added to it. Although the parure was made for her, Queen Wilhelmina has only worn the tiara and devant de corsage sporadically: for her investiture in 1898, her wedding in 1901 and incidentally a portrait. Her daughter Juliana, who became Queen in 1948, decided to wear the complete parure the evening of her investiture. She was fond of the parure and wore it frequently until the 1970's. Since then, the parure has not been seen anymore. Queen Beatrix has never worn any part of this parure, possibly because it's too ostentatious for her taste.