The Coronation
With the Coronation of King Charles III around the corner, I thought I would write a little about the history of the crown in jewellery.
The Taylor Black Jewellery branding
In fact my own logo includes a floral crown which was developed by the team at design agency Interabang. They wanted the branding to convey the fact that the jewellery is made in England and the English sensibility of my work. It was made over 10 years ago now but I think it is just as strong as it was and pleased how timeless it is.
Of course I am not the only jewellery brand to have a crown incorporated in my work with Rolex perhaps being the most famous of all with its 5 pointed coronet.
The Crown Jewels
The Crown Jewels are perhaps the most famous jewels in the world. They are the distinctive and emblematic symbols of our monarchs. Consequently the crown has become a popular symbol of "Britishness" and often interpreted as denoting luxury.
It is interesting to read that the crown King Charles III will wear (St Edward's Crown) used to have "rented" gems instead of the ones that now permanently set in the 22 carat gold. It contains a total of 444 precious and semi-precious stones including 345 Aquamarines and 12 Rubies. Rubies are often seen as a Royal stone because of their association with power (warriors wore them in battle in in Ancient Burma) and magical properties - Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. Large, high quality Rubies are more rare than diamonds.
In my own experience they are less popular but also consistent choice.
It was originally made for King Charles II in 1661 as a replacement of the original which Oliver Cromwell had melted down.
Crowns and hallmarks
The Crown is a traditional fineness symbol on gold. It is now an optional hallmark but applied as standard by the Goldsmith's Assay Office in London who I am registered with.
Until 1975 the Crown hallmark used to signify that a piece of silverwork was stamped by the Sheffield Assay Office. It is now a rose.
Hallmarks can often look great as a feature in themselves such as on a man's cuff.
Crown influences
A nod to the crown can be seen in my multistone ring which features four diamonds and a central peak at the top.
