Star news
Coronation regalia of Russian emperors. Gems of the Russian Crown
Crown Russian Empire
(from Latin corona - crown)- a special precious coronation headdress of the imperial court of Russia, symbolizing the highest level in the hierarchy and being the emblem of the supreme power - a sign of royal dignity; large imperial crown of the Russian Empire, which was placed on the head of the new autocrat.
Priamble
Encyclopedic information about Russian crowns from the Brockhaus and Efron encyclopedia:
“A crown is a headdress or headdress that serves as a sign of a certain power and by its form determines the rank, rank, title, and sometimes the merits of the person to whom it belongs. There is no doubt that K. owes its origin to the wreath or crown, representing its actual variety.
Currently, the following documents are kept in the Moscow Armory Chamber:
1).
Saint Vladimir;
2).
Kazan, ordered by Ivan the Terrible for the baptism of the Kazan Tsar Ediger and sent after the latter’s death to Moscow;
3).
Astrakhan, made in 1627 by order of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich;
4).
Siberian (altabass hat), made of gold brocade; ordered in 1684;
5).
Tauride or so-called Monomakh cap of the second category, made in 1682 for the coronation of Peter the Great;
6).
diamond K. Peter the Great, German work, decorated with two double-headed eagles on the front;
7).
diamond K. Ioann Alekseevich.
Seals of the European form have been found on seals since the time of Mikhail Feodorovich, but in reality they did not yet exist. The first European-style crown was made in 1724 for the coronation of Catherine I. Peter II was crowned with this crown. He ordered the arc dividing K. to be decorated with a large ruby, purchased by order of Alexei Mikhailovich in Beijing, from the Chinese Bogdykhan, by Ambassador Nikolai Spafariy; a diamond cross was attached to its top. For the coronation of Anna Ioannovna, K. was ordered according to the same model, but even more luxurious and larger; the number of stones decorating it reaches 2605 pieces. On the arc there is a ruby taken from K. Peter II. This K. has been called Polish since 1856 and is placed on the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Poland in the state coat of arms. This same K., slightly altered, was used to crown Elizabeth Petrovna. Catherine II ordered a new K. for her coronation from the court jeweler Pozier, the decoration of which included 58 very large and 4878 small diamonds, a large ruby and 75 large pearls; she weighed up to 5 pounds. For the coronation of Paul I, this gem was slightly expanded and 75 pearls were replaced by 54 large ones; All subsequent emperors were crowned with it.”
Story
For the first time, the transition from traditional hats studded with gems to European-style crowns occurred during the coronation of Catherine I - a crown of gold and silver, studded with many diamonds, was made for her.
The large imperial crown of the Russian Empire was made for the coronation in 1762 famous jewelers Georg-Friedrich Eckart, who was the author of the sketches and frame, and also supervised the work, and Jeremiah (Jeremiah: in Russia he was called Eremey Petrovich) Pozier, who was involved in the selection of stones. The work was carried out by special order of Catherine II. Famous masters Only one condition was set - the crown had to weigh no more than 5 pounds (2 kilograms).
The archives preserve the names of talented goldsmiths who participated in the “case of the crown” - Ivan Evstigneev and Ivan Lipman, and even artisans of the court Diamond Workshop. All jewelers were paid 8,200 rubles from the treasury for their work. The jewelry miracle was created in just two months. It was the most famous crown The Russian Empire, until the decline of the monarchy, personified the supreme power in Russia. The magnificent crown is not inferior to the most magnificent examples of European royal houses.
Because of the enmity of these two jewelers, the name Georg-Friedrich Eckart for a long time was known to a limited circle of people. In his notes, Pozier did not mention Eckart and all the glory long years went only to Jeremy himself.
After the October Revolution, dilapidated and ruined by gangs of “Bolsheviks,” the young communist state of workers’ and peasants’ councils needed finance. The government was looking for loans and turned to Michael Collins, Ireland's finance minister. The Royal Jewels were used as collateral for the Soviet Republic for a $25,000 loan. The transfer of valuables and money took place in New York, between the head of the “Soviet bureau” - Soviet ambassador in America, Ladwig Martens, and the Irish Ambassador to the USA, Harry Boland. After returning to Ireland, Boland kept the jewelry in the house of his mother, Kathleen Boland O'Donovan, who lived in Dublin. Throughout the period of the Irish War of Independence, the jewelry was kept by Boland's mother. Mrs. Boland O'Donovan handed over the Russian jewels to the government of the Irish Republic in the person of Eamon de Valera only in 1938, which were stored in safes in government buildings and were forgotten for a while.
In 1948, the valuables were discovered and, by decision of the new Irish government, led by John A. Costello, a decision was made to sell the pledged royal jewels to Russia at a public auction in London. However, after consultation regarding legal status collateral values and negotiations with the Soviet ambassador, the decision to sell was canceled. The valuables had to be returned to Soviet Union in exchange for the amount of $25,000 originally loaned in 1920. The jewelry returned to Moscow in 1950.
Description
The crown of the Russian Empire is made in the form of a headdress eastern traditions (“turban of Indian sultans, high caste rajas and Ottoman clergy”) consists of precious metals - silver and gold: two silver hemispheres studded with diamonds, separated by a diamond garland and two rows of pearls, fastened with a low crown consisting of a large spinel, one of the 7 historical stones, and a cross of 5 huge diamonds. The master set 4,936 diamonds weighing a total of 2,858 carats and 72 Indian pearls in silver, emphasizing the sparkle of the diamond lace with two rows of large matte pearls. The height of the crown with the cross is 27.5 cm. The most famous of the crown's precious stones is the ruby (spinel) on an arc weighing 398.72 carats, separating the two halves of the crown. The stone was purchased in 1676 from the Chinese Emperor Kangxi (Chinese 康熙, pinyin Kangxi(Kangxi), given name Xuanye, whale玄燁, May 4, 1654 - December 20, 1722) , and was brought to Rus' by the scientist and writer Nikolai Spafariy, who was in the diplomatic service under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in Beijing (China) from 1675 to 1678. This famous ruby wandered from one crown to another and originally adorned the imperial headdress of Elizabeth Petrovna. On top of the ruby is a cross of five large diamonds. The majestic design of the crown is not only beautiful, but also filled with.
deep meaning The two hemispheres represent the union of East and West on the territory of the Russian Empire and the unification of two continents in victory over the Ottomans. Connected at the base of the crown and framed with pearls, they depict the Latin letter "V"(Victoria - victory) . At the bottom, the grid of hemispheres is covered by laurel branches - a symbol of power and glory, and in the drawing, garlands are placed between the hemispheres oak leaves
and acorns, which symbolizes the strength and strength of power. Three large gemstones that dominate the state regalia of the Russian Empire - red spinel (V) crown Three large gemstones that dominate the state regalia of the Russian Empire - red spinel , blue sapphire) power Three large gemstones that dominate the state regalia of the Russian Empire - red spinel and shining white diamond) skipper
- are similar in color to the red-blue-white Russian flag. By order of the king, an exact copy of the crown was made smaller sizes
, which was used for the coronation of queens. In 1900, Fabergé made a complete set of exact copies of the imperial regalia (great and small imperial crowns, orb and scepter) in miniature from silver, gold, diamonds, sapphires and rubies on a marble base; the work is in the Hermitage collection.
According to Byzantine tradition, the king was given an imperial crown on his head as a symbol of the supreme power bestowed by the Almighty. Notable persons from all over the world and noble representatives of their country were invited to the coronation. During solemn ceremony an oath of allegiance to the people and the Motherland was read, as well as a prayer to the glory of the Lord; the emperor accepted symbols of state power.
IN last time the crown of the Russian Empire was used in 1906 at the opening ceremony of the Russian State Duma.
Crowned with a large crown:
- 1762 Catherine II the Great
- 1797 Paul I
- 1801 Alexander I
- 1826 Nicholas I
- 1855 Alexander II
- 1883 Alexander III
- 1896 Nicholas II
Value
By the early 1880s jewelry value Eckart and Pozier's products exceeded 1 million rubles (in gold). Currently, the Great Imperial Crown is in the Diamond Fund Russian Federation.
Use in heraldry
The imperial crown is found in the large coats of arms of male members of the imperial family, in the personal coat of arms of His Majesty and in the coats of arms of the provinces. The minor coats of arms of the persons of the imperial house have a heraldic crown, representing nothing more than the North German noble crown. If the crown has pearls topped with crosses, then it is called ancient royal and is used in the coats of arms of the regions. In the coats of arms of cities a wall crown is placed, and the antique crown is usually used to crown heraldic figures. In the coats of arms of the untitled nobility, the crown surmounts the helmet, but previously coats of arms were approved without a crown; the latter was sometimes placed on a shield or in the air above the helmet. In baronial coats of arms, the crown is placed either directly above the shield, or on the helmet crowning the shield. In the count's coats of arms, the crown is placed on the shield; in addition, if there are several helmets, then the middle one is sometimes crowned with the same crown; the rest are covered by the noble and baronial titles, if the owner of the coat of arms had the latter title. The princely cap is usually placed above the mantle, but can also be crowned with a shield and helmet.
|
Since December 20, 2000, the imperial crown of the Russian Empire has been depicted again on the coat of arms of the state that was revived after the collapse of the USSR - the Russian Federation.
In art
- Adventure feature film “The Crown of the Russian Empire, or the Elusive Ones Again,” 1971 (USSR)
- Painting by Borovikovsky (1757-1825) “Portrait of Paul I” (1800-1801)
Commercial use
The crown of the Russian Empire had many unofficial uses for advertising purposes and on various product labels, especially various brands vodka and caviar. Some varieties of expensive original champagne (Champagne, France) also have the image of state symbols of the Russian Empire on the labels.
Notes
- Keogh, Dermot., (2005), "Twentieth Century Ireland", (Revised Edition), Gill & Macmillan, Dublin, p. 208, ISBN 0-7171-3297-8
- The Imperial Crown of Russia (1763).
- The price of a cow up to average value was 5-10 rubles in banknotes (stately and thoroughbred - up to 20). At the Karaganda coal mines by the end of the 19th century, miners' earnings ranged from 70 kopecks to 1 ruble 40 kopecks for a 12-14-hour working day.
additional literature
- Symbols of the Russian Empire
- Books mentioning the crown of the Russian Empire in the search engine
Links
- Treasures of the Diamond Fund
- The collection with historical accuracy represents the best jewelry exhibited in the building of the State Armory Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin
- Women's Crown of the Russian Empire (The succession crisis of the Romanov dynasty ended with the “golden age” of Catherine the Great)
The main symbol of power Russian monarchs The large imperial crown of the Russian Empire, commissioned by Catherine II the Great for her coronation in 1762, was created according to a sketch by the court jeweler Georg-Friedrich Eckart and the diamond craftsman Jérémie Pozier (1716-1779), in just two months.
The large imperial crown is made in the form of a headdress with an extremely graceful shape and successfully found proportions - this is all the merit of Georg-Friedrich Eckart.
Diamond master Eremey Petrovich Pozier was engaged in the selection of diamonds and gems for this jewelry miracle. The task turned out to be far from easy - the master set 4936 diamonds weighing 2858 carats in silver. The jeweler Pozier brought out the beauty of the stones, very skillfully using the mesmerizing shimmer of diamonds, the play of gems, combined with the matte calmness of pearls.
The sparkle of the diamond lace is emphasized by two rows of large matte pearls, 75 in total, weighing a total of 763 carats. The crown is crowned with a rare bright red gemstone - a noble Ruby Spinel weighing 398.72 carats. The famous ruby from the crown of Elizabeth Petrovna, the same one that was acquired in 1676 from the Chinese Emperor Kangxi by Nikolai Spafari, a member of the Russian delegation to China, a prominent Russian diplomat and political figure.
The Empress set one condition - the weight of the crown should not exceed 5 pounds (or 2.27 kg)
The height of the Great Imperial Crown with a cross is 27.5 cm. The length of the lower circumference is 64 cm. The weight of the crown is 1993.80 grams.
The majestic design of the crown is not only beautiful, but also filled with deep meaning; the imperial crown is made up of two silver hemispheres, personifying the union of East and West on the territory of the Russian Empire.
At the bottom, the grid of hemispheres is covered by laurel branches - a symbol of power and glory, and in the garland design, oak leaves and acorns are placed between the hemispheres, symbolizing the strength and inviolability of power.
The Great Imperial Crown of the Russian Empire was used as imperial regalia from 1762 to 1917; all Russian emperors after 1762 were crowned with this crown:
Catherine II (1762)
Peter III (1797 posthumously crowned Paul I)
Paul I (1797)
Alexander I (1801)
Nicholas I (1826)
Alexander II (1855)
Alexander III (1883)
Nicholas II (1896).
By decree of Peter I, a in 1719 Diamond Room, where ceremonial jewelry, and insignia and other state regalia that were used by monarchs during coronation and other important state ceremonies were kept.
The last time the Great Imperial Crown was used was by the last Emperor of Russia Nicholas II in 1906 at the opening ceremony of the first State Duma.
After the October Revolution in 1922, all valuables and regalia of imperial power were transferred to the Gokhran of Russia. The Great Imperial Crown of the Russian Empire served as property collateral against cash loans$25,000 for the state treasury. The main pledger was the Irish Minister of Finance, Michael Collins, and the Great Imperial Crown was kept in the house of the Irish Ambassador Harry Boland until 1938.
In 1948, the new Irish government wanted to sell all the pledged royal jewels of Russia at an auction in London. However, after long consultations with the Soviet ambassador, it was decided to return all the relics to their homeland, in exchange for the amount of $25,000.
The Great Imperial Crown of the Russian Empire was returned to Russia in 1950 after following the loan repayment procedure and is stored in the Diamond Fund of the Russian Federation, where all Russian historical relics and monuments are collected and stored jewelry art, precious stones and nuggets.
Since 1967, the imperial crown has been on display in one of the halls of the Diamond Fund of Russia in the Moscow Kremlin Museum, where the component part is exhibited Gokhran Foundation Russia.
The unique monument of jewelry art was restored in 1984. The materials used are silver, gold, diamonds, pearls, spinel.
In 2012, the Smolensk Diamonds company created a copy of the Great Imperial Crown of the Russian Empire.
The jewels of the Russian imperial crown shared the sad fate of the treasuries of the largest European monarchies - the English (until 1848), French and Austro-Hungarian, which were irretrievably lost in the whirlwind of wars and revolutions.
In 1719, according to the decree of Peter I, for the special storage of “things belonging to the state,” a special room was organized - “rentery”, where state regalia, insignia, and ceremonial jewelry were kept. Since 1839, this repository became known as the Diamond Room.
Russian emperors and empresses, competing in luxury with the monarchs of others European countries, sought to increase the wealth and pomp of their court. Many outstanding jewelers worked at the court in St. Petersburg - I. Pozier, father and sons Duval, L. Pfisterer, G. Eckart. Precious stones were purchased using treasury funds, some of them came in the form of gifts. In addition to the imperial regalia, the crown jewels included various jewelry and decorations.
For the coronation of Catherine II, who ascended the throne as a result of a coup d'etat. a large imperial crown was made. Already on July 8, 1762, on the tenth day after the massacre of Peter III, a decree signed by Catherine appeared, according to which Chamberlain Ivan Betsky was given 50 thousand rubles for coronation expenses, including payment to jewelers. The development of a sketch of the crown was entrusted to the jeweler Jeremy (Jeremiah) Pozier (1716-1779), a native of Switzerland.
The chief court jeweler, Georg-Friedrich Eckart, rejected Pozier's plan. Having received gold from the treasury, he himself made the openwork frame of the crown. But it was Pozier who decorated the crown with stones. “I chose among the things all the largest stones that were not suitable for fashionable decoration, partly diamonds, partly colored,” Pozier later recalled in his “Notes.” - Despite all the precautions I took to make the crown light and use only the most necessary materials“To hold the stones in it, it turned out to weigh five pounds.”
Pauzier did an excellent job of selecting stones, highlighting their beauty, very successfully finding transitions from one color to another and skillfully using the bewitching shimmer of pearls. The crown was valued at two million rubles - an astronomical amount at that time. Let us add that this masterpiece of 18th-century jewelry was created in just two months.
The crown of the Russian Empire looks traditional for this symbol of state power. It consists of two openwork silver hemispheres, strewn with Indian diamonds of various sizes - there are 4936 pieces in total (total weight - 2858 carats). At the bottom of the crown, large white and pink diamonds alternate rhythmically.
The only spot of color is the large dark red spinel at the top of the crown, below the diamond cross. This 398.72-carat spinel is one of seven historical stones stored in the Diamond Fund. It was purchased in 1676 by the Russian envoy to Beijing Nikolai Spafariy.
The total weight of the crown is 1.907 kg. The length of the lower circumference of the crown is 64 cm, the height with the cross is 27.5 cm. Regardless of the size and complexity of the composition, it is elegant and light. This is a true masterpiece of 18th century jewelry.
Along with the crown, other imperial regalia were made for the coronation of Catherine II - an orb and a scepter.
The orb - a polished hollow ball topped with a cross - is made of so-called “red gold”. The ball is surrounded by two rows large diamonds, the sapphire on top weighs approximately 47 carats. The golden scepter is made in strict forms; it consists of three smooth parts, separated by diamond bands, and is crowned with a double-headed eagle, decorated with black enamel and diamonds. Below the eagle, greatly enhancing the splendor of the scepter, is the famous Orlov diamond (189.62 carats).
The so-called Small Imperial Crown, kept today in the Diamond Fund, was made in 1801 by the Duval brothers for Elizaveta Alekseevna, wife of Alexander I. Its weight is 378 g, the crown is decorated with 48 large (from 2 to 9 carats) and 200 small diamonds. This crown, originally intended for coronation, and later served for special special occasions, made as an elegant feminine adornment.
Historical reference
A scandal broke out. Foreign newspapers wrote that some European entrepreneurs and banks were used by the Soviet government for foreign exchange transactions with looted gold, diamonds and church valuables. To quell the outrage, at the end of 1925 an exhibition of the crown jewels was hastily organized in Moscow, which was supposed to show the world that they were safe and sound.
The noise raised in the press apparently disrupted the impending deal for the sale abroad through Manchuria of all the relics of the former Diamond Room, which included a collection of imperial crowns, an imperial scepter with the Orlov diamond, an orb, a collection of diamond pendants and tiaras, and diamond order medals. signs and chains, gift gold cups, a collection of fans and rings, imperial Faberge Easter eggs and much more.
However, most of these items were still sold out in the 1920s and 1930s.
Some later turned up in private collections in the USA and Europe, for example, the wedding crown of Russian empresses, made from the diamond belt of Catherine II - in the fall of 1926, it (together with the diamond sword of Paul I, the decoration of Catherine the Second's coronation dress from clusters of Brazilian diamonds and Indian emeralds, diamond snuffbox of Empress Elizabeth, collection of imperial easter eggs Faberge) was sold by the new owners of the country to the American dealer Norman Weiss.
The location of some other items is still unknown (including several Faberge eggs, a diamond badge of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, which belonged to Alexander II, the icon of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary in the Temple in a precious frame by Faberge, etc.).
The main symbol of the power of the Russian monarchs, the large imperial crown of the Russian Empire, ordered by Catherine II the Great for her coronation in 1762, was created according to the sketch of the court jeweler Georg-Friedrich Eckart and the diamond craftsman Jérémie Pozier (1716-1779), in just two months...
The large imperial crown is made in the form of a headdress with an extremely graceful shape and successfully found proportions - this is all the merit of Georg-Friedrich Eckart.
Diamond master Eremey Petrovich Pozier was engaged in the selection of diamonds and gems for this jewelry miracle. The task turned out to be far from easy - the master set 4936 diamonds weighing 2858 carats in silver. The jeweler Pozier brought out the beauty of the stones, very skillfully using the mesmerizing shimmer of diamonds, the play of gems, combined with the matte calmness of pearls.
The sparkle of the diamond lace is emphasized by two rows of large matte pearls, 75 in total, weighing a total of 763 carats. The crown is crowned with a rare bright red gemstone - a noble Ruby Spinel weighing 398.72 carats. The famous ruby from the crown of Elizabeth Petrovna, the same one that was acquired in 1676 from the Chinese Emperor Kangxi by Nikolai Spafari, a member of the Russian delegation to China, a prominent Russian diplomat and political figure.
The Empress set one condition - the weight of the crown should not exceed 5 pounds (or 2.27 kg)
The height of the Great Imperial Crown with a cross is 27.5 cm. The length of the lower circumference is 64 cm. The weight of the crown is 1993.80 grams.
The majestic design of the crown is not only beautiful, but also filled with deep meaning; the imperial crown is made up of two silver hemispheres, personifying the union of East and West on the territory of the Russian Empire.
At the bottom, the grid of hemispheres is covered by laurel branches - a symbol of power and glory, and in the garland design, oak leaves and acorns are placed between the hemispheres, symbolizing the strength and inviolability of power.
The Great Imperial Crown of the Russian Empire was used as imperial regalia from 1762 to 1917; all Russian emperors after 1762 were crowned with this crown:
Catherine II (1762)
Peter III (1797 posthumously crowned Paul I)
Paul I (1797)
Alexander I (1801)
Nicholas I (1826)
Alexander II (1855)
Alexander III (1883)
Nicholas II (1896).
By decree of Peter I, a in 1719 Diamond Room, where ceremonial jewelry, and insignia and other state regalia that were used by monarchs during coronation and other important state ceremonies were kept.
The last time the Great Imperial Crown was used was by the last Emperor of Russia Nicholas II in 1906 at the opening ceremony of the first State Duma.
After the October Revolution in 1922, all valuables and regalia of imperial power were transferred to the Gokhran of Russia. The Great Imperial Crown of the Russian Empire served as collateral for cash loans of $25,000 for the state treasury. The main pledger was the Irish Minister of Finance, Michael Collins, and the Great Imperial Crown was kept in the house of the Irish Ambassador Harry Boland until 1938.
In 1948, the new Irish government wanted to sell all the pledged royal jewels of Russia at an auction in London. However, after long consultations with the Soviet ambassador, it was decided to return all the relics to their homeland, in exchange for the amount of $25,000.
The Great Imperial Crown of the Russian Empire was returned to Russia in 1950 after following the loan repayment procedure and is stored in the Diamond Fund of the Russian Federation, where all Russian historical relics, monuments of jewelry, precious stones and nuggets are collected and stored.
Since 1967, the imperial crown has been on display in one of the halls of the Diamond Fund of Russia in the Moscow Kremlin Museum, where the component part is exhibited Gokhran Foundation Russia.
The unique monument of jewelry art was restored in 1984. The materials used are silver, gold, diamonds, pearls, spinel.
In 2012, the Smolensk Diamonds company created a copy of the Great Imperial Crown of the Russian Empire.
- the main symbol of the power of Russian monarchs; all Russian autocrats were crowned with it, starting with the founder of the Hermitage, Catherine II in 1762.
Splendor and splendor have always distinguished the Russian court, especially during the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna and Catherine II. He was one of the most brilliant in Europe. The best jewelers worked at the court, such as I. Pozier, father and sons Duval, L. Pfisterer, G. Eckart. They created works of high jewelry.
The Great Imperial Crown became a real world masterpiece of jewelry art. It has no equal among European crown values. It was created for the coronation of Catherine II in 1762 by Jeremiah Pozier with the participation of other masters. Work on the Crown lasted two months and was carried out without the use of high technology. Original Big Imperial Crown made of silver and gold, inlaid with diamonds (4936 pieces), decorated with pearls (75 pieces), the Crown is crowned with a rare precious stone of bright red color - a noble spinel measuring 398.72 carats.
The last time the crown was used was in government events for its intended purpose in 1906 - at the opening ceremony of the first State Duma with the participation of the last Emperor Nicholas II.
Nowadays, the original is kept and can be seen only in the Diamond Fund of the Russian Federation in Moscow on the territory of the Kremlin.
In honor of the 250th anniversary of the world-famous museum, the Official Hotel of the State Hermitage and the Smolensk Diamonds jewelry group are giving you unique opportunity touch the historical greatness of Russia. The brilliant age of Catherine, the luxury and grace of Imperial Russia, the splendor and glory of authentic St. Petersburg. Feel the unique atmosphere in which the past and present are skillfully merged!
These days, a real jewelry masterpiece of our days from a Russian jewelry brand is freely available on the hotel premises - a replica of the Great Imperial Crown, created by Smolensk jewelry craftsmen!
These are the words used by the chief custodian of the Russian Diamond Fund, Evgeniy Gapanyuk, to describe the modern incarnation of the Great Imperial Crown: “It’s hard to call this masterpiece a replica. This is an independent work of jewelry art itself the highest level, created with obvious love for Russia and respect for its great history. One cannot fail to note the magnificent sound of amazing Smolensk diamonds.”
The new Great Imperial Crown is interesting because modern technologies allowed us to use the entire arsenal of technical capabilities and create a work of jewelry art of the 21st century. An unprecedented jewelry project was carried out by OJSC "PO Kristall" and the jewelry group "Smolensk Diamonds" using Russian diamonds cut according to ideal parameters Triple and DoubleExcellent classifications. The play and brilliance of the famous “Russian cut” diamonds with their ideal geometry, symmetry and quality of polished surfaces made it possible to maximize the natural beauty of the diamond in the modern incarnation of the Crown.
The replica of the Great Imperial Crown was created to commemorate the half-century anniversary of the Russian diamond processing industry, the flagship of which is the Smolensk production association “Crystal” and the 10th anniversary of its subsidiary, the Smolensk Diamonds jewelry group. The appearance of the new Crown coincides with a number of significant historical anniversary dates that fell in 2012-2013: the 250th anniversary of the coronation of Empress Catherine II, the 400th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty and the 200th anniversary of the victory in Patriotic War 1812.
When creating a replica, the authors did not set out to accurately replicate the original; simple copying would not have allowed them to demonstrate technological progress and the highest degree of skill achieved by jewelers and cutters today. The replica of the Great Imperial Crown stylistically repeats original product, but is superior to it in many respects.
More than 60 Smolensk craftsmen worked on the new jewelry masterpiece for six months. The Great Imperial Crown, recreated by Smolensk craftsmen, uses 11,352 diamonds of ideal cut and the highest quality characteristics. The crown is made from white gold, the sparkle of the diamond lace is emphasized by two rows of 74 natural large pearls white. The crown is crowned with a rare size jewelry stone noble ruby-red color – natural rubellite (tourmaline), weighing 384.71 carats. A new precious miracle appears before the public, truly dazzling with its brilliance and play of stones!
Also on the territory of the Hermitage Hotel in jewelry salon“Smolensk Diamonds” You can see other unique products from jewelry craftsmen from Smolensk. This is a great opportunity to purchase exquisite pieces and replicas of famous treasures! Get in touch with the living history and riches of Russia!
Within the framework of the project “Smolensk Diamonds in the Hermitage”, unrealized original sketches of the Faberge company from the museum’s collections were realized for the first time. Sketches of brooches, pendants, necklaces, tiaras, rings, cufflinks, and various accessories from the Faberge firm are executed at the highest professional level and reflect almost the entire range of artistic tastes and preferences of the wealthy public at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. The implementation of some of them by the craftsmen of the Smolensk Diamonds jewelry group is an interesting experiment that makes it possible to revive the projects of jewelry artists, perhaps the most famous Russian jewelry company of the last century. Products from the “Unknown Faberge” collection, created based on these unique sketches, as well as the “Scythian Gold” collection (replicas of gold items from the Scythian era from the collection of the State Hermitage) are presented in the new salon of the “Smolensk Diamonds” jewelry group on the territory of the hotel.
Have you ever dreamed - like a royal privileged person - to spend the night in the luxurious chambers of the Hermitage? Celebrate in palace interiors significant event your life or spend pleasant evening with exquisite dishes and drinks among friends in the atmosphere of the imperial residence, enjoying the enchanting sounds of live music? Now for the first time this has become possible - give yourself unforgettable moments in a unique hotel of the famous museum - in the world's only official hotel of the Hermitage.
Come to the Hermitage Hotel and you will see with your own eyes the majestic radiance of a collectible piece of jewelry - a stunning embodiment of the Great Imperial Crown from Smolensk Diamonds! Your unforgettable moments in the palace interiors in the radiance of thousands of Crown diamonds!
In addition, for you at the Hermitage Hotel:
— “Scythian Gold” and “Unknown Faberge” from the series “From the Treasury of the State Hermitage”, other exclusive jewelry collections from Smolensk Diamonds;
- beautiful selected porcelain products from the Imperial Porcelain Factory;
— bronze, sculpture, albums, reproductions, souvenirs and other exclusive official products of the Hermitage Store!
And finally, also for you - unique rooms, Imperial cuisine in the Catherine the Great restaurant, a variety of dishes in the Michelangelo restaurant, a cozy Lobby bar with a wide selection of snacks and drinks, 8 stunning rooms for festive and business events, a stunning panorama St. Petersburg from the spacious terrace, live music and much more. The best traditions Russian hospitality and the authentic atmosphere of the real St. Petersburg! Another pearl in the Hermitage collection is the Art of Hospitality, Hermitage Hotel.
