This was published 5 years ago
Ten of the world's most amazing gem collections
French crown jewels at the Louvre, Paris.Credit: Shutterstock.com
GREEN VAULT, DRESDEN, GERMANY
The treasury of King Augustus II of Saxony was assembled in the early 18th century and glitters with a baroque assortment of objects in gold, gemstones, amber, ivory and rock crystal, nearly all masterpieces. The crown jewels of Saxon-Polish royalty include a 648-carat sapphire, the 49.71-carat Dresden White diamond and the famous decorative statue Moor with Emerald Plate which holds a cluster of 16 dark green emeralds. See gruenes-gewoelbe.skd.museum
MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, WASHINGTON DC, USA
The Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals at this branch of the Smithsonian is adorned with some of the largest diamonds, rubies and emeralds ever found, not least the famous 45.5-carat blue Hope Diamond and the extraordinary Whitney Flame Topaz. You can also admire the diamond earrings of French queen Marie Antoinette and a 275-carat diamond necklace Napoleon presented to his wife. See naturalhistory.si.edu
ARMOURY PALACE, MOSCOW, RUSSIA
This Kremlin museum provides the chance to goggle at several centuries of imperial Romanov knickknacks, from thrones to diamond-studded helmets and the famous Orlov Diamond, once set in Catherine the Great's sceptre. The highlight is the collection of jewellery by court designer Carl Fabergé, including 10 of his bejewelled Easter eggs, which open to reveal miniature models such as a Kremlin and a clockwork Trans-Siberian Express. See kreml.ru
LOUVRE, PARIS, FRANCE
Galerie d'Apollon showcases the French crown jewels, including diamonds such as the peach-coloured Hortensia, pale-yellow Sancy and the Regent, which was worn by Louis XV to his coronation, set in the hilt of Napoleon's sword, and is now attached to Empress Eugenie's diadem. It's reckoned to be the world's finest and most flawless diamond. The latest addition is a Napoleonic necklace featuring 1264 diamonds and 38 emeralds. See louvre.fr
TOWER OF LONDON, LONDON, UK
The world's most complete set of royal regalia – which gets an outing at coronations and openings of parliament – consists of orbs, sceptres and crowns. Embedded in them are some of the world's largest and most extraordinary diamonds, such as the Koh-i-Noor and the pear-shaped 530.20-carat Great Star of Africa. The Stuart and St Edward sapphires are also remarkable. There are more than 23,000 gemstones in the collection. See rct.uk
IMPERIAL TREASURY, VIENNA, AUSTRIA
Six hundred years of busy Hapsburg collecting produced this Hofburg palace assortment of crowns, orbs, shiny sword hilts, chivalrous and military orders, hairpins and brooches, all covered in gemstones. Even gloves, boots and overcoats glitter. The centrepiece is the Imperial Crown of Emperor Rudolf II, adorned with diamonds and topped by a blue-green emerald. The ecclesiastical treasury, meanwhile, features an extravagance of jewel-studded goblets, reliquaries and robes. See kaiserliche-schatzkammer.at
TOPKAPI PALACE MUSEUM, ISTANBUL, TURKEY
The treasures collected by Ottoman sultans over the centuries are on display in the Imperial Treasury at their former palace headquarters. They include an emerald-studded dagger and hunting bow, ornate drinking cups, and the rubies, diamonds and huge pearls once fastened to turbans. Several thrones are inlaid with mother-of-pearl and gemstones. A highlight is the famous pear-shaped, 85.80-carat Spoonmaker's Diamond, surrounded by 49 smaller diamonds. See topkapisarayi.gov.tr
NATIONAL MUSEUM, DELHI, INDIA
The Jewellery Gallery at this museum displays some 250 pieces, many from collections of former Mughal emperors and regional maharajas. They include ceremonial objects made in gold and sparkling with gemstones, images of Hindu gods and goddesses, and decorative pieces such as a 19th-century gold filigree necklace set with white sapphires in the form of flowers. The size of stones in turban pieces and buckles is astonishing. See nationalmuseumindia.gov.in
CENTRAL BANK, TEHERAN, IRAN
Iran's Treasury of National Jewels is mind-boggling. It contains the baubles amassed over centuries by Safavid kings and Persian shahs, not known for their modesty. Thrones, crowns and a world globe are laden with precious stones. The flawless pink Darya-i-Noor coronation diamond is the centrepiece of a crown worn by the last shah in 1967, weighed down with 400 other diamonds and topped by a ruby-eyed lion. See cbi.ir
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, NEW YORK, USA
The Hall of Gems, currently undergoing a major renovation, should re-emerge with its most prominent pieces still on view, including the world's largest gem-quality blue sapphire (563 carats), an unusual black sapphire (116 carats), and one of the world's largest uncut emeralds (632 carats). The collection ranges from uncut and polished stones to those set in jewellery, as well as unusual and synthetic gemstones. See amnh.org
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