Diamond Jewellery 'stuns' At New V&A Display

Published on 12/05/08

An emerald and diamond necklace and earrings given by Napoleon to his adopted daughter as a marriage gift are among the treasures to be found at a new V&A jewellery display.

Items from the past 3,000 years are being brought out at the museum's William and Judith Bollinger jewellery gallery, which is to feature some 3,500 items from the institution's collection, reports the Times.

The newspaper's Linda Grant reveals how she got a preview of some of the pieces set to illustrate the history of European jewellery - including the emerald and diamond necklace that Napoleon presented to Stephanie de Beauharnais upon her marriage to the Grand Duke of Baden in 1806.

A ruby and diamond brooch made for Napoleon's wife, Josephine, is also among the bespoke jewellery collection.

Ms Grant observes: "A visitor to the new gallery will see how jewels have accompanied us from the cradle to the grave, how jewels go with us through life - and not just for adornment."

The William and Judith Bollinger jewellery gallery opens on May 24th at the V&A, which was founded as the South Kensington Museum in 1852 and now houses a permanent collection of more than 4.5 million decorative objects.