CARTIER. The Greville Chandelier Earrings

The original owner of these magnificent earrings was the Honorable Mrs. Ronald Greville who asked Cartier to create the pair using every conceivable cut of diamond. In 1918, Cartier presented Mrs. Greville with the earring sans the six large pear-shaped drops. In 1922, the jewelers are Cartier added the drops, giving the finished product an astonishing variety of modern diamond cuts: half moon, trapeze, square, pear, baguette and emerald. 

Mrs. Ronald Greville left her extensive jewel collection to Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) in 1942. Some have said King George VI was a bit uneasy about his wife collecting such a stash in such a way, but apparently he got over it, because the Greville collection provided jewels which still sparkle on the ladies of the royal family today.

Two items from the Greville jewels were gifted to Princess Elizabeth for her wedding in 1947: these chandelier earrings, and a large floral ruby and diamond necklace. The Greville Chandelier Earrings are made of platinum-set diamonds in a great variety of cuts (emerald, pear, square, half moon, trapeze, baguette, and more). Made by Cartier, they started out in a simpler form and evolved to what we see today by 1929.