Rock Crystal, Ruby and Diamond Bangle, Late 19th Century | 白水晶 配 紅寶石 及 鑽石 手鐲, 19世紀末

Empress Elisabeth of Austria was the Empress of Austria and the Queen of Hungary, married to Emperor Franz Joseph I. She was the longest reigning empress of Austria at 44 years, and Franz Joseph was one of the longest reigning monarchs in modern history at 68 years. Originally Princess Sophie of Bavaria, the mother of Franz Joseph, intended her son to marry her sister Ludovika’s eldest daughter Helene. However, during the meeting of two families Franz Joseph fell in love with Elisabeth instead, the younger sister of Helene, and insisted that he would never get married if not for her. He was granted his wish and the couple married in Austria in 1854. Elisabeth, nicknamed Sisi, was famed for her beauty throughout her life and was well known for having a rigorous routine to maintain her slim silhouette. As she grew older, she did not allow for further portraits or photographs of herself to maintain the image of her youth in eternal beauty.

奧地利伊麗莎白女皇，即奧地利皇后兼匈牙利王后，是奧地利皇帝弗朗茨・約瑟夫一世之妻。伊麗莎白在位44年，是奧地利在位時間最長的皇后，其夫君奧地利皇弗朗茨・約瑟夫在位68年，是近代歷史上在位時間最長的君主。弗朗茨・約瑟夫之母，原為巴伐利亞的蘇菲公主，她原本屬意愛兒迎娶其妹妹盧多維卡公主的長女海倫妮。不過，雙方家庭會面時，約瑟夫卻愛上了海倫妮的妹妹伊麗莎白，堅持非她不娶。最後，約瑟夫得償所願，二人於1854年在奧地利完婚。伊麗莎白的綽號為茜茜公主，以其絕世美貌、為了維持纖盈身材所堅持的嚴謹生活戒律而廣為人知。年齡漸長後，伊麗莎白拒絕為自己留下任何畫像或照片，讓昔日的青春美貌長存世間。