An imperial diamond and aquamarine necklace, probably St Petersburg, late 19th/early 20th century

Half the chain designed as a laurel wreath, the other half as a recurring pattern of rosettes, diamonds and dots, a short laurel wreath suspending from each rosette and joining in pairs to a large circular-cut aquamarine of graduated size, the largest at the centre, set throughout with rose- and circular cut diamonds, inner circumference approximately 404mm.

Provenance

Probably for Prince Louis Battenberg (1854-1921) or his wife Princess Victoria (1863-1950), who was the sister of the Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna
The Collection of the Late Countess Mountbatten of Burma (1924 - 2017)

Catalogue Note

Known by the family as the 'Fabergé' necklace, a gift from the Tsarina. While there are echos of this necklace's garland design and use of large aquamarines in known Fabergé designs and jewellery pieces, the overall construction of the piece suggests it is by anther hand.