In recent weeks, the second season of HBO’s ‘The Gilded Age’ has become quite a sensation for its gripping storyline and sumptuous costumes, so today we are featuring the several heirloom Royal Jewels that have been replicated for the period drama, which has now been renewed for a Third Season!
Set in the 1880s, massively wealthy Betha Russell displays her ‘new money’ by wearing several period appropriate necklaces throughout the first season, though the striking Diamond Choker certainly dates from a much later time period, as does the delicate floral tiara. However, the Victorian tiara worn for Ball during the season finale seems perfectly suitable.
Mrs Russell seems to have been based on characteristics of several of the Vanderbilt Family’s prominent women, including Alva Vanderbilt and Grace Vanderbilt, whose new money and ostentatious spending initially made them social pariahs in ‘Old Money’ New York society. The Vanderbilt covered themselves with Jewels, often of European Royal Provenance, which was much more on display in season two.
Season two begins with a magnificent Dinner, where Mrs Russell was seen wearing a large diamond Tiara and a striking Diamond Necklace, which seems to be a copy of Queen Alexandra’s Collier Résille, which was commissioned at Cartier in 1904.
In a later Dinner scene, Mrs Russell was seen wearing the same Tiara with another spectacular diamond necklace, which was possibly also commissioned by Queen Alexandra at Cartier, and includes a spectacular Cartier Belle Epoque Choker, though both necklaces were created two decades after the period depicted.
Mrs Russell wore the lower portion of the necklace for another dinner sequence, this time with a spectacular Pearl and Diamond Wreath Tiara, which seems to be rather period appropriate.
At a reception to mark the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge, Mrs Russell was seen wearing a striking Pearl and Diamond Tiara and a coordinating necklace, which is a replica of the Boucheron Pearl and Diamond Stomacher belonging to Mrs Flora Sassoon, and dated to around 1900.
For the Season Two finale, at the Opening of the Metropolitan Opera House wore a magnificent Tiara for her crowning moment, which was a recreation of a striking Fabergé Tiara created from diamonds given by the Tsar of Russia to Empress Josephine, which was acquired by the Belgian Royal Family and belonged to Queen Maria José of Italy before being auctioned in 2007.
A point of continuity we did see was Gladys Russell wearing a necklace previously worn by her mother in the previous season, but her most prominent jewels were the four large diamond stars in her hair at a crucial dinner, which were no doubt inspired by the iconic Diamond Stars of Empress Elisabeth of Austria.
Mrs Russell’s initial rivalry was with her neighbour across the street, Mrs van Rhijn, who lives with her sister, Ada Brook, and niece, Marian, and as part go ‘Old Money’ New York, wears conventional period jewels which are almost minimal in contrast to Mrs Russell’s ostentatious display of wealth.
Marian Brook’s jewels are rather understated but she wore a striking Diamond Necklace, which is a recreation of the spectacular Diamond Necklace of Viscountess Harcourt, an American Heiress who was the niece of JP Morgan who married into the British Aristocracy (discovered by David of SpanishRoyalJewels). The Diamonds in the necklace originated from the French Crown Jewels, and the piece itself is the product of ‘New Money’, so it is rather ironic that it is worn by an ‘Old Money’ figure on the show.
Marian also wore a striking Diamond Feather Brooch that shares similarities with the late Queen’s Carrington Feather Brooch, though the design was quite common for the period.
Mrs Russell’s main rivalry is with Mrs Astor, who is the leader of New York Society and thus wears sumptuous jewels, though they fail to compete with Mrs Russell’s spectacular collection.
There is also a significant jewel worn by Mrs Scott, the mother of Peggy Scott, which seems to be a smaller recreated of Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara, though with what seems to be emeralds instead of the opals it contained then or the rubies it contains now.
The character of Mrs Winterton starts out as Mrs Russell’s ladies maid who marries a rich man and becomes a part of society, wearing period appropriate gold and gemstone tiara on a few occasions before she debuts a large diamond tiara in the season finale, that is a recreation of the spectacular Kinsky Tiara that now belongs to the Princely Family of Liechtenstein.
A notable jewel to add before we end is this unique Tiara of Aurora Fane, which is obviously a faux piece but still shares similarities with Princess Ingeborg’s Boucheron Pearl Circle Tiara now in the Norwegian Royal Family.
