Ceylon saphires

A charming brooch modelled as a bouquet of flowers made from old sapphires from Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and rubies © Keith Wallis

Keith Wallis’s Book on Gemstones

Keith Wallis’s informative guide book to understanding, identifying and buying gemstones

 

Mr Wallis is a qualified gemologist who obtained his diploma as a Fellow of the Gemological Association of Great Britain in 1978. He writes concisely and is clearly well travelled himself. His stated aim is to demystify the complex and he has succeeded in producing a book that encourages the beginner not to be put off by the minefield that awaits the buyer who is unprepared – particularly when buying abroad.

Queen Victoria’s Turquoise Brooch

A gold brooch given by Queen Victoria to one of her bridesmaids. The stones are turquoise, pearls and rubies © Keith Wallis

Elizabeth Taylor’s book My Love Affair With Jewelry

Her enduring collection of jewelry has been eternalized with her book “My love affair with Jewelry”

 

Apart from writing this book, to share her celebrated passion for jewelry, she has partnered with Jack and Monty Abramov of Mirabelle Luxury Concepts in Los Angeles, California to introduce House of Taylor jewelry. “Something wonderful is about to happen” is the passion of the brand.

The Great Imperial Crown

The Great Imperial Crown was made by a skilled court jeweler Jeremia Posier for the Empress Catherine II the Great’s Coronation in 1762. It has a traditional shape and is made up of the two open hemispheres divided by a foliate garland and fastened with a low hoop. The crown is set with 5,000 selected Indian diamonds (some Russian sources state this number as 4,836) and and number fine, large white pearls. The crown is also decorated with one of the seven historic stones of the Russia’s Diamond Collection – a large precious red spinal weighing 398.72 carats which was brought to Russia by Nicholas Spafary, the Russian envoy to China from 1675 to 1678.