The Blushing Bride - Rose Quartz Nuggets & Briolettes, Pink Topaz and Freshwater & Seed Pearls

Long ago, in a land far, far away – most brides were indeed “blushing”. They were the naive innocents of adolescence and had plenty of reason to “blush” on their wedding day. Fast forward to the 21st century and even a 14 year old might not have much reason to “blush” today! The Blushing Bride Necklace suggests an innocence and elegance that many a bride might wish to borrow on her wedding day. The creamy smooth ivory freshwater pearl rondelles create a most flattering framework while the abundant rose quartz nuggets and briolettes juxtaposed with the highlights of pink topaz completes this Age of Innocence necklace. Designed as part of The Tuileries Collection, the delicate structure of this necklace would be a magnificent choice for any bride or formal occasion with just enough subdued sparkle to make both it interesting and elegant. The inspiration for the “Tuileries Collection” is based in the rich history of France. When Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI were banished from Versailles and forced to live in the Tuileries Palace as prisoners, the French queen gave a bag of grey pearls to the wife of the British ambassador, Lady Sutherland, for safekeeping. As an act of kindness, Lady Sutherland sent clothing and linens to the imprisoned and doomed queen. Marie Antoinette was executed in 1793. The pearls belonging to Marie Antoinette were eventually incorporated into a beautiful necklace for Lady Sutherland’s grandson’s wedding in 1849, and it has stayed in the Sutherland family for over 200 years. This historically significant necklace was recently featured in Christie’s auction in late 2007. The elegant architecture of this significant necklace has been reinterpreted for today’s modern woman. Using variations of stones and format, the overall design as it originated, is still a stunning and viable style. The colors of this necklace were inspired by a Dining Room that I created for the Old York Historical Society Showhouse in York, Maine. The precipitating factor in creating this room had been a trip to Europe and a stay in Edinburgh at the George Hotel. Most afternoons, while staying there, I indulged in tea in the lobby and was immediately enamored by the architectural details in the crown moldings that appeared as if they were made of Wedgwood. I made a mental note that this would be a great idea for a showhouse in the future. As you can see, my little mental note became a reality when I had the painters and carpenters create a rose colored Wedgwood style crown molding for the Dining Room Showhouse. Since the house was a summer “mini estate” with ocean views that had fallen into disrepair, the addition of the Wedgwood style crown molding without the usual gold gilding, seemed to fit nicely with the elegance of the historic pedigree minus all the fanfare of a gilded crown. Size: 16" long