Antique T-bar puffy curb necklace

Oh I just can’t wait to be King.

From a young age, Edward VII lived under the weight of his parents’ expectations. A strict regimen of intellectual study, piety, and morality was imposed upon him, while a reluctant Edward desired nothing more than the pleasures his position seemed to promise.

As his mother’s extraordinarily long reign wore on, it became clear that Edward’s rule would be anything but austere. When he was finally crowned in 1902, at the age of 61, it was with one of the most lavish coronations the British monarchy had ever seen. The once rarely seen diamond had become so readily available from the South African Kimberley mines that it was considered almost improper to be without one.

Tiaras, bracelets, chokers, rings, stomachers, and brooches were encrusted with diamonds. New platinum settings allowed delicate, lace-like designs to be crafted in strong, enduring metal, while colour returned to fashion after years of somber mourning. Though short-lived, Edward brought the party to his nine-year reign.