Whether you’re a Britophile (enamored with the royal family) or not, it’s hard not to be mesmerized by the crown jewels. Remember Princess Diana’s stunning emerald and diamond choker she wore as a headband? How about the Queen’s heart-stopping Burmese ruby and diamond tiara? These dazzling jewels, along with those of other members of the royal family, are the inspiration for one of today’s hottest art trends—the use of jewel tones. These rich and saturated tones add a sumptuousness to whatever art you’re creating. In this article, we’ll examine some of the Royals’ most famous jewels and show you how to add their vivid colors to your next project.
The treasures of Queen Elizabeth II include a historic collection of the world’s most coveted crowns, tiaras, and jewelry. Without a doubt, one of her most prized possessions is the Burmese ruby and diamond tiara that features rubies she was given by the people of Burma upon her marriage to Prince Phillip.
Queen Elizabeth II hosts a State Banquet for President Nicolas Sarkozy at Windsor Castle, Getty Images
In Burmese culture, rubies are thought to protect you from evil and illness. In the case of the Queen’s tiara, it contains 96 rubies or protection from 96 diseases! It also includes diamonds set in the shape of Britain’s iconic symbol—the Tudor Rose.
To add a vivid ruby red to your work, try using:
This set includes a range of bright colors including an intense Scarlet Red that mimics the dazzling rubies of the Queen’s tiara.
With 100 colors to choose from, this dual-tip marker set has several jewel tones including the perfect shade of Ruby Red.
It’s fitting that Diana, Princess of Wales, adorned herself with emeralds. Believed to be worn by the goddess Athena, emeralds are said to represent love and hope. And, as the young wife of the next King of England, she was full of those qualities and more. Princess Diana was a fashion icon, followed by millions around the world. One of her most memorable and fashionable moments was when she wore a ravishing emerald choker as a headband.
The enchanting emerald and diamond Art Deco choker was given to Diana by the Queen as a wedding gift. As the story goes, it was won in a raffle by the Duke of Cambridge. His wife was Queen Mary’s aunt and upon her death, Mary inherited it. When Queen Mary died, it was passed to Queen Elizabeth II.
Princess Diana and Prince Charles dance at a formal event, Getty Images
To get the same dazzling emerald green in your artwork that’s reminiscent of Princess Di’s emerald choker, we recommend:
Enjoy every color you can imagine, including brilliant jewel tones such as Emerald, Sapphire Blue, Amethyst, and Onyx.
Make your own emerald crown jewels with this versatile clay.
Perfect for a princess or anyone trying to create stunning works of art with Emerald Green.
Princess Margaret, the Queen’s sister, also adorned herself with lavish tiaras, bejeweled necklaces, and stunning brooches. One of her favorites was a round brooch with a large blue sapphire in the center, encircled by intricate white gold bows set with diamonds. Although little has been written about this brooch, it can be seen in photos of the Princess spanning her lifetime. Perhaps she believed as the ancient Persians did that the sapphire brought good fortune and wisdom to royals.
Princess Margaret (1962) attends a wedding at Westminster Abbey, London. Getty Images.
To get the deep blue of Princess Margaret’s sapphire brooch, why not try:
Within the range of colors in this set, there’s the impeccable shade of Sapphire Blue as well as other rich and dazzling hues to give you all the colors of precious gems.
Create majestic fabric designs with these metallic fabric paints that come in glistening Pearl Sapphire Blue. You may not get the brooch, but you’ll get the look!
Sprinkle your paintings with Sapphire Blue mica powder and add a touch of shining blue-blood royalty.
When it comes to sacrificial love, Edward VIII, Prince of Wales, renounced his royal duties in the name of love. He gave up the chance to be England’s king when he abdicated the throne to marry his true love, Wallis Simpson. Considered one of the 20th century’s greatest love stories, Edward lavished his paramour with expensive jewels. Just one example is the Cartier panther bracelet, designed to resemble a stalking panther. This spectacular work of wearable art features a body encrusted with diamonds and onyx with emerald eyes.
The Duchess of Windsor’s onyx and diamond panther bracelet designed and made by Cartier, Getty Images
To get the same brilliance of Wallis Simpson’s diamonds in your work, we suggest trying:
Radiance will shine through with Diamond White, a gleaming white with a touch of glittering shine.
Make your canvas, wood, fabric, paper, ceramic, and glass surfaces gleam with the Diamond White from this set.
There’s no doubt it was an emotional moment, when Prince Harry and his new bride, Meghan Markle, set off for their wedding reception and everyone saw the ring Meghan was wearing. The eye-catching 30-carat aquamarine was once worn by Harry’s mum, Princess Diana.
Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Getty Images
Aquamarine is a stone believed to have soothing qualities and calming energy. That’s something a duchess of the British royal family can use.
For a fun way to add aquamarine to your projects, try this:
Instantly add the sparkle of a gemstone to crafts, fabric, and artwork with these easy-to-cut PU heat-transfer vinyl sheets that come in a wide range of gleaming colors including Aquamarine.
From markers to watercolor paint to heat transfer vinyl, there are so many ways to add royal hues to your color palette. So, take an aristocratic approach to your next project with on-trend jewel tones. We’d love to hear how you did it in the comments section below.
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