WORN AT DELHI.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3434, 27 January 1912, Page 10

WORN AT DELHI.

A CROWN OF 6,000 JEWELS

The Crown worn by the King at the Durbar was a superbly beautiful piece of je\vcllery, It> was a new Imperial State'Crown of India, and was speci'ally made for this occasion in London. It is the personal property of the King. Its enormous value and its splendor n.v.iy to some extent be gauged by the fact that it contains over 6,170 diamonds. Such an assemblage of beautiful gems ha - ,po: haps, never been combined in any single jewel. i Until the King and Queen were extremely interested in every stage of the manufacture. ' After the preparation of the designs, models in cardboard and metal were made and submitted to the King for approval. The most skilful craftsmen in ' the world, all Englishmen, were engaged upon the setting of the gems. Absolute secrecy was maintained during the six months and more that the crown was in the making. ' Every night the crown was locked in a strong room that was always guarded. When finished the crown was taken to Buckingham,.Palace for the King to try on. It was transferred to the Medina at Portsmouth, enclosed in a case purposely made to look like a silk bat box.

The bandeau of the crown is composed of two bands of diamonds. Between them sixteen large clusters, four of emeralds and diamonds, alternate with four of sapphires and diamonds, while between each are eight large brilliant clusters, the whole of these being divided by trofoliated leafage ornaments.

The centre cluster contains an Indian emerald, weighing thirty-four carats, of extraordinary fineness and beauty while the three remaining emeralds are unusual and remarkable stones.

The four sapphire centres with the eight brilliants completing the centre scheme of the bandeau are equally worthy of their positions in the circlet this imperial symbol. Eight arches, supported by the bandeau, are formed by forty-eight large brilliants, each divided by diamond wreathing leaves, and enclosed by two outer diamond bands. The crown is surmounted by the orb usual in an Eng--1 isli crown.