‘Jewels!’: Over 300 pieces of historical jewellery from the St. Petersburg Hermitage are exhibited in Amsterdam

November 28, 2019

By Katerina Perez

6 min read

For many centuries, jewellery has been an integral part of all dinner parties, balls, and special occasions. Although time has passed, the tradition of donning one’s most valuable accessories for special occasions continues to this day. Has anything really changed? Well, the style of jewellery of course! Nowhere is this more dramatically evidenced than at the unique exhibition at the Hermitage in Amsterdam, entitled ‘Jewels!: The Splendour of the Russian court’.

The curators of the exhibition have managed to gather under one roof more than 300 works of jewellery that have adorned the necks, wrists, fingers and ears of the St. Petersburg nobility, from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. When attending high society events, empresses, princesses and noblewomen had to demonstrate their status, their “good breeding”, their refined taste and, perhaps most importantly, their individuality. This is what motivated the making of such jewellery, along with the fashioning of luxurious dresses, the cobbling of boutique shoes, the crafting of fans amidst a plethora of other accessories. All of these are present at this all encompassing exhibition.

Jewels! exhibition in the Hermitage in Amsterdam. Ivan Nikolaevitch Kramskoi - Portrait of Empress Maria Fyodorovna

Jewels! exhibition in the Hermitage in Amsterdam. Ivan Nikolaevitch Kramskoi - Portrait of Empress Maria Fyodorovna

Although all of the exhibits have been brought to Amsterdam from the St. Petersburg Hermitage, most of them have never been seen in the vast Russian museum. This is exactly what makes ‘Jewels!’ such a truly unique exhibition. In order to demonstrate 300 such precious items thematically, the curators needed several rooms spread over two floors of the exhibition space. Styled by designer Carlo Wijnands, ‘Jewels!’ main hall resembles a ballroom in which portraits of members of the Romanov family, as well as those close to the royal court, are hung on the walls. It is almost as if those depicted on the canvasses watch on and admire the outfits as well as jewellery that they once shone in at the great social events of Russian high society.

Jewel casket with rubies, emeralds, agates, rock crystal, amethyst and turquoise among others. Augsburg, late 17th century

Jewel casket with rubies, emeralds, agates, rock crystal, amethyst and turquoise among others. Augsburg, late 17th century

 The knife-grinder figurine (one out of three) in silver, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls, marble, cornelian and enamel. Dresden, first quarter of 18th century

The knife-grinder figurine (one out of three) in silver, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls, marble, cornelian and enamel. Dresden, first quarter of 18th century

 Jewellery set with pearls, amethysts and diamonds with enamel. Hungary, second half of the 19th century

Jewellery set with pearls, amethysts and diamonds with enamel. Hungary, second half of the 19th century

 Brooch with topaz and diamonds. Vasily Finikov, firm of Carl Bolin. St Petersburg, 1899-1903

Brooch with topaz and diamonds. Vasily Finikov, firm of Carl Bolin. St Petersburg, 1899-1903

 Notebook and purse in silver with mother-of-pearl, gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds and amethysts. Paris, 1940s

Notebook and purse in silver with mother-of-pearl, gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds and amethysts. Paris, 1940s

 Cupid pendant in gold, diamonds, rubies, pearls and enamel. The Netherlands, circa 1580

Cupid pendant in gold, diamonds, rubies, pearls and enamel. The Netherlands, circa 1580

 Snuffbox in gold, silver, enamel and diamonds with Portrait Miniatures, St. Petersburg, 1778

Snuffbox in gold, silver, enamel and diamonds with Portrait Miniatures, St. Petersburg, 1778

The most eye catching and perhaps also the rarest precious work on display at the exhibition is the piece that was featured on the posters advertising the event. This unique jewel is the brooch of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, made by the court jeweller Jérémie Pauzié, that takes the form of a charming bouquet of flowers. Its peculiarity resides in its colour palette: the brooch is more vibrant than all of the other precious jewels found in the imperial collection. The flowers are made of a variety of precious stones: rubies, blue and yellow sapphires, emeralds, as well as an almost unbelievable 850 diamonds!

Bouquet of Flowers in a Vase by Jérémie Pauzié created in silver, gold, diamonds and precious coloured stones. St. Petersburg, 1740s

Bouquet of Flowers in a Vase by Jérémie Pauzié created in silver, gold, diamonds and precious coloured stones. St. Petersburg, 1740s

Other precious items belonging to a number of members of the imperial family are also on show at the ‘Jewels!’ exhibition. A notable example of this includes the diamond diadem which belonged to Maria Feodorovna – the wife of Tsar Alexander III. It was created circa 1880 by Mikhail Perkhin – a master jeweler who worked at Fabergé. Another item on show is a double-sided table mirror – made of gilded silver and decorated with flowers and miniature butterflies, caterpillars, snails and frogs – which was the property of Empress Catherine the Great. There are also three bracelets on show – once the possessions of the Queen of the Netherlands and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg Anna Pavlovna – one with a portrait of her husband Willem II, and two others with the couple’s initials.

Orchid brooch in enamel and diamonds. Western Europe, late 17th century

Orchid brooch in enamel and diamonds. Western Europe, late 17th century

I was pleasantly surprised by the sheer stylistic variety of the jewellery that the curators had chosen to present at the exhibition. In the windows, one could see Rococo jewellery, as well as Imperial, Art Nouveau and Romantic era work. In addition to court jewellers or unknown creators, one can see work by such eminent houses as Cartier, Lalique, Tiffany & Co and of course Fabergé. It is also worth noting that the jewels at the exhibition were not only embellished with diamonds, but with a wide variety of precious stones: rubies, sapphires, emeralds, pearls, agate, rock crystal, garnets, tiger’s eye, amethysts and turquoise.

Diadem of Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna. Mikhail Perkhin, Firm of Carl Fabergé, St. Petersburg, circa 1880

Diadem of Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna. Mikhail Perkhin, Firm of Carl Fabergé, St. Petersburg, circa 1880

 Watch with seed pearls in gold and silver, late 18th century, Leonard Bardier, Paris

Watch with seed pearls in gold and silver, late 18th century, Leonard Bardier, Paris

 Oval brooch with mosaic portrait of Emperor Alexander I. Russia, early 19th century

Oval brooch with mosaic portrait of Emperor Alexander I. Russia, early 19th century

 Velvet, silk, mother-of-pearl and ivory fan of Empress Maria Fyodorovna, France, 1866

Velvet, silk, mother-of-pearl and ivory fan of Empress Maria Fyodorovna, France, 1866

I am especially intrigued by the jewellery and precious objects that hold a symbolic meaning that is associated with the extremities of human emotion, from passionate love to the desire for murderous vengeance. For example, in the 18th century, snuff-boxes were very popular, and were often used as a means to pass love notes, with secret messages communicated in compartments that, upon first glance, appear invisible. In some of the pendants worn by the women of the court, we find portraits of their loved ones, or a lock of their hair. In the canes carried by the men, one might find a watch, a telescope or a snuff-box, or, more morbidly, sometimes a hiding place for poison can be found in the opening rings.

Lohann Baptist Lampi I - Portrait of Empress Catherine II, 1794

Lohann Baptist Lampi I - Portrait of Empress Catherine II, 1794

During preparation for the exhibition, three designers from Amsterdam visited the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg to be the first to see some of the future exhibits. Among them was the sculptor-jeweller Bibi Van Der Velden, whose work completes ‘Jewels!’exhibition. Bibi created a one-of-a-kind cocktail ring especially for ‘Jewels!’ entitled ‘The Memento Mori’, which is made in the form of a large withering tulip bud. It is decorated with miniature insects made of gold and precious stones, as well as rubies, emeralds, crimson sapphires and colourless diamonds. An egg made from 60,000-year-old mammoth tusk is nestled in the very centre of the ring, and the whole composition becomes an abstract rendering of the life of the Romanov family.

Bibi Van Der Velden 'Memento Mori' ring in gold with diamonds, rock crystal, emeralds and rubies

Bibi Van Der Velden 'Memento Mori' ring in gold with diamonds, rock crystal, emeralds and rubies

 Bibi Van Der Velden 'Memento Mori' ring in gold with diamonds, rock crystal, emeralds and rubies

Bibi Van Der Velden 'Memento Mori' ring in gold with diamonds, rock crystal, emeralds and rubies

 Bibi Van Der Velden 'Memento Mori' ring in gold with diamonds, rock crystal, emeralds and rubies

Bibi Van Der Velden 'Memento Mori' ring in gold with diamonds, rock crystal, emeralds and rubies

 Bibi Van Der Velden wearing 'Memento Mori' ring

Bibi Van Der Velden wearing 'Memento Mori' ring

I will finish my overview of the exhibition by advising you to book your trip to Amsterdam, it will be worth it! What is more, there is no real rush, as the exhibition will last until March 15th 2020.

Azza Fahmy: Egyptian brand pays tribute to Mamluk era in their new collection

continue reading

Male Adornment: The Evolution of Men’s Jewellery from the 1400s Until Today

Men's jewellery is often overlooked, yet its history is both rich and cyclical. Over the past six centuries, the popularity of male adornments has fluctuated, reflecting shifts in fashion, status, and cultural values. Here, Amanda Triossi examines the reasons behind male jewellery, along with its periods of abundance and decline.

by Amanda Triossi

Perfect Proposal: The Top 10 Engagement Ring Mistakes to Avoid 

The moment you start thinking about proposing, everything shifts. Ordinary things become significant: dinner out, a walk in the park, a glance at their jewellery box. And then comes "the ring": a symbol of love, yes, but also a silent spokesperson for everything you feel and hope for. No pressure, right?

by Claire Roberts

Couture Show 2025: The Top 10 Debutants Heading to Las Vegas 

The much anticipated Couture Show will return to Wynn Las Vegas from June 4-8, 2025, shining a spotlight on established design talent, new creatives, and international brands that are vying for attention on the global stage. Just like in previous years, I am focusing my attention on the debutants

by Katerina Perez

Designing the Future: Revealing the Winners of the Katerina Perez x Osmium Institute Design Contest

What a ride it has been, witnessing such pure creative energy and original thinking, especially with a material as rare and futuristic as osmium

by Katerina Perez

New Icons: The Latest Collections by Italian Micromosaic Master SICIS 

I was presented with two striking new collections – Icon and Colibrì – that offer different interpretations of the SICIS aesthetic. Below, I want to give you a closer look at these capsule suites and tell you more about the inspirations behind them

by Katerina Perez

Fabulous Fabrications: TAOS Presents a Trio of Watches Inspired by Couture Fashion

Occasionally, beautiful timepieces demonstrating exceptional Métiers d’Art will land on our virtual desks and result in a round-robin series of emails. In the hours after we received insights into the emerging Swiss brand TAOS, almost the entire team had seen the fabric-inspired dials of its latest creations, and we all agreed that an article was […]

by Sarah Jordan

A Century of Sparkle: Celebrating 100 Years of Art Deco at GemGenève

From May 8-11, 2025, visitors to GemGenève can immerse themselves in a showcase of antique and modern jewellery while also experiencing the innovative spirit of the 1920s and 1930s through a photographic lens. Here, I'd like to tell you more about this creative collaboration and introduce you to the brands taking part…

by Katerina Perez

Tailored Perfection: The Best Jewellery Looks of the Met Gala 2025

Not since 2003 has a Met Gala theme focused exclusively on menswear, so we had high hopes for this year’s attendees demonstrating the best of tailored suiting adorned with high jewels. Let’s take a closer look at some of the best ensembles of the evening…

by Sarah Jordan

Legacy of Love: The Dreamlike Jewels of Emirati Designer Mariyeh Ghelichkhani

Jewellery is a transmitter of memories and emotions through time, which is something that Dubai-based designer Mariyeh Ghelichkhani knows all too well. During our meeting in Dubai, we spoke about the importance of family, the sweetness of finding joy through creativity, and the ability to translate dreamy visions and deep feelings into wearable pieces…

by Katerina Perez

Celebrating Colour: 20 Uplifting Jewellery Creations by Lisa Nik

Whether you're craving a juicy mandarin garnet or an eye-catching bi-colour tourmaline, here are 20 joyful pieces that exemplify the Lisa Nik approach, as well as the inspiration behind them…

by Sarah Jordan

Watches and Wonders 2025: The Coolest Watch Novelties

With pastel pops, Pop Art influences, and playful twists on time itself, Watches and Wonders 2025 delivered a vibrant feast of creativity. Discover the fun new watches setting trends in Geneva this spring

by Rachael Taylor

White Hot: Achromatic Jewellery is Having a Moment

Let’s explore the revival of all white jewellery and discover why this look is universally complementary – and a great investment.  

by Rachael Taylor

Latest Stories

Add articles and images to your favourites. Just

Reinventing Royalty:The European-Inspired Luxury Behind Isabel Gemology

I started 2025 with a series of articles titled ‘Jeweller of the Month’ to highlight the true talent among niche designers in the jewellery industry. For May, it is Isabel Delgado, the founder of Isabel Gemology, who I would like to shine the spotlight on.

by Katerina Perez

Jewels Katerina Perez Loves

Continue Reading

Writing Adventures:Co-Authoring the Book

Paraiba: The Legacy of a Color

by Katerina Perez

Jewellery Insights straight to your inbox

Style Guide

By using this website, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. View our Privacy Policy for more information.