This necklace features a portrait of Duchess Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen of Prussia and the wife of King Frederick William III. (Read more about her below)

I picked up the colour scheme for this necklace from the portrait, with fresh and reinvigorating, yet classy, corals and soft blues. There are two orange agates and one turquoise blue, accompanied by an array of Swarovski crystals, Japanese and Czech glass beads, natural pearls and a beautiful and delicate hand made porcelain blossom (from Thailand). The opulent feel is enhanced with rose gold metal components and draping rows of Swarovski crystal pearls. There are many details in this piece that can spark a conversation!

The historical piece is a coin from her lifetime, from 1782 (1/24 thaler silver KM 296 "A") made during the reign of Frederick the Great, one of her husband's predecessors. I did a lot of research for these historical pieces and I bought from verified sellers. I used these coins with the purpose of bringing the energy of the past into these pieces and I would never use one that I would believe is not original to forfeit my original intent. HOWEVER, the coins I used in this collection are not certified and I do not claim with 100% certainty they are real. Nor do I reflect their rarity in the necklace price beyond what I originally purchased them for and the time spent sourcing them.

The portrait in this necklace is a reproduction of her portrait painted in 1802 by Elizabeth Vigée Le Brun. It is part of the collection of HRH Georg Friedrich Ferdinand von Hohenzollern, Prince of Prussia in Hohenzollern Castle. As I mentioned in the Queens Collection description, the portraits used are the last of their kind available. They were painted by two grand artists of Fedoskino art school (lacquer miniature art school outside Moskow), Tatiana Suvorova and Marina Pahomova, both retired. Their style, so suitable for the classic feel of this collection, is not matched by any other active artist of the Russian school, as I have been told by the dealers from which I purchase these portraits for many years.

About the stone: Agate’s meaning as a healing stone with all-around mystical properties dates back to the beginnings of human history. They have long been revered for their ability to bring about a balance between the physical, emotional, and mental planes. It is excellent for grounding and stabilizing our human electromagnetic fields and for stabilizing the aura. It can also transmute negative energies and vibrations into positive waves that benefit rather than hinder our spiritual and emotional development. It can help enhance mental clarity and improve concentration, and stones with a predominance of blue are especially beneficial in smoothing the way towards efficient, positive communication. (link to source)

Duchess Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Luise Auguste Wilhelmine Amalie; 10 March 1776 – 19 July 1810) was Queen of Prussia and the wife of King Frederick William III. The couple's happy, though short-lived, marriage produced nine children, including the future monarchs Frederick William IV of Prussia and Wilhelm I, German Emperor. She was already well loved by her subjects, but her meeting with French emperor Napoleon I led Louise to become revered as "the soul of national virtue". Her early death at the age of thirty-four "preserved her youth in the memory of posterity", and caused Napoleon to reportedly remark that the king "has lost his best minister". (link to source)