One of the key styling challenges faced by producers of Netflix’s hit royal drama The Crown is how to recreate the historic jewel encrusted heirlooms without breaking the bank. For the answers they recently turned to Susan Caplan, a British jewelry expert and designer who told Newsweek just why so many people appear to be fascinated by the “magnificent symbolic values” of the British monarchy.
“The historical importance is undoubtedly a fascination for us,” she said. “They represent the finest example of the legacy of family heirlooms and show a representation of the sovereigns power and responsibilities.”
Of the scores of royal women past and present, Caplan identified one whose style and flair for jewelry she most admires, Kate Middleton, Britain’s new Princess of Wales.
Kate will make her debut on The Crown in its sixth and final season, which is currently in production, being played by actress Meg Bellamy.
“Royals have been shaping the fashion industry and setting trends in motion for decades. Their ability to balance luxury with relatability make them influential to all generations,” Caplan said.
“I’ve personally always respected the style of many of the royal woman from Princess Diana to the Princess of Wales, their nonchalant elegance whilst championing British brands has always been something to admire.”
When it comes to jewels, Kate is not afraid to showcase an array of the monarchy’s treasured heirlooms. This year the princess attended two glittering tiara events—the state banquet for the president of South Africa and the annual diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace—she also recently wore a diamond and emerald choker not worn publicly since the death of Princess Diana to the Earthshot Prize ceremony in Boston.
“From wearing heirlooms that were once worn by Diana, to supporting considered British brands, Catherine, Princess of Wales is always completing a look with jewelry that is layered with symbolism or relatability. Her indelible and often relatable style speaks to many of us today making her a powerful influence for all generations,” assessed Caplan.
Despite this, the princess has faced criticism for her recent jewelry choices, namely by wearing a new $17,000 brooch while Britain experiences a cost-of-living crisis.
Kate first wore the art deco brooch to the Remembrance Sunday service in November and wore it again to hold her sash in place at the state banquet and diplomatic reception.
Caplan applauds the re-use of antique jewels but admits that Kate’s choice may have been ill-timed.
“It’s a beautiful art deco brooch with typical geometric lines that reflect the elegance of the Jazz Age. I love this period of jewelry,” she said.
“It is very important to me that what we use and wear is sustainable so I get pleasure from seeing people re-wearing jewelry. I understand the sensitivities around people in public life showcasing expensive items when so many people are struggling so much at the moment. Perhaps the mood of the nation wasn’t quite taken into account.”
Aside from Kate, another royal whose jewelry has fascinated Caplan is Princess Diana, who she spent a lot of time researching for The Crown’s fifth season. Caplan has replicated a number of pieces of Diana’s jewelery for the show, including the iconic “revenge necklace” worn by her with her revenge dress in 1994.
“Diana was a true icon—a symbol of kindness, fashion and beauty,” said Caplan.
“Her style and how she accessorized with jewelry was full of bold yet understated elegance which is still celebrated by generations,” she said. “The iconic multi-stranded choker was my biggest challenge as it was one of Diana’s most memorable and striking looks to date and it showed her reclaiming power and freedom.”
“I was very excited when asked to source this necklace, which was to be an interpretation of the one that she famously wore when dancing with John Travolta and, of course, the time she was seen in the ‘revenge dress.’
“Having been in the field of vintage jewelry for more than 40 years, I have amassed archived collections of vintage pearls and clasps in varying colors and sizes so my team and I got to work, sifting through the thousands of vintage pearls; color and size were paramount to meet the approval of The Crown’s costume designers.”
“Then there was the task of sourcing the centerpiece, changing the discolored stones to sparkling clear ones and to complete the look we delved into another of our archived collections, thousands of Swarovski crystals, our go to, dating back to the 1930s and all in their original packaging. We found the perfect supersized oval faceted gem, finally putting the strands of pearls together with the centerpiece to complete the look. A satisfying moment and challenge completed.”
As well as replicas, Caplan provided The Crown’s costume designers with true vintage pieces which evoked the spirit of the characters, from the pearl necklaces worn by Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II and Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret, to chunky gold earrings and gem encrusted bracelets for Debicki’s Diana.
Many of these pieces, both recreations and screen-worn, are offered for sale through Caplan’s store.
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