Portrait Diamonds of the Romanovs

A lavish, in-depth history of the portrait diamond in Russia

Among all the precious historical jewels, few are as precious or rare as the portrait diamond—a miniature covered with a flat diamond, unique for its shape, perfection, and clarity. This publication examines the history of the portrait diamond in Russia, where this rare and unusual form achieved its greatest height under the patronage of the Romanovs. Of 55 recorded portrait diamonds, only 36 are extant today. This book focuses on an extraordinary private collection representing almost one-third of them.

The two-volume study is published as a complementary set which features new research, remarkable photographs, and diagnostic analysis of the genre of the portrait diamond. Volume I is illustrated with spectacular photographs of all the portrait diamonds, along with short descriptions of each and a summary introduction. Volume II includes a longer introduction that examines the portrait diamond within the history of the genre, with references to comparable examples made for members of the English and French courts, and that traces the history of the portrait diamond in Russia.

Diana Scarisbrick (1928–2024) was an independent scholar based in London. A jewellery historian of exceptional renown, she published dozens of books on jewellery of all ages. Karen L. Kettering has held positions as curator of Russian art at Hillwood Museum & Gardens and senior specialist in the Department of Russian Art at Sotheby’s. She is the author of many studies on Russian decorative arts.