Thursday, July 8, 2010

Maharani Savoir Faire

Labelled the Wallis Simpson of India, not only for the fact of her royal suitor while married to another man and her love of fabulous jewellery the Maharani Sita Devi of Baroda was one of those rare breed of women who never ceased to amaze.

With a rather matter of fact statement she also put poor old Wallis in her place.


One of Sita Devi’s passions was for jewellery and the magnificent collection she amassed would leave everyone with open mouths. Even Wallis Simpson and had open mouth after the following little episode. The magnificent Star of the South diamond necklace seen below was one of the fabulous pieces she owned.


Back in 1953 the Maharani sold a pair of diamond and emerald anklets to Harry Winston, who subsequently re set the stones into a fabulous necklace. Wallis who as we know just loved jewels purchased said necklace and wore it to a 1957 New York ball at which the Maharani was present. Overhearing other guests were admiring the necklace, the Maharani was heard to exclaim that the jewels had looked just as nice on her feet. Wallis, rather humiliated or embarrassed returned the necklace to Harry Winston the next day.

5 comments:

  1. Women can be so bitchy...and insecure.

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  2. Very interesting story- Indian women have a certain je ne sais quoi with jewellery, they wear some of the most amazing pieces

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  3. Jill, You said it! Goes for a lot of men too!

    Spoiled, yes they do, and no matter how old or what social class they are from, they look so elegant in a sari!

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  4. Well, dear old Wallis was a very insecure person. Had she been a truly elegant (i.e., confident) woman, (and, from what I've read about her, she really wasn't - although she certainly gave the illusion of it), she would have kept that necklace and worn it proudly, and not given a damn.

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  5. TJ, I do so agree with you. What savoir faire poor old Wally had was oh so contrived and manufactured (hence, my refusal to give her a post all of her own on Savoir Faire). You and I know better.

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