The Diamond Queen
To mark Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee, Asprey have partnered with acclaimed light artist Chris Levine to create a new work based upon his seminal 2004 portrait 'Equanimity', commissioned by The Jersey Heritage Trust in 2004.
The new work will be entitled 'The Diamond Queen'.
Asprey have re-created the Queen's diamond diadem, worn on the occasion of the Coronation in 1953. 1000 white diamonds are being set in platinum by Asprey craftsmen and overlaid onto the original three dimensional image of Her Majesty to create the luminescent installation.
The work will be on show to the public from the 29th May 2012 at the Asprey Flagship Store at 167 New Bond Street.
Click here for full store details.
Click here for the official catalogue.
The Diamond Queen
The creation of the jewelled diadem has been a painstaking process, taking over a year from initial design to completion with each step requiring high levels of skill and expertise.
A single sheet of platinum was sourced and laser cut to the exact shape of the original piece. The platinum was then engraved with the thistle, rose and shamrock.
Work continues in the Asprey workshops, placing each of the 1000 diamonds in 15 different carat sizes as well as 25 freshwater pearls.
'The Diamond Queen' is an unique piece, representing the best of British art, design and craftsmanship. The piece will be sold through sealed offers, with proceeds going to two of the Queen's charities: The Woodland Trust and QEST.
The Diamond Queen
The initial 2D sketch by Asprey's in house designer of the King George IV State Diadem
The Diamond Queen
The technical mapping of the stone placement
The Diamond Queen
The diadem is precision laser cut from a large sheet of platinum
The Diamond Queen
The diadem detail is hand filed into the final shape
The Diamond Queen
Asprey's diamond setter places and secures each stone individually into the diadem and maps out where the diamonds should be placed
The Diamond Queen
The relief and detail are hand engraved and carved into the platinum. On the reverse the piece is signed and hallmarked, Asprey, London and the Jubilee hallmark
The Diamond Queen
There are over 1,000 mixed sized diamonds graduated and calibrated
The Diamond Queen
Hand made platinum locating pegs are soldered at exact positions for placement on to the final artwork
The Diamond Queen
Freshwater pearls are riveted in place to the base of the diadem individually
The Diamond Queen
About the Woodland Trust
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust is the UK’s foremost woodland conservation charity. Having acquired more than 1,000 woodland areas covering over 20,000 hectares in the last 30 years, the Woodland Trust aims to double the amount of native tree cover in the UK.
With the support of over 300,000 members, the charity hopes to prevent the loss of ancient woodland, raise awareness about the importance of trees to the environment and give more people access to a local woodland area.
In 2012, the Woodland Trust launched The Jubilee Project which, with the support of Her Majesty The Queen and HRH The Princess Royal, aims to plant six million trees across the UK, beginning with the Queen’s pledge to plant 20 acres of woodland on the Sandringham Estate.
The Diamond Queen
About QEST
For over 20 years the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust has been helping craftsmen and women of all ages to further their careers. Since being founded in 1991, QEST has awarded 273 scholarships of up to £15,000 each to enable craftspeople to complete projects which reflect the excellence of British craftsmanship as symbolised by the Royal Warrant of Appointment.
QEST is the only charity of its kind to support what is sometimes an overlooked skill-base which in fact contributes £3 billion to the UK economy.
This year through the Diamond Jubilee Appeal QEST aims to raise £2 million in extra funding in order to double the number of scholarships that they can award.
The Diamond Queen
About Chris Levine
Chris Levine’s progressive light work for Massive Attack, Grace Jones and his iconic holographic portraits of HM Queen Elizabeth II have positioned him as a leading figure within the developing area of light as an art form.
Using media such as laser, optics, LED and natural light, Levine aims to inspire a sense of wonder in viewers, taking them to unexplored sensory and spiritual territory in the process. The technology he uses is a means to an end; his work is about the beauty of light and the way we see and feel imagery.
Levine explains that “light actually functions at octaves much higher and lower than the visible spectrum. Technology, through the use of the laser, has now given us the opportunity to study light in its purest form. This is the first time in our evolutionary process that this connection and awareness has been made possible.”
The Diamond Queen
