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Jackie: this nickname is enough to bring back memories of an extraordinary woman. Together with Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline is undoubtedly part of the Holy Trinity of Elegance! Jackie evokes true glamor and, at the same time, recalls a tragedy that has entered history.
There was no Jackie before her and there will certainly be no one after her.
Jacqueline Bouvier was descended on her paternal side from a line of French merchants. The family was very wealthy and belonged to New York high society.
According to People magazine, Jacqueline met John GW Husted Jr shortly after graduating from Vassar College. The couple announced their engagement in the New York Times in December 1951, with the intention of getting married the following summer, but after just three months, Jacqueline changed her mind and broke off the relationship. Some suppose that Jackie’s mother, Janet, was the reason behind this separation, as she was dissatisfied with the young man’s modest salary…
Some time after breaking off her engagement to John GW Husted, during a dinner with friends in Washington, D.C., Jackie finally met the right John, that is the young, brilliant and charismatic Senator John F. Kennedy.
The story behind the couple’s engagement is a matter of debate: some say JFK proposed over the phone, others believe the proposal took place at an intimate restaurant in Georgetown, last ones say John asked for Jacqueline’s hand in the same Boston hotel where he gave his first public speech at the age of six.
The two became publicly engaged on June 24, 1953, filling the pages of the social news of the time. During the official announcement, the sweethearts were asked to show the ring, but the reporters and photographers were left high and dry as the couple had not yet found the right bling. In fact, according to writer Jay Mulvaney, Jackie told the reporters: “I don’t have one yet. Jack and I have looked at dozens of them. Some I didn’t like and others weren’t the right type.”
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So when did Jack give Jackie the engagement ring? Difficult to say. Those in the know believe that John’s father, Joseph (former US ambassador to Great Britain) was the one who chose the jewel for his future daughter-in-law, while John was busy with other matters. Joseph turned to the famous jewellery boutique Van Cleef & Arpels, on the Fifth Avenue, in New York. Mrs. Hélène, wife of the jeweler Louis Arpels, knew Jackie and was aware of her passion for emeralds. So it appears that Joseph gave his son John the famous ring, which would become an icon of global elegance.
The incredible jewel was made up of a 2.88-carat colorless diamond and a 2.84-carat emerald, both emerald-cut, mounted in a “Toi et Moi” style composition (also called “contrarié”). Finally, a row of baguette-cut diamonds flanked the two central stones.
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(Curiosity: the first famous couple who sealed the engagement with a contrarié ring was that of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Empress Josephine. In 1796, one year after their first meeting, Napoleon asked for Josephine de Beauharnais’ hand with a very romantic ring composed of a colorless diamond and an intense blue sapphire. Both gems were pear cut and bezel mounted on a thin yellow gold band. Simple, yet very catchy. The couple divorced in 1809, however we can say that Napoleon launched a style that is still appreciated today. In fact, the contrarié ring is back in fashion: think about the engagement rings of Emily Ratajkovski, Ariana Grande and Megan Fox, just to name a few.)
Jacqueline and John got married on September 12, 1953 at St. Mary’s Church in Newport, Rhode Island. Jackie looked absolutely stunning in her Ann Lowe dress.
The wedding lunch was held at Jackie’s stepfather’s coastal estate, Hammersmith Farm.
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In 1960, as it is well known, JFK won the elections against Richard Nixon and took office at the White House in January of the following year. The young presidential couple was charming and much loved (and admired) by common people for their style which, according to the occasion, could be refined and elegant, or informal and casual, but always classy.
In 1961, just as the restoration of the White House began with the interior decorator Sister Parish, Jacqueline also decided to renew her engagement ring, which she then brought back to the Van Cleef & Arpels boutique.
The row of baguette-cut diamonds was replaced by some marquise-cut diamonds (1.46 carats) and other round brilliant-cut diamonds (0.66 carats) for a total of 2.12 carats. The new look of the jewel is reminiscent of laurel leaves that embrace the two central gems and undoubtedly reveal the refined taste and growing confidence of the new First Lady.
In fact, I believe that having your engagement ring changed so drastically is not a decision for everyone. Commissioning a small upgrade (like adding a pair of side diamonds, for example) is totally different than transforming the ring character and I believe that the latter choice requires a lot of courage.
After the renewal, the central diamond and emerald remained unchanged and a few but decisive adjustments around this main nucleus were enough to give new life to the jewel: it was severe, rigorous, almost solemn in the first version, characterized by the sober line and by the baguette cut of the lateral diamonds; it became more refined and soft after the restyling, thanks to the marquise cut. This floral frame embracing the two central gems seems to commemorate Jackie and John’s wedding, and also adds depth, importance and a “full” appearance that fits the hand better.
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According to the taste of that time, Jackie used to wear gloves (althought some say that the real reason was not fashion, but Jackie’s habit of biting her nails), so the photos showing her ring are a few and of poor quality.
However, it appears that Jackie continued to wear her engagement ring, discreetly.
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Currently, the jewel is part of the former First Lady’s belongings and is preserved at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston and is exhibited from time to time.
Its current value is estimated to be around $1.39 million.
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It must be said that this was not the only ring that President Kennedy gave to his wife. For example, I remember that in order to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary, John presented Jacqueline with a very romantic eternity made up of 10 emeralds, to represent each year of their marriage. It is well known that Jacqueline was very fond of this jewel, whose design is absolutely delightful.
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In 1968, five years after JFK’s assassination in Dallas, Jacqueline agreed to marry the Greek shipowner Aristotle Onassis, who left his historic companion, the soprano Maria Callas, for her.
Credits: RON GALLELA-WIREIMAGE / people.com
On that occasion, he gave her a ring surmounted by the Lesotho III, a huge 40 carats marquise-cut diamond.
The gem was originated from a rough diamond weighing 601 carats found in 1967 in Lesotho, South Africa, and originally purchased by the famous jeweler Harry Winston. The Lesotho III is one of 18 gems carved from this gigantic diamond.
This jewel may have been the most valuable gift (in monetary terms) that Jackie has ever received, yet I fear it was also the least enjoyed. Experts agree that this ring was supposedly worn by Jackie only twice, afterwards she locked it in a New York bank vault.
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In 1996, two years after Jackie’s death, the Lesotho III was auctioned at Sotheby’s for $500,000 and, ultimately, sold for an incredible price of 2.59 million.
Personally, I interpret the engagement ring as a precious jewel first and foremost for the heart, this is the reason why I would like to wear it comfortably every day, as a symbol of my Love always with me.
In Lesotho III, I see Onassis’s challenge to find a gem that lived up to Jackie’s personality and that, perhaps, also overshadowed her cumbersome past; I see the elegance of the cut, the prestigious origin of the diamond and of course the display of the carat weight and all these features seem a little over the top to me. I believe that Jacqueline loved elegance, but not ostentation, which in my opinion this ring embodies.
Sometimes, looking at these few available photos, I have the impression that this ring tells a story full of loneliness and attempts to be seen, accepted and loved…
Dear Friends, what is your opinion? Which jewel do you like the most between the two? What do you think of a father-in-law who buys the engagement ring for his future daughter-in-law?
Write me your opinions!
Sources:
https://www.theknot.com/content/celebrity-trendsetting-engagement-rings
https://www.leibish.com/why-diamonds-are-used-for-engagement-rings-article-1434
https://theadventurine.com/bridal/engagement-rings/jackie-kennedy-redesigned-her-engagement-ring/
https://www.vogue.it/news/article/jackie-kennedy-storia-anello-fidanzamento
www.elle.comwww.harpersbazaar.com
https://www.thelist.com/594963/meet-the-man-jackie-kennedy-almost-married-before-jfk/