| | | | St Edward's Crown
| The Coronation Crown of England, St Edward's Crown, was refurbished for Charles II Coronation in 1661 from an old crown. There is conjecture that the lower half could be from Edward the Confessor's crown or, if not, that the gold might have come from it. Certainly there is no record that the jeweller was paid for the gold, which indicates that it was supplied. Being of solid gold, the crown is very heavy (4 pounds 2 ounces), explaining why both Queen Victoria and King Edward VII were crowned with the Imperial State Crown.
From the seventeenth to the early twentieth century the crown was usually reset with precious stones for Coronations, the jewels being hired at a cost of some 4% of their value, for King George III it was predominately set with diamonds. In 1911, for the Coronation of King George V, this practice was changed and Garrard reset it with 444 semi precious stones, of which there are sixteen large collets in the band.
Of traditional English design, the crown has a circlet supporting four crosses pattee and four fleur-de-lis. From the crosses pattee rise the four half arches depressed in the centre, and at the point of intersection is the monde surmounted by a single cross pattee. It is fitted with a purple velvet Cap of Estate turned over with ermine.
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