A PLATINUM-MOUNTED DIAMOND AND TOPAZ CROSS PENDANT

This topaz-set cross pendant was purchased by Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna on the 12th of December 1912, most probably as a gift to the Emperor's sister Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna. The date of purchase and the significant cost of the cross suggest that it may have been a private commission. The year 1912 was a particularly tumultuous one for the Imperial family. Olga suffered from a nervous breakdown while visiting England with her mother. Empress Alexandra was also unwell, as a result of her intense worries about the Tsarevich's health, and Olga represented her at public events, accompanying Emperor Nicholas II on his tour of the interior. The design of the pendant reflects both Olga's modest taste in jewellery and the importance of faith to the Imperial family during this period.
Interestingly Olga's elder sister, Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna (1875-1960), owned an almost identically designed gold-mounted diamond and pink topaz cross by Fabergé. See Christie's, New York, 19 October 2001, lot 121. The rare orange-pink and pink topazes used in these pieces are often referred to as 'Imperial topazes', as they were said to have been reserved purely for use in jewellery for the Imperial family.

We are grateful to Dr Valentin Skurlov for helping research the present lot.