Crown Jewels

The line was really long and the jewels weren’t that cool (and there weren’t that many). You think you’re about to see the jewels after the queue disappears inside the building, but the queue actually continues in a Disneyland-fashion through a room showing video from coronations (probably the highlight of the visit).

My wife and I went to London for our honeymoon. She had read that the real jewels weren’t on display, and had asked the guard on duty about this nugget o’ trivia. Lightly offended, he said that one of them was in fact crystal and that we should take another look. Because it was late November, we could circle ‘round back to the front and look at them twice. I managed to pick the crystal out from the diamonds. Needless to say, I felt cool.

But very beautiful

some very lovely pieces on display… a Beefeater told me not to mind the size of my diamond wedding ring!

So many jewels! Go!

Yup, seen the Crown Jewels, but the rotters wouldn’t let me take any home! :)

Been to see them three times. They where unavailable for viewing each time. Would love to see them though.

The Crown Jewels are on display in an underground vault under the parade ground in front of Waterloo Barracks.

Among them are The Royal Sceptre, which holds the largest cut diamond in the world, and the Imperial State Crown. The Kohinoor diamond is set in a crown made in 1937 for the coronation of Elizabeth (George VI’s queen more popularly known as the Queen Mother).