Reading in Prince Dimitris book, it is difficult not to become jealous. I decided instead to admire him for his pose and for making the best out of being born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Some people stay idle when they already have a lot, Prince Dimitri grew his heritage further. Born into European Royality, not into a ruling house, but one with titles and money, he made a career in jewellery all on his own. In the beginning he worked for Sotheby’s and Christie’s, raising through the ranks, and since 2007 he runs his own jewellery house. In the pictures in his book, we see a man with a finely chiselled head and really big hands! Quite a contrast, these hands! Very sympathetic he lets himself often be photographed with his cat close by.
His book shows the family and the company. The first part deals mainly with the royal relatives, especially the female princesses and their jewellery. The second part shows pieces of his own collection, the unbelievable beautiful “Masterpieces”. One can easily see how he continues the tradition of his family with his own creations, including e.g. heraldic symbols.
Coming to speak of the family, his one’s is truly European. Russian, Greek, Danish, Italian and Belgian ancestors are very prominent in his two-page family tree. With all the siblings also English, French, German and many other royal houses are part of his extended family. For a young boy who loved jewellery, aristocratic family gatherings must have been wonderful. His mother, Maria Pia of Savoy was the daughter of the last king of Italy, his father a descendant of the royal house of Yugoslavia. It’s a safe bet to say that he has seen a few really memorable parties in his youth, the 1960ies being the epicentre of glamour.
The book has wonderful pictures and stories of the royal relatives over the last century, mainly the ladies, with all those assorted jewels amassed over the centuries. Beautiful clothes and jewellery do not buy happiness, that is clear – the author’s parents were divorced; about plenty of other relatives sad tales are known, but still the pictures that remain show happy moments only. And that is the thing to do – inspire others to dream and make the best of their own lives, leaving the quite normal low points in every life out of the equation for the moment.
The front cover of “Once Upon a Diamond” combines a portrait photograph of Prince Dimitri’s grandmother, Princess Olga of Yugoslavia in full regalia with a piece of paisley jewellery from his own collection. The most impressive part of his grandmother’s assorted jewellery is the diamond kokoshnik tiara that she received from her mother for her wedding. The Russian influence in his family runs deep. Russian princesses or Tsarinas always had the most sumptuous jewels of all. A lot of that jewellery was lost after last centuries’ communist revolution. Either it disappeared or was sold and surfaced in other Royal houses vaults or rich collector’s possession. The luckier ones of the families were able to bring the jewellery outside Russia in time. In Price Dimitri’s family the latter was often the case. Therefore, the kokoshnik tiara, the Russian headdress style made to diamond, pearl and precious stone tiaras for the Russian princesses, could be given from mother to daughter. I am not sure if all the pieces are still held as heirlooms in the extended family, but for sure they held on to some.
The two pieces of jewellery from Prince Dimitri’s own “Masterpieces” collection, shown on the front and back cover of his book, give a glimpse of his art. The paisley brooch on the front cover and the fantastically beautiful cross pendant on the back cover, show what he is able to create. I would murder for the cross – inside the book one sees pictures of the backside of those crosses – they are decorated with finest filigree ornaments and stones. Only the backside has eyelets for the chain – but from aspects of beauty, both sides should be admired by the world. His creations mix historic elements with modern craftmanship. Lucky those who can afford a piece.
Prince Dimitri describes himself as a craver for beauty, all beauty, in his author’s note. What a wonderful life to be able to follow that desire all along! Not knowing the man other than through his book, I hope his life was at last half as wonderful as the photographs and stories make us believe. It’s nice and uplifting to read about the happy few.
All rights to the book belong to:
Prince Dimitri: Once Upon A Diamond, A Family Tradition of Royal Jewels, 2020, Foreword by Carolina Herrera, Introduction by Francois Curiel, Photography by Mark Roskams, Rizzoli International Publications, Inc, 300 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010, Printed in Italy, ISBN: 9-780-8478-6691-5