Imperial State Crown at the Tower of London Jewel House

The current imperial State Crown was created in 1937 for the coronation of George VI and is almost exactly the same as its predecessor - Queen Victoria's State Crown of 1838. It is regularly seen by millions of people worldwide when worn by Her Majesty The Queen for the State Opening of Parliament. At that time the crown is obviously not on display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London but is replaced by a small sign which simply reads 'IN USE'.

Like the other jewels, it’s officially priceless. It is set with 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 5 rubies and 273 pearls. It weighs 32oz 7dwt or 0.91kg and is 12.4" or 31.5cm in height. Whilst precious stones and pearls may have been passed down through the generations successive monarchs often had new Crown frames made as the old one might not be fashionable any longer, or may simply have worn out. The present crown is about the tenth manifestation since the Restoration in 1660.

It is the best known of all the regalia, the crown is worn by the sovereign on leaving Westminster Abbey after the Coronation and worn or carried before the sovereign at the annual State Opening of Parliament. The Sovereign has traditionally had a separate state crown for parliamentary use since 1661 when a new state crown was produced for Charles II to replace crowns melted down under the Commonwealth. Within the Maltese Cross on top of the crown is a sapphire allegedly taken from a ring found on the finger of Edward the Confessor when he was re-uninterred in Westminster Abbey by Henry II in 1163.

Two of the four large drop-shaped pearls are believed to have come from Catherine de Medici via her daughter-in-law Mary Queen of Scots. The pearls were sold to Elizabeth I on the death of her cousin in 1587.
The large red stone at the front of the crown is called the 'Black Prince's Ruby'. It is actually a spinel or balas which has been plugged with a small ruby. It may have been one of the black balases Henry V wore on his helmet at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

The diamond on the front is the 2nd Star of Africa or Cullinan II. It is the second largest top quality cut diamond in the world and weighs 317 carats.
At the back of the crown is the Stuart Sapphire weighing 104 carats. Tradition has it that the stone descended from the crown of the Scottish king Alexander II.