A special section of the exhibition contains the coronation regalia and orders, some of which are in the Armoury. The oldest item in the collection is the diamond clasp which fastened an ermine cloak during royal processions. It dates back to the reign of Empress Elizabeth (1741-61) and is the work of Jeremie Pozier.

Great Imperial Crown. 1762

The Great Imperial Crown for the coronation of Catherine the Great was also made by him. It consists of two silver hemispheres opened upwards, as it were, and studded with diamonds, among which is a broad garland of diamond oak leaves with large white and pink diamonds. The hemispheres are framed by two rows of big pearls which together with diamond branches unite the composition. It is crowned by a diamond cross fixed onto a huge dark-red spinel. The Great Imperial Crown contains 4,936 diamonds and weighs 1,907 grams.

Orden of St.Alexander of the Neva

     In the same section you can see the insignia of the highest Russian Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, which was instituted by Peter the Great. The order's great Imperial chain consists of twenty links adorned with diamonds. They alternate with two-headed eagles, St. Andrew crosses and Peter the Great's monogram. The chain is about one-and-a-half metres long. It was made for the coronation of Paul I. The star of the order is adorned with diamonds and large pearls. The order's motto For Faith and Loyalty is inscribed in gold around a circle of blue enamel. The medal itself, with the figure of St. Andrew, is topped by the Imperial Crown and studded with many diamonds.      The exhibition also contains the insignia of the Order of St. Catherine in the form of a gold medallion with her likeness framed with diamonds, the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky (of the Neva) in the middle of a cross, and several other pre-revolutionary Russian and foreign orders. Among the latter the emblem of the old Spanish Order of the Golden Fleece made of gold and diamonds is of special interest.

Rose brooch

     The next. Soviet-times section contains diamonds, jewellery and nuggets. The highest award for military prowess, the Victory Order and the Marshal's Star are adorned with diamonds.
     Among the items of jewellery made by Soviet masters the platinum Rose brooch studded with almost 1,500 diamonds is particularly noteworthy.
     The necklace and earrings of the Urals amethysts framed with diamonds are magnificent. The composition is based on a combination of stylized strawberry blossom and fruit.
     The Cosmos jewellery set is most elegant and tasteful.

Mephistopheles gold nugged

     Another fine specimen of Soviet jewellery is the necklace and bracelet with emeralds. The high openwork necklace is made of platinum. The large foliate design is studded with diamonds. The silhouette is emphasized by a thin line of emeralds, while the central part is accentuated by a deep green square-shaped emerald and a diamond pendant. The composition of the necklace is repeated in the bracelet.
     The last section contains gold and platinum nuggets. The largest gold nugget found in Russia, the Big Triangle, weighs over 36 kilogram. It is now the largest in the world (larger nuggets abroad have been smelted down). The Big Triangle was found in 1842 in a mine not far from the town of Miass in the southern Urals.
     Many nuggets have unusual shapes from which their names derive, such as Hare's Ears. Mephistopheles and Camel. Here you can also see the largest platinum nugget called Urals Giant, weighing 7.8 kilograms.