Folia historica 24

II. Közlemények - Ewa Letkiewicz: The Jewels of Queen Isabella of Hungary

tional Museum in Budapest),

7 and a gold necklace (also in the National Museum in Budapest).

8 Queen Isabella's gold ring (photo 1) has a so-called point-cut diamond set in its crown. This stone is the natural form of crystal that requires not much processing of its lateral walls and lakes the form of a pyramid with a square base. Rings with pointed diamonds, known in Europe since 14

t

h century, were most popular after the middle of 16

t

h century and were still worn at beginning of 17

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h century. Then they were slowly driven out by stones that were processed with new rosette cut that was discovered about the year 1605.

9 The pointed diamond is surrounded from its four sides by smaller diamonds, cut into triangle-based pyramids. Further eight table-cut diamonds, are symmetrically distributed four on each of the two sides of the ring's crown. On the outer side of the ring the letters SFV are engraved. They were the initials of John Zapolya's motto: „Sic Fata Voliint

" (so the fate wants). Inside there is the inscription referring to the owner of the ring: YSAB-RVG „Ysabela Regina ungariae"The diamond ring is adorned with a ribbon-volute ornament and a Moresque, as well as multicoloured enamel: black, white, opaque blue, as well as transparent red and green. The composition of stones in a ring with the central pointed diamond surrounded by small stones was one of the most popular patterns in the 16

t

h century. Its more modest version, derived of elaborate enamel is the gold ring kept in the collcction of the District Museum is Toruii. (photo 2) As the King's motto was written on the ring in the year of Isabella's wedding to Zapolya (1539), it is regarded as the minimum time limit of its creation, though this date would be very early, considering the fact that colourful enamel has been popular in decorating stone settings in rings since the 1640s." Isabella's death in 1559 is assumed to be the maximum limit. It is more likely that the workmanship of the ring can be related to central European goldsmiths' workshops, although its Italian origin cannot be excluded.

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2 2. photo Diamond ring, с . 1550. Toruri, District Museum (photo: Bernadeta Swobodzinska) 3. photo Gold Pendant, 16/17 century. Budapest. Hungarian National Museum A gold pendant of imposing size (11,5 cm height) is also related to Queen Isabella.

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3 (photo 3) The 7 Judit H. KolbaAnnamária Т. Németh: Goldsmith's work. The treasures of the National Museum. Bp., 1973. 36. photo II. 8 Ibidem 40-41. photos 32-33. 9 Scarisbrick, Diana: Tudor and Jacobean jewellery. London, 1995. 91. 10 Princely Magnificence, op. cit. 16., photo on 12. 11 Ibidem22. 12 Ibidem 52. 13 H. Kolba, J.-Т. Németh, A. op. cit. 36. photo II. 198