The Girl Who Got the Great Imperial Crown

She was a nearly-anonymous young German princess.

And yet a trip to Russia, when she was fourteen, led to undreamed-of power and glory – and a permanent place in the pages of history.

Upon her coronation as Empress of Russia, she received a dazzling crown – a timeless masterpiece of artistic imagination.

Surely, the Great Imperial Crown – which you can view at Moscow’s famed Armory – stands as a fitting symbol of Catherine the Great’s role as one of the most captivating women in history.

With remarkable intelligence and determination, she served as Empress for 34 years, from 1762-1796.

During her reign, she elevated the serfs, reformed Russian law, and brought feudal Russia into modern Europe.

Don’t we all Deserve a Coronation?

She was known for her warm friendships with the preeminent historical figures of her time. Among them: Voltaire, Diderot, Frederick the Great, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, Marie Antoinette, and American naval hero John Paul Jones.

This greatest of Russian rulers was indeed graced with a truly magnificent crown.

The Great Imperial Crown is adorned with rows of gleaming pearls and a splendid 400 carat red spinel.

It includes, as well, 5,000 of the finest diamonds, arranged in a pattern of laurel wreaths – representing victory and triumph.

Aren’t we all deserving of a few diamonds? Aren’t we all deserving of a coronation? Haven’t each of us, in our own way, ascended the throne of hard-won victories?

Haven’t we — and our loved ones and customers — achieved extraordinary triumphs? Victories that make us worthy of wearing our own version of the Great Imperial Crown.