Early Years Pins
Pins Shown from Left to Right
-
Title Fraternity Pin
Date 1957
Designer Theta Delta Xi Fraternity, USA
Materials 10kt Yellow Gold, Diamonds, Enamel, Seed Pearls
Size 0.7" x 0.6"
(1.8cm x 1.5cm) -
Title Alumnae Leaf
Date 1992
Designer Wellesley College, USA
Materials 14kt Yellow Gold
Size 2.1" x 1.2"
(5.3cm x 3cm) -
Title Circle Pin
Date 1954
Designer Designer Unknown, USA
Materials 14kt Yellow Gold, Enamel
Size 0.6" x 0.6"
(1.5cm x 1.5cm) -
Title Sheaf of Wheat
Date 1987
Designer © Tiffany and Co., USA
Materials 18kt Yellow Gold, Platinum, Diamonds
Size 2.8" x 1.3"
(7.1cm x 3.3cm)
Date: circa 1860
Designer: Designer Unknown, Bohemia
Materials: 10kt Rose Gold, Garnets
Size: Necklace: 16.2″ (41.1 cm); Bracelet: 7.75″ (20 cm); Pin/Pendant: 1.5″ x 1.5″ (3.8 cm x 3.8 cm); Earrings: 0.5″ (1.3 cm)
Date: circa 1950
Designer: Unknown, USA
Materials: 14kt Yellow Gold, Jadeite
Size: 2.6″ x 0.7″ (6.5 cm x 1.9 cm)
Date: circa 1945
Designer: Unknown, Czechoslovakia
Materials: 14kt Pink Gold, Sapphire, Diamonds
Size: 2.6″ x 1.3″ (6.6 cm x 3.4 cm)
Date: circa 1935
Designer: Unknown, Czechoslovakia
Materials: 18kt Yellow Gold
Size: 1.7″ x 0.9″ (4.2 cm x 2.2 cm)
Date: circa 1946
Designer: Unknown, Yugoslavia
Materials: 14kt White Gold, Emerald, Diamonds
Size: 0.8″ x 0.6″ (2.0 cm x 1.5 cm)
Albright’s First Pins
Long before Albright became a diplomat, she learned to appreciate jewelry as a means of connecting one family generation to another. Among her favorite treasures are a ring worn by her mother and a Bohemian garnet set received as a wedding present from her parents. Her parents also gave her “Tito’s ring,” originally a gift from Yugoslav dictator Marshal Tito. Albright’s father had served as the Ambassador from Czechoslovakia to Yugoslavia shortly after World War II. When first shown the ring, he commented, “I wonder whose finger they cut off to get this.” Albright finally wore the ring when she was among those representing the United States at Tito’s 1980 funeral in Belgrade.
Other pieces associated with her early years include a circle pin that she wore while a student, her future husband’s fraternity pin, a jade dragon from his grandmother, and an alumnae leaf from Wellesley College. The Sheaf of Wheat, a symbol of abundance and health, was given to her upon her return to Georgetown University after serving as Secretary of State.
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Heart Pins