The diva wore the jewellery in a series of photographs taken by her rapper husband Jay-Z in 2014.
- May 12, 2018
AceShowbiz - Beyonce Knowles has donated her famous 'Papillon' butterfly ring to London's Victoria & Albert (V&A) museum. On Friday, May 11, bosses at the design and arts institution announced the Formation singer, 36, had "generously" given them the jewellery, which she wore in a series of photographs taken by her husband Jay-Z in 2014.
The ring, which features a butterfly decorated with 326 vivid green tsavorite gemstones surrounded by 342 brilliant-cut diamonds, was designed by famed British jeweller Glenn Spiro.
In a press release the museum's jewellery curator Clare Phillips said, "Beyonce is a figure whose personal style the V&A is proud to represent, and a gift from whose personal collection we are honoured to receive. The papillon ring she has gifted is an exquisite example of contemporary jewellery design by one of Britain's master jewellers."
.@Beyonce has gifted this 'Papillon' ring by G (Glenn Spiro) to the V&A!
In this video he explains the craftmanship behind the sparkling butterfly ring.
Watch the full film: https://t.co/QVk8Znc7d9pic.twitter.com/CyUJ0Zdtau
— V&A (@V_and_A) 11 May 2018
Beyonce's ring is to be exhibited in the museum's William and Judith Bollinger Jewellery Gallery alongside trinkets which once belonged to some of history's most notable women including Britain's Elizabeth I and Russian empress, Catherine the Great from Friday, May 11.
Spiro, who has previously worked for Cartier before launching his own brand G in 2014, is friends with the couple and told the Daily Telegraph Jay, 48, is a jewellery connosieur who often buys pieces for his wife.
"I'd call them friends more than clients; they are just very cool people," he said. "(Jay-Z) usually buys for his wife, the old-fashioned way. He's got very good taste. He likes great style, great artistry and great stones."
The jeweller added that he was "beyond proud" to see his work exhibited in the V&A museum. The Papillon is Spiro's signature design - and butterflies were also used by Beyonce as a motif to hint her twins, Sir and Rumi, would be a boy and a girl. Before giving birth last June (17) she posted a picture on Instagram of herself with two butterflies, one pink, one blue, superimposed on it.
