When it was time to purchase jewels for the final film in the Downton Abbey franchise, costume designer Anna Mary Scott Robbins headed to 1stDibs seller Bentley & Skinner. At the London antique-jewelry shop, she picked out 13 pieces to enliven the wardrobes of the film’s principals. With a total value of $1.4 million, it’s the largest assortment of period pieces used in any of the franchise’s seasons or movies.
Although the film takes place in 1930, right in the middle of the Art Deco era, Robbins was sensitive to the period preferences of each character. A Belle Époque tiara was chosen for the Crawley family’s matriarch, Lady Cora, who wouldn’t necessarily care about keeping up with the latest trends. On the other hand, her daughter, the Marchioness of Hexham (formerly Lady Edith Crawley), would likely be more style conscious. So for one of her looks, Robbins chose a wonderfully bright circa 1930 aquamarine and diamond brooch and built the marchioness’s outfit around it.
One of the older pieces, an Edwardian pink-topaz and diamond brooch, is expected to have a scene-stealing moment, given that the production requested a period-appropriate box from Bentley & Skinner to present it in.
Even the costume jewelry employed for the extras contributes to the authentic period tone. But according to Robbins, real gems have a special power. “Diamonds do funny things to people, and actors are no exception,” she told the New York Times. “I think it makes you feel really special and elevated.”
