Set with emeralds, sapphires, rubies, pearls, 365 rose-cut diamonds, and a whopping amethyst, the cross-embellished orb (seen in the queen's left hand) was created to represent Christ's authority over the world and has been used for every coronation since 1661.
A symbol of the monarch's role as head of state, the scepter was created in 1661, and it contains the largest cut diamond in the world. The 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond was discovered in 1905, and the fist-sized stone was the biggest ever found. After it was gifted to King Edward VI, it was broken down into several pieces. The largest — the 530.2-carat Cullinan I, also known as The Star of Africa — was set at the top of the scepter, while the other Cullinan were used mostly in brooches.
