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May is the month for emeralds, and what better way to enter into the spirit of romance than to discuss one of America's most beloved couples, Jacqueline Bouvier and Jack Kennedy. On June 24, 1953, Jack Kennedy offered a delectable diamond and emerald ring to a woman who captivated him with her grace, her elegance, and her intelligent conversation.
Jackie was a woman of the world with a mission to enjoy all that life's upper crust had to offer. In the burgeoning world of women in the workforce, she took a job with the Washington-Times Herald, after making a promise to the editor that she wouldn't up and leave the minute a man proposed. With her camera and pen in hand, she set out to make a name for herself as a columnist.
For a number of years she roved the streets of Washington, DC (and beyond) asking (mostly) random individuals questions pertinent to the issues of the day. Several times a month, she spent her weekends traveling by train to attend football games and parties at surrounding northeastern colleges. On one such trip, she penned a letter to a friend and happened to casually mention a young man who caught her attention.
He was "a charming, confident, and handsome but insistent flirt to whom she responded with indifferent amusement, yet absolute attraction" {1}. This young man was here today, gone tomorrow as far as Jackie was concerned...that is, until they met several more times at inner circle events.
In 1948, Jackie was preparing to depart for her first assignment abroad. Before leaving, she atteneded a wedding on Long Island, where she met a fellow journalist who would become a lifelong friend, one Charles Bartlett. This young man was fairly certain that Ms. Bouvier was the perfect match for his up-and-coming friend, Jack Kennedy. Determined to introduce the two of them, he attempted all evening to draw her away from prizefighter Gene Tunney, but his efforts ended in defeat.
It would be more than two years before he would have a second chance to introduce the two, and by that time Ms. Bouvier was engaged to be married to Wall Street stockbroker John Husted. At an intimate dinner party hosted by the Bartlett's, Jackie and Jack enjoyed a pleasant evening of conversation. Just as Mr. Bartlett suspected, his friend was fully invested in getting to know the fascinating young woman. However, an invitation for drinks after the party was stymied by a surprise visit from Ms. Bouvier's fiance.
She moved on seamlessly, it would seem. It was clear to her that the young politician had no interest in the prospect of marriage, and she was already engaged. However, their brief meeting and her time abroad the following year began to shift her perspective on the prospects of marrying John Husted. According to author Donald Spoto, Jackie began to yearn for the company of more charismatic, cultured men. John Husted fit the bill for her parents, but he was losing her affections swiftly.
She soon called off her engagement, and once her friend Charles Bartlett learned of her new status, he once again set to his matchmaking schemes. On May 8, 1952, he and his wife deftly repeated the intimate gathering which had at first brought the two young powerhouses into conversation. This time, Jack did not let her get away. He began inviting her on dates and introducing her to family members.
Within the year, he was ready to propose. His father not only gave his approval, but went off to Fifth Avenue to purchase just the right ring for their engagement. At his chosen venue, Van Cleef & Arpels, he leaned heavily upon the advice of his jeweler Louis Arpels, who in turned leaned heavily upon his wife, who knew Jackie well enough to recommend the perfect engagement ring: A mid-century masterpiece complete with a 2.88-carat diamond situated beside a 2.84-carat emerald, accented by marquise and tapered baguette diamonds in a beautiful retro swirl motif.
On June 24, 1953, Jack proposed to Jackie, and the next day the press was ringing with the news. A Denver columnist wrote, "The single girls in Washington will do well to weep" {cited}, and weep they did. As the women of Washington grieved the loss of one of America's most eligible bachelor's, the rest of the western world began eagerly anticipating what remains one of America's most celebrated weddings.
Their wedding took place the following September at St. Mary's Church in Jackie's hometown, Newport, Rhode Island. In her hair she wore her grandmother's rose point lace veil with orange blossoms and a lace tiara. In her hands she carried a bouquet of white and pink spray orchids and gardenias. Around her neck she wore what would become her iconic piece, a single strand of family pearls.
Her dress was a wonder in ivory silk, fashioned out of 50 yards of the luscious material. The bouffant skirt was decorated with elaborate tucking and tiny wax flowers, and the off-the-shoulder bodice was styled with a similar tucking technique. She is said to have worn a diamond leaf pin, a gift from Ambassador and Mrs. Joseph P. Kennedy, but the wedding photos show only the exquisite diamond bracelet her groom gave her on the day of their wedding.
After greeting 3,000 well-wishers on their journey from the church to their reception, they celebrated with champagne and dancing with 1,200 invited guests. They spent their first night at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel and the remainder of their honeymoon in Acapulco. And the rest, as they say, is history.
1. Anthony, Carl Sferrazza. The Kennedy White House: Family Life and Pictures, 1961-1963. pg. 147. 10 years ago
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