Definition

1. Noun:
   • The collection of precious ceremonial objects belonging to a sovereign: The "crown jewels" are the official regalia, including items like crowns, scepters, orbs, and other valuable jewelry, worn or used by a monarch during important state ceremonies.
   • The most valuable or important assets of an organization: In a figurative sense, "crown jewels" can refer to the most prized and critical assets, properties, or people within a company, institution, or group.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Literal Meaning):
  • The Tower of London is famous for housing the British Crown Jewels.
  • The theft of the crown jewels would be a national catastrophe.
• Noun (Figurative Meaning):
  • The patent for their flagship drug is the company's crown jewels.
  • The star quarterback is considered the team's crown jewels.

Advanced Usage

• "to be the crown jewels of something": to be the most valuable part of a collection or group.
  • These original manuscripts are the crown jewels of the university library.
• "to protect/safeguard the crown jewels": to take special care of the most important assets.
  • The board's primary duty is to safeguard the company's crown jewels from hostile takeovers.

Variants and Related Words

• Regalia (n): the emblems or insignia of royalty, especially the crown, scepter, and other ornaments used on ceremonial occasions.
  • The king was dressed in full regalia for the coronation.
• Coronation (n): the ceremony of crowning a sovereign.
  • The crown jewels are central to the coronation ritual.

Synonyms

• Treasures: valuable objects collectively.
• Assets: a useful or valuable thing or person.
• Prized possessions: one's most valued belongings.

Related Phrases

• Crown jewel defense (n): a strategy used by a corporation to avoid a hostile takeover by making itself less attractive, often by selling its most valuable assets (its "crown jewels").
  • The company enacted a crown jewel defense to thwart the acquisition attempt.

Related Idioms

• The jewel in the crown: the most valuable, successful, or beautiful part of something.
  • The research department is the jewel in the crown of this institution. (Note: This idiom uses "jewel" in the singular, while "crown jewels" is typically plural.)

Noun

1. regalia (jewelry and other paraphernalia) worn by a sovereign on state occasions