Attributes

• country

  Russia
• date of institution

  November 24, 1714
• makers

  Dmitri Osipov
• remarks

  The Order was highest awarded exclusively to women, membership being restricted to Empresses, Queens, and Lady's of highest Nobility, Russian and foreign. The Greater cross was limited to twelve members outside of the Imperial Russian family. Since the creation of the Order by Peter I, the insignia had undergone substantial variations in respect to the size and design, and the size and number of Diamonds and gemstones being used in creation of each individual piece. Value of higher-end Russian Orders varies greatly; value depends on period and quality of manufacture, materials being used (such as Diamonds), maker and the provenance; as well as value of Russian currency and general economic situation in Russia. Only 724 of the St. Catherine orders of both classes were bestowed within two hundred years of its existence, which make this award among the absolute rarest of Russian orders.