Queen Anne-Marie’s Modern Emerald Jewels

Sean Gallup/Getty Images

When you think of emeralds worn by the last Queen of the Hellenes, Anne-Marie of Denmark, your mind will almost certainly head straight for the grand emerald parure that belongs to the Greek royal family. But Anne-Marie’s collection also includes other emerald jewels, including the modern set of ruby and emerald jewels we’re looking at today.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

As is the case with many families that have lost their royal thrones, the information available about the Greek royal jewels is a bit murky. (They are essentially private citizens now, after all, and all the jewelry they continue to wear is theoretically personally owned.) Over the last decade, Queen Anne-Marie has worn an interesting set of jewels featuring emeralds, rubies, diamonds, and pearls. We don’t appear to know much specific provenance information about them. Above, Anne-Marie wears the brooch in Luxembourg in 2008 for the celebrations of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa’s silver wedding anniversary.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Here’s a closer look at the brooch from the set. Ribbons of diamonds and emeralds wrap around a central element set with a large cabochon emerald, studded at the edges with four rubies. A single pear-shaped pearl drop is suspended from the bottom of the brooch. To me, the construction of the jewel suggests that it is a newer piece.

Sean Gallup/Getty Images

This suspicion is also bolstered by the earrings from the set. Anne-Marie wore both the brooch and earrings together in 2012 for a major royal occasion: the wedding of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg.

Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Here’s a closer view of the earrings, which also feature emeralds and diamonds in a modern setting, plus pendant pearl drops.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

The innovative setting of the jewels, plus the traditional addition of the pearl drops, make this set an interesting choice for a former queen — a woman whose life has spanned a tumultuous period of upheaval and exile.