Jewels from Rosenborg Castle

Photo generously provided by Annika; do not reproduce

One of the most fun things about running a royal jewelry website is definitely the way my readers share their royal jewel experiences with me. I’m always so honored when readers contact me and offer to share photos they’ve taken at various jewelry exhibitions, and I was thrilled when Annika reached out recently to share photos she took on a recent visit to Rosenborg Castle in Denmark.

Photo generously provided by Annika; do not reproduce

The treasures of Rosenborg are way to numerous to include comprehensively here, so I’ll hit some of the highlights. This display includes a double-stranded pearl necklace that belonged to Caroline Mathilda, the tragic queen consort of King Christian VII. The diamond earrings here also belonged to her.

Photo generously provided by Annika; do not reproduce

This jeweled hair ornament features a diamond crescent and pearl feathers. It was made around 1810 for Marie of Hesse-Kassel, the wife of King Frederik VI.

Photo generously provided by Annika; do not reproduce

This unusual set of gold jewelry is set with citrines, amethysts, pearls, and diamonds. It belonged to Louise Rasmussen, who is better known to history as Countess Danner; she was the morganatic wife of King Frederik VII. The suite of jewels was made by Diderichsen, the court jeweler. The jewels may have been given to Louise as a birthday present by Frederik in 1860.

Photo generously provided by Annika; do not reproduce

This fantastic suite of jewels is set with rose-cut diamonds. (The particular cut was named because the facet pattern resembles the petals of a rosebud.) The diamonds originally belonged to Princess Charlotte Amalie of Denmark (1706-1782), the younger sister of King Christian VI. The diamonds were set in this demi-parure by C.M. Weisshaupt in 1840, during the reign of King Christian VIII.

Photo generously provided by Annika; do not reproduce

The other grand diamond suite in the Rosenborg display was also made by C.M. Weisshaupt in 1840. The diamonds included in the set belonged to a trio of Danish queens: Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg (wife of King Christian VI), Juliana Marie of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (second wife of King Frederik V), and Caroline Matilda of Great Britain (wife of King Christian VII). You’ll recognize these as some of the jewels that Queen Margrethe II wore at Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary’s wedding in 2004.

Photo generously provided by Annika; do not reproduce

Like both diamond suites, this set of ruby, diamond, and pearl jewels was made in 1840 by C.M. Weisshaupt, during the reign of King Christian VIII. The pearl necklace goes back even further; it belonged to Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel, who married King Christian V in 1667. Queen Margrethe II wears the ruby pieces fairly frequently.

Photo generously provided by Annika; do not reproduce

Annika also took some excellent photos of the Danish royal family’s emerald parure, including this great shot of the tiara. You’ll see Queen Margrethe II wears this parure on numerous state occasions.

Photo generously provided by Annika; do not reproduce

Like the diamond suites and the ruby and pearl suite, the emerald parure was made in 1840 by C.M. Weisshaupt. The emeralds are a century older; they were given to Queen Sophie Magdalene by her husband, King Christian VI, in 1723.

Photo generously provided by Annika; do not reproduce

All four of the suites were made the year after the accession of King Christian VIII, and they were probably initially worn by his second wife, Caroline Amalie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg.

Photo generously provided by Annika; do not reproduce

I also loved this excellent photo that Annika shared of a whole selection of colorful rings. Gorgeous! Huge thanks again to Annika for sharing the wonderful photos taken during her visit!