Queen Maxima’s Magnificent Royal Wedding Rubies

Maxima wore an ultra-elegant burgundy lace gown from one of her go-to designers, Jan Taminiau. The custom dress features an off-the-shoulder illusion neckline, tiered lace floral panels, and a short train. Maxima previously wore the dress in 2013 for the water pageant held after the inauguration of her husband, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. (She wore her garnet tassel earrings with the gown for that occasion.) She added the star and blue and yellow sash of her Swedish order, the Order of the Polar Star, to the ensemble as well.

On this occasion, Maxima paired the gown with diamond and ruby jewels from the extensive Dutch royal jewelry collection. Most of the jewels come from the Mellerio Ruby Parure, a suite of jewels made by Mellerio dits Meller in 1889 for Queen Emma. The set was a Christmas gift from her husband, King Willem III of the Netherlands. The set features two major design elements: diamond and ruby scroll and cluster ornaments, and rows of diamond brilliants on knife-edge settings. (These rows of diamonds are responsible for the “suspension bridge” effect on the tiara, something that’s a bit polarizing for royal jewelry lovers.)

Maxima wore the tiara from the parure, as well as the set’s necklace, bracelet (on her right wrist), and earrings.

Maxima wore another diamond and ruby bangle bracelet from the family vaults on her left wrist. She finished off the look with three rings: her engagement and wedding rings on her left hand, and her emerald-cut diamond ring on her right. The diamond ring was a gift from King Willem-Alexander to celebrate the birth of their youngest daughter, Princess Ariane, in 2007.

Intriguingly, the Mellerio Ruby Parure also includes an elaborate bejeweled fan. But the fan carried by Maxima on this occasion was a different, simpler fan made of paper and wood—definitely carried for utility and comfort rather than adornment.