Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World
Behold, perhaps the most challenging Top Ten list of all-diamond royal jewels I’ve compiled yet: the diamond brooch category! There are just so many good ones to choose from, and from all over the world, too. Here’s what I finally decided on, but I’m definitely looking forward to hearing about your choices in the comments below!
 |
| [image source] |
Lots of royal collections include caches of diamond stars, which were extremely popular during the nineteenth century. (See my article on Sisi’s popularization of the baubles over here!) I love the way that the Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, who was born Princess Benedikte of Denmark, wears her set of stars, scattering them across the necklines of her gowns and jackets, pinning them to her order sashes, and suspending them from necklaces. These brooches apparently once belonged to Queen Victoria of Sweden, Benedikte’s great-grandmother; she often pairs them with the pearl and star tiara that belonged to her great-great-grandmother, Queen Sofia.
The ladies over at Luxarazzi recently did a great write-up on this Luxembourgish brooch, which was originally a diamond epaulette, meant to be worn on the shoulder of a man’s dress uniform. Today, it’s one of the almost too-huge jewels donned by the ladies of the grand duchy, especially as it’s frequently paired with the enormous Empire Tiara.
A brooch doesn’t have to be enormous to pack a major sentimental punch. You’ll often see Crown Princess Mary of Denmark securing the back of her order sash with a small diamond brooch in the shape of the letter “F.” That is, of course, the first initial of her husband, Crown Prince Frederik. It’s said that this little brooch first belonged to Queen Ingrid — whose husband, of course, was also named Frederik.
The only thing better than a gorgeous diamond is a gorgeous, rare colored diamond. The central pink diamond of Queen Elizabeth II’s Williamson Brooch weighs more than 23 carats. It was a wedding present from Canadian geologist Dr. John Williamson; Cartier later made it the centerpiece of this diamond and platinum brooch.
One of the oldest diamond brooches in the Windsor collection is the large round brooch that belonged to Queen Adelaide, wife of King William IV. He ordered it for her from Rundell and Bridge in 1830, and she wore it at their coronation in 1831. The diamonds were even older, having been previously set in King George III’s Order of the Bath insignia. This piece is now an heirloom of the crown and has been worn by every queen, regnant or consort, since.
When Princess Ingrid of Sweden married Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark in 1935, her father, Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden, wanted to include Ingrid’s late mother in his wedding gift. He had a brooch made for his daughter using some of the diamonds that had belonged to his late wife, Crown Princess Margareta. Her nickname was “Daisy” — hence the brooch’s shape. Appropriately the brooch now belongs to Ingrid’s daughter, Margrethe, who is also nicknamed “Daisy.” You can read much more about the brooch over here!
Part of the impressive Brazilian diamond parure, this gorgeous diamond floral brooch came to Sweden in the nineteenth century, when Queen Josefina inherited it from her sister, Empress Amélie of Brazil. Queen Silvia often wears this brooch pinned to her order sash, but you’ll occasionally see her wearing it in her hair.
We’re still not sure exactly what has happened to most of the jewels that belonged to the late Queen Fabiola of Belgium — either the major pieces were quietly dispersed among family members before Fabiola’s death, or she left the lot to charity — but we do know the fate of this intricate diamond waterfall brooch. Queen Mathilde now wears the antique piece, giving many jewel lovers hope that other pieces of Fabiola’s collection have also found their way into Mathilde’s jewelry boxes.
Really, how do you decide which of the Cullinan brooches to put on a list? You could easily swap out the Cullinan V stone here, and I’d be happy. But this one is just such an impressive whopper, weighing in at more than 150 total carats. Made by Carrington in 1911, the brooch was commissioned by Queen Mary (of course!). It’s astonishing. And yes, I’m still ranking it second! 🙂
For me, the royal brooch still worn these days that can trump a Cullinan is the complicated diamond bow brooch from the Dutch royal family’s house parure. Part of the set that includes the famed Stuart diamond, this brooch was hidden away in the vaults for years, but recently, Queen Maxima and Princess Laurentien have started wearing various pieces of it again. We still haven’t seen the full brooch on display, but I can’t wait for the day when Queen Maxima surprises us with it!
All eyes have been on the jewel vaults of Denmark this week, as Queen Margrethe II celebrated her 75th birthday with a series of galas, dinners, and receptions. To wrap up our extensive coverage this week, today we’ve got a special edition of the Saturday Sparkler series, in which we survey Margrethe’s impressive roster of heirloom and modern tiaras. Enjoy!
Current Owner: The state of DenmarkOriginal Owner: Queen Caroline Amalie of Denmark, née Princess of AugustenburgMaker: C.M. Weisshaupt, ca. 1840
Arguably the grandest tiara in Margrethe’s repertoire, the emerald tiara is a part of the Danish crown jewels. It was given to Queen Caroline Amalie as an anniversary present by her husband, King Christian VII. But it’s even older than its nineteenth-century creation date: Weisshaupt used emeralds that had belonged Queen Sophie Magdalena and Princess Charlotte, who both lived in Denmark during the eighteenth century. The tiara’s “crown jewel” distinction means several things: Margrethe does not own it, but has the right to use it whenever she wants; it can’t be taken out of the country; and only queens regnant and consort are allowed to wear it. Margrethe is only the latest in a long line of Danish queens to wear the piece: it’s been used by every single Danish queen since it was made. Read more on my favorite royal emeralds over here!
Current Owner: Danish Royal Property Trust
Original Owner: Princess Louise of the Netherlands, née Princess of Prussia
Maker: Unknown (German?) jeweler, ca. 1825
Margrethe has also been wearing this pearl and diamond tiara, which is a part of a “married” parure of pearl and diamond jewelry, since the beginning of her reign. When Princess Louise of Prussia married Prince Frederik of the Netherlands in 1825, her father, King Friedrich Wilhelm III, gave her this tiara. Her daughter, Louise, took the tiara with when she married the King of Sweden; and then her daughter, also named Louise, took it with her when she married the King of Denmark. When Queen Louise died in 1926, she placed the tiara in a trust, which means that it belongs to the monarch, not to any individual. Read about one of the tiara’s recent appearances over here.
Current Owner: Danish Royal Property Trust
Original Owner: Mrs. and Mrs. Lauritz Melchior
Maker: Unknown jeweler, ca. 1950s
In 1985, Margrethe received this versatile tiara as a gift from her mother, Queen Ingrid. The diamond tiara actually breaks into three pieces, which can be worn together or separately in various configurations. King Frederik IX bought it at auction for Queen Ingrid in 1963. He purchased it from Lauritz Melchior, a famous Danish-American opera singer. More about this inventive tiara here!
Current Owner: Queen Margrethe II
Original Owner: Grand Duchess Louise of Baden, née Princess of Prussia
Maker: Koch, ca. mid 19th century
Margrethe’s inheritance from Queen Ingrid also included this diamond tiara, which features palmette motifs arranged to echo heart shapes. The piece was a wedding gift in 1856 from the King of Prussia to his daughter, Princess Louise, who was marrying Grand Duke Friedrich I of Baden. Their daughter, Victoria, took the tiara with her to Sweden when she married King Gustav V; their granddaughter, Queen Ingrid of Denmark, eventually inherited the piece. Read more about the tiara here!
Current Owner: Queen Margrethe II
Original Owner: Crown Princess Margareta of Sweden, née Princess of Connaught (possibly?)
Maker: Unknown jeweler, ca. late 19th or early 20th century
Yet another tiara that Margrethe inherited from Queen Ingrid, this tiara playfully incorporates the Queen’s nickname, Daisy, into its design. (The French word for Daisy = marguerite.) Because of this, most think that the turquoise and diamond bandeau was one of the pieces that Ingrid received from her own mother, Crown Princess Margareta, who was also nicknamed “Daisy.” Margrethe loves turquoises — here’s a look at her extensive collection of turquoise pieces.
Current Owner: Queen Margrethe II
Original Owner: Queen Margrethe II
Maker: Arje Griegst, ca. 1976
Margrethe loves modern jewelry, and this piece, designed specifically for her, certainly fits the bill. Made of gold, the headpiece attaches to the back of the wearer’s head via a small comb, and then spreads golden poppies and small bejeweled insects across the hair toward the forehead. Certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, but definitely avant-garde. Read more about this, and nine more wacky tiaras, over here.
Current Owner: Queen Margrethe II
Original Owner: Queen Margrethe II
Maker: Nicolai Appel, ca. 2012
The newest addition to Margrethe’s tiara collection is this piece, made of melted-down gold coins from Greenland. It was Greenland’s gift to Margrethe to mark her ruby jubilee, and the floral tiara also includes small rubies and diamonds scattered among its golden flowers. Read more about the entire Naasut demi-parure here!
