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Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Princess Salimah’s Emeralds

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Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Sotheby’s

The leaves are officially turning outside the office window here at TCJ headquarters, but I couldn’t resist featuring a little green this weekend — emeralds, that is!

Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Sotheby’s

Sotheby’s is offering this married suite of diamond and emerald jewelry in an upcoming November jewelry auction in Geneva. The Cartier necklace and Harry Winston earrings formerly belonged to Princess Salimah Aga Khan.

The Aga Khan and Sally in happier times in Paris, 1982 (PHILIPPE BOUCHON/AFP via Getty Images)

Princess Salimah was born Sally Croker-Poole. The British debutante and model was first married to Lord James Crichton-Stuart (son of the 5th Marquess of Bute) and then secondly to the present Aga Khan. During her tenure as Begum Aga Khan, she amassed a fabulous collection of jewelry. After their divorce in 1995, she kept the title of Princess Salimah but (over the protests of her ex-husband) decided to sell most of her jewelry.

Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Sotheby’s

These emeralds are being sold by an unnamed subsequent owner. (Lot notes for these specific pieces are not yet available at the time of this writing, but the sale they’re included in features property from “an Important Asian American Collection.”)

Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Sotheby’s

Aren’t the emerald cabochons fantastic? So glossy and rich. The jewels were in London last week for part of their preview tour ahead of their auction on November 13 in Geneva. The necklace is estimated to bring up to $4.5 million, while the earrings are estimated to sell for between $1.5 and 2.5 million. Hopefully we’ll get even more information about the pieces as the sale draws closer!

State Visit Jewels: Queen Maxima in India

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PRAKASH SINGH/AFP via Getty Images

October means state visit season has begun, and on Monday, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands began a five-day visit to India.

PRAKASH SINGH/AFP via Getty Images

The Dutch royal couple began their visit with a welcome ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Presidential Palace in New Delhi. They were greeted by President Ram Nath Kovind and First Lady Savita Kovind, as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

MONEY SHARMA/AFP via Getty Images

They also took time to pay their respects at Raj Ghat, the memorial for Mahatama Gandhi.

PRAKASH SINGH/AFP via Getty Images

For the first official events of the visit, Maxima wore a blue dress and hat with gorgeous aquamarine jewels from the Dutch royal collection, many of which date to the reign of the king’s grandmother, Queen Juliana.

PRAKASH SINGH/AFP via Getty Images

She wore aquamarine briolette drops suspended from diamond earrings. She also wore a pair of brooches: a large square aquamarine and diamond brooch pinned to her hat, and an impressive aquamarine drop ringed with diamonds and suspended from a diamond bow.

PRAKASH SINGH/AFP via Getty Images

This angle shows the details of the bow brooch much more clearly.

PRAKASH SINGH/AFP via Getty Images

On her right wrist, Maxima stacked an aquamarine and diamond bracelet, her diamond initial bracelet, and a delicate gold chain bracelet.

PRAKASH SINGH/AFP via Getty Images

On her left wrist, Maxima wore her diamond wedding brooch and her watch.

PRAKASH SINGH/AFP via Getty Images

Here, you’ll spot one more aquamarine: a large ring on Maxima’s right hand. (She wore her wedding and engagement rings on her left hand.)

Rashtrapati Bhavan

The day wrapped up with a state banquet hosted by President Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Rashtrapati Bhavan

Maxima dazzled in diamonds for the banquet, including the Dutch Diamond Bandeau, the earrings made up of clusters from the Stuart Tiara, and part of the family’s grand Diamond and Pearl Devant de Corsage (worn at her right shoulder).