Don’t Miss a Single Sparkling Moment! Sign up for The Court Jeweller Newsletter

The Court Jeweller

Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Imperial Jewels on the Balcony in Tokyo

by // Leave a Comment

Carl Court/Getty Images

On Saturday, the Japanese imperial family gathered at the palace in Tokyo for the first official public appearance of the new Emperor Naruhito.

Carl Court/Getty Images

Naruhito was joined by his wife, Empress Masako, as he greeted his people from the palace balcony. Naruhito delivered a speech to the cheering, flag-waving crowd. He urged the tens of thousands of people who had gathered to work together to achieve world peace.

Carl Court/Getty Images

For her first balcony appearance as empress, Masako wore golden pearls with a lovely ribbon-like diamond brooch. I also love the sunburst embellishments at the neck of her dress; the beading adds extra dimension to her necklace.

BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images

Naruhito and Masako were supported by his brother, Crown Prince Fumihito, and his wife, Crown Princess Kiko. Because Naruhito and Masako have no sons, Fumihito is now the heir presumptive to the Chrysanthemum Throne.

Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

Kiko wore a double strand of pearls with pearl drop earrings and a diamond and pearl bow brooch.

Carl Court/Getty Images

Fumihito and Kiko’s daughters, the Akishino princesses, stood beside their parents, uncle, and aunt.

Carl Court/Getty Images

Princess Mako wore classic pearls with an intriguing modern brooch set with diamonds and pearls.

Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

Princess Kako wore pearls with a simpler version of her mother’s diamond and pearl bow brooch.

Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

The Princess Hitachi and the Princess Mikasa were both present, and each wore versions of the usual pearls-and-brooch daytime jewelry uniform of the Japanese princesses. Hanako’s brooch features a wave motif rendered in diamonds, while Yuriko chose a sautoir-style necklace of pearls.

Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

Princess Tomohito of Mikasa wore classic pearls with a floral diamond and pearl brooch, plus an eye-catching pearl ring.

BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images

Her elder daughter, Princess Akiko, kept her jewelry very simple, sticking to a single strand of pearls and pearl stud earrings. (Princess Yoko, her younger sister, did not attend the balcony appearance.)

BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images

The Princess Takamado attended the public appearance with her daughter, Princess Tsuguko.

Carl Court/Getty Images

Hisako wore pearls, pearls, and more pearls: earrings, necklace, and bracelet.

Carl Court/Getty Images

Princess Tsuguko wore perhaps the most intriguing jewels of the day: an intricate silver necklace, plus a gorgeous brooch set with a bright blue gemstone.

Carl Court/Getty Images

Which jewels fascinated you most from this imperial appearance?

This Week in Royal Gala Jewels: April 26-May 2

by // Leave a Comment

April 26-May 2, 2019
Our second royal jewel review of the day covers the sparkling jewels worn for gala events this week. Don’t forget to vote for your favorites below!
MADS CLAUS RASMUSSEN/AFP/Getty Images
15. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark wore pearls and amethysts for a birthday dinner for her sister, Princess Benedikte, in Copenhagen on Monday. (More here!)

Embed from Getty Images
14. Greek royal rubies were Queen Anne-Marie’s jewels of choice for her sister’s birthday gala dinner on Monday. (More here!)
MADS CLAUS RASMUSSEN/AFP/Getty Images
13. Crown Princess Mary wore pieces from the Danish Ruby Parure for Princess Benedikte’s birthday dinner on Monday. (More views here!)
MADS CLAUS RASMUSSEN/AFP/Getty Images
12. On her 75th birthday, Princess Benedikte wore sentimental family diamonds for her birthday dinner in Copenhagen. (Get more history on the jewels here!)
The Court Jeweller/screencapture
11. Princess Yoko of Mikasa (right, above) wore her parure of diamond jewels for the first audience of Emperor Naruhito of Japan on Wednesday. (More here!)
10. On Wednesday, Princess Akiko of Mikasa (second from right, above) wore also her parure of diamond jewels for the imperial audience. (More here!)
9. Princess Tomohito of Mikasa (third from right, above), widow of Emperor Akihito’s first cousin, wore her diamond wedding tiara and jewels for the first audience of Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace. (More here!)
The Court Jeweller/screencapture
8. Princess Tsuguko of Takamado (left, above) wore her parure of diamond jewelry for the imperial audience in Tokyo on Wednesday. (More here!)
7. For Emperor Naruhito’s first audience, Princess Takamado (second from left, above), widow of Emperor Akihito’s first cousin, wore her wedding tiara. (More here!)
6. Princess Kako of Akishino (third from left, above), niece of Emperor Naruhito, wore her diamond parure for the imperial audience in Tokyo on Wednesday. (More here!)
TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images
5. For Wednesday’s audience, Princess Mako of Akishino, another niece of Emperor Naruhito, wore her diamond parure. (More here!)
The Court Jeweller/screencapture
4. Princess Hitachi (third from left, above) wore her diamond wedding tiara for the first imperial audience of her nephew, Emperor Naruhito. (More here!)
3. In her first tiara appearance in many years, Princess Mikasa (seated in a wheelchair, above) wore her diamond kokoshnik for the first imperial audience of her great-nephew, Emperor Naruhito, on Wednesday. (More here!) 
TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images
2. Crown Princess Kiko of Japan wore the diamond parure of the family’s crown princesses for the first time on Wednesday as she attended the imperial audience. (More here!)
TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images
1. Empress Masako of Japan debuted the grand tiara reserved for Japanese empresses, the Meiji Tiara, at the imperial audience on Wednesday, pairing it with additional diamond jewels. (Much more over here!)