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Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

This Week in Royal Jewels: January 1-5

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January 1-5, 2017
We’re kicking off a brand new year here at The Court Jeweller, and we’ve got plenty of new year jewels for you to enjoy! Be sure to vote for your favorites in our weekly poll.
(TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images)
10. Empress Michiko of Japan wore a gorgeous star and frond brooch during the annual new year appearance on the balcony of the Imperial Palace. (More over here!)

9. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark wore a diamond and pearl brooch pinned at the neck of her gown for the second of the New Year’s Levees in Copenhagen.
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8. In a video congratulating Canada on the 150th anniversary year of its confederation, the Queen swapped out Queen Victoria’s pearl brooch (worn with the same outfit for the annual Christmas message) for the Diamond Maple Leaf Brooch.

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7. Empress Michiko chose pearls with a fabulous glittering clasp for the annual new year’s reception at the Imperial Palace. (More over here!)

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6. The Akishino princesses — Kiko, Mako, and Kako — wore their mirrored diamond parures for the same new year’s reception. (More over here!)

5. Crown Princess Masako was present at the palace for the new year’s reception, but did not attend the public component of the celebrations. Instead, we caught a glimpse of her wearing the Pearl Sunburst suite as she arrived at the palace. (More over here!)

4. Princess Marie of Denmark glittered in Princess Dagmar’s Floral Tiara at the first of the New Year’s Levees in Copenhagen. (More over here!)

3. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark chose the Pearl Poire Tiara and an intriguing necklace — the ruby and pearl stomacher from the crown jewel collection, used as a pendant — for the first New Year’s Levee. (More over here!)

2. The grand ruby parure was Crown Princess Mary of Denmark’s choice for the first New Year’s Levee. (More over here!)

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1. My first prize of the week goes to a member of the Japanese imperial family who is usually off on the sidelines: the Princess Hitachi, who wore her grand diamond and pearl parure with a blue gown for the new year reception at the palace. (More over here!)

Empress Michiko’s Brooches

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Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan wave from the balcony of the imperial palace, January 2017 (TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images)
Many of you were very interested in the gorgeous brooch worn by Empress Michiko of Japan earlier this week, so I thought this was a good time to do a little recap of her brooches. Here’s a look at a whole bunch of imperial jewels!

Celebrating the emperor’s birthday, December 2002 (Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images)
Waving to the public during the annual new year greetings, January 2003 (Junko Kimura/Getty Images)
Marking the anniversary of Japan’s WWII surrender, August 2003 (Junko Kimura/Getty Images)
Celebrating the new year, January 2004 (Junko Kimura/Getty Images)
Bidding farewell to the President of Finland at the end of a state visit, October 2004 (Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images)
Arriving at the World Exposition Aichi Japan, March 2005 (Toshiyuki Aizawa/Pool/Getty Images)
Attending a press conference in Tokyo, April 2005 (Toshiyuki Aizawa/Pool/Getty Images)
Arriving at the Dublin airport, May 2005 (PETER MUHLY/AFP/Getty Images)
Dodging raindrops in County Wicklow, Ireland, May 2005 (PETER MUHLY/AFP/Getty Images)
Visiting a nursery school in Tokyo, May 2005 (YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images)
Arriving at the wedding of her daughter, Princess Sayako, November 2005 (Everett Kennedy Brown-Pool/Getty Images)
Celebrating the new year in Tokyo, January 2006 (Junko Kimura/Getty Images)
Appearing on the palace balcony to celebrate the new year, January 2007 (Junko Kimura/Getty Images)
Signing the guestbook at Riga Castle in Latvia, May 2007 (ILMARS ZNOTINS/AFP/Getty Images)
Attending the opening ceremony of the IAAF World Athletics Championships, August 2007 (Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Placing a wreath at the Peacekeeping Monument in Ottawa, Canada, July 2009 (DAVID BOILY/AFP/Getty Images)
Visiting the Tokyo National Museum, February 2012 (YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images)
Welcoming the Emir of Kuwait to the Imperial Palace, March 2012 (KOICHI KAMOSHIDA/AFP/Getty Images)
Attending a ceremony commemorating the end of the post-WWII occupation, April 2013 (ITSUO INOUYE/AFP/Getty Images)
Arriving for a welcome ceremony in New Delhi, India, December 2013 (RAVEENDRAN/AFP/Getty Images)
Saying farewell at the Imperial Palace ahead of a trip to Palau, April 2015 (YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images)
Viewing a traditional equestrian presentation in Tokyo, May 2015 (KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images)
Watching a rugby match in Tokyo, June 2016 (Koki Nagahama/Getty Images)

Even More Japanese New Year Jewels

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Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko wave from the balcony (TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images)

The New Year celebrations continued in Tokyo on Monday with the annual speech from the emperor. The family appeared on the balcony, and we got to see some of the elegant daytime jewels from the Japanese imperial vaults.

(TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images)

Empress Michiko wore diamond and pearl earrings, a pearl necklace, and a really interesting diamond brooch, which features leaf and star designs.

(TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images)

While Crown Princess Masako doesn’t attend the palace reception, she does appear on the balcony. Here’s a look at her pearls and brooch combo.

(TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images)

And here’s one more angle on her outfit and jewelry. Love the color on her!

(TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images)

The Prince and Princess Akishino were there, as usual. Kiko’s outfit featured a high neckline that hid any necklaces, but she was wearing a brooch, earrings, and a bracelet.

(TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images)

Their two daughters, Princesses Mako and Kako, were there in their daytime jewelry uniforms, too.

(TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images)

And finally, one more couple from the imperial family was in attendance: the Prince and Princess Hitachi, the emperor’s brother and sister-in-law. Hanako went bold with her jewelry and clothing, wearing the same bright blue color as Masako. She also amped up her pearl necklace, wearing multiple strands instead of just one.