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Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Sundays with the Queen: The Qatari Rubies

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We’ve talked already on the blog about several of the Queen’s major ruby jewels, including the Oriental Circlet and Crown Rubies, the Burmese Ruby Tiara, the Grima Ruby Brooch, and the Baring Ruby Necklace. Today, we’re looking at one of her most modern ruby sets: the Qatari Rubies.

The set arrived in the Queen’s jewelry box in the mid 1980s. Leslie Field notes, “As recently as 1985, on a State visit to England, the Amir of Qatar presented the Queen with a diamond swag necklace with a centerpiece of two large rubies.” The Amir of Qatar in question is Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, who served in that role from 1972 to 1995.

The set also includes a coordinating pair of ruby and diamond earrings. The Queen has worn the set on and off since the ’80s, sometimes pairing it with the Burmese Ruby Tiara or Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik.

This Week in Royal Jewels: September 4-10

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September 4-10, 2015
The royals are back in the swing of things, and so are our weekly jewel recaps! Be sure to vote for your favorite jewels of the week below…
10. The Countess of Wessex wore fairly simple jewelry — earrings, a pendant necklace, and a bracelet — at a reception hosted by the Diamond Jubilee Trust in honor of the Queen’s big milestone achievement on Wednesday.

9. Princess Caroline of Monaco dressed casually to watch her daughter, Princess Alexandra of Hanover, skate in an ISU Junior Grand Prix event in Linz on Thursday, but she still managed to acccessorize, including a pair of stud earrings and a bright white watch.

8. Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg wore pearls to an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg on Friday.

7. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden (who recently announced that she’s expecting a baby!) wore a sparkling earring and necklace set at AstraZeneca in Gothenburg on Thursday, along with a whimsical statement bracelet.

6. At the Spanish Constitutional Court on Wednesday, Queen Letizia paired her ruby cabochon drop earrings with a red blouse and patterned skirt by Felipe Varela. (Reminder: Felipe and Letizia will be in the USA starting on Monday!)

5. Queen Elizabeth II made her annual outing in the Braemar Feather Brooch at the Braemar Gathering in Scotland on Saturday.

4. Princess Anne wore a very appropriate golden horse brooch at Doncaster Racecourse on Wednesday, pairing it with other diamond and gold pieces.

3. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands arrived at a concert on Thursday in an ensemble that was quintessentially Maxima: a red jumpsuit and her long ruby and diamond pendant earrings.

2. On Saturday, Princess Charlene of Monaco debuted yet another new pair of earrings by Graff at the Princess Grace Awards Gala. This time, the pair is from the brand’s Bomb collection; they’re set with diamonds and rubies.

1. My top spot of the week goes to the groundbreaking monarch herself, Queen Elizabeth II. On Wednesday, she offered a nifty tribute to the monarch whose record she broke, Queen Victoria, by wearing one of Victoria’s diamond bow brooches with her usual daytime pearls.