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Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

New Year Jewels in the Netherlands

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The royal celebration of the new year has officially reached the Netherlands, where the family gathered for the annual new year reception at the palace in Amsterdam on Tuesday.

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The royal contingent was headed up by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. For the event, Maxima wore an unusual dress featuring quilting and feathered trim.

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She accessorized with a favorite pair of earrings from her jewelry box: these impressive diamond and blue gem drops, which many have guessed might be set with vibrant tanzanites.

Koen van Weel/AFP via Getty Images

This isn’t the first appearance for the earrings at this event. Seven years ago, back when she was still Princess Maxima, she wore the earrings for the 2013 reception, pairing them with an equally bright blue dress.

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For this year’s reception, Queen Maxima also added some sparkle to her right wrist, stacking up her multi-gem tennis bracelets. The bracelet, which are reminiscent of the Art Deco set that belonged to the Queen Mother, are set with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. You’ll also spot a major ring on her right hand…

Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images

…and we can see in this photo that the ring is set with the same blue gemstone as her wonderful earrings.

Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images

Princess Beatrix braved the chill (and a bandaged thumb!) to attend the reception. She wore a pair of pearl button earrings with a black border (perhaps enamel or black jade?).

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This photo, taken delightfully mid-laugh, gives us a better view of both of her rings. The ring she wears on her left hand matches her earrings. On her right hand, you’ll spot her unique diamond engagement ring, which features a double halo cluster of stones around the central diamond.

Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images

One more royal lady from the family was in attendance: Princess Margriet. She was dressed casually for her arrival at the palace, and her earrings — golden hoops — were equally simple and classic.

Treasured Turquoises for Queen Margrethe

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NIELS CHRISTIAN VILMANN/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark was busy with diplomatic engagements in Copenhagen on Friday, and she reached into her jewelry box for pieces set with one of her favorite stones: turquoise!

NIELS CHRISTIAN VILMANN/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images

The Queen received Daniel Guenther, premier of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, and his wife, Anke, at Amalienborg on Friday. They were accompanied during the meeting by Denmark’s Minister of Culture and Church, Joy Mogensen. Schleswig-Holstein has a long and complicated history with Denmark; the former Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein belonged to Denmark at various points in history, and the question over which parts of the area belonged to which country wasn’t finally settled until 1920. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the plebiscites which officially established the border between Denmark and Germany.

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For the meeting, Queen Margrethe wore some of her favorite jewels. The Queen has an extensive collection of pieces set with turquoises. Some are heirlooms from her British-Swedish royal grandmother, Princess Margaret of Connaught, while others are more modern jewels given to her by her late husband, Prince Henrik.

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The brooch she wore for the audience, her mirrored turquoise brooch, is one of the pieces that belonged Margaret of Connaught. Crown Princess Margareta, as she was better known during her marriage to King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden, received a whole set of turquoise jewels as a wedding present in 1905. This brooch was among those items. The turquoises passed to her daughter, Queen Ingrid of Denmark, who in turn gave them to her daughter, Queen Margrethe. In the image above, Queen Margrethe wears the brooch for a luncheon hosted for the President of the United States at Fredensborg in 2005.

JACQUES WITT/AFP/Getty Images

While Margrethe often pairs the brooch with her classic turquoise button earrings, she’s also worn the jewel with earrings from her modern turquoise collection. These earrings, worn with the brooch in August 2018 for a welcome ceremony at Amalienborg during the French state visit, were made by Torben Hardenberg. They were a 60th birthday gift to Margrethe from Henrik.

KELD NAVNTOFT/AFP/Getty Images

Margaret of Connaught’s turquoise collection also included all of the pieces worn by Queen Margrethe above, during a state dinner for the Chinese president in 2012. The design of the Turquoise Daisy Bandeau and that of the mirrored turquoise brooch definitely share some similarities. The diamond and turquoise earrings and brooch seen here were also among Margaret of Connaught’s wedding gifts.

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But back to those turquoise button earrings worn by Queen Margrethe on Friday — they’re simple, classic, and she’s worn them for lots of different kinds of occasions. In 2004, she was photographed wearing them during her summer holiday with Prince Henrik at their French home, Château de Cayx.

KELD NAVNTOFT/AFP/Getty Images

She’s also worn the button earrings with another of Margaret of Connaught’s brooches, the fantastic Devonshire Turquoise Brooch. It was also one of the elder Margaret’s wedding gifts, given to her in 1905 by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. Above, Queen Margrethe wears the earrings and brooch together for the welcome ceremony during the 2012 Chinese state visit to Copenhagen.

NIELS CHRISTIAN VILMANN/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images

For Friday’s audience in Copenhagen, Queen Margrethe also wore one more piece of turquoise jewelry: her turquoise and gold ring. You’ll also spot three more very important pieces of jewelry in this image: Margarethe’s spectacular toi et moi engagement ring, her gold wedding ring, and her golden bracelet, worn by all female descendants of Queen Ingrid.