For the last Style File Friday of Blogmas (by this time next week, we will be into our year end wrap-ups), we continue on with our look at royal jewels! I find that although tiaras are usually the showstoppers of royal jewels- we all look to see immediately what tiaras are worn to a state dinner- but there are some incredible necklaces that have even more sparkle. Not to mention, we will often get a necklace without a tiara! So, today I am sharing my favourite red and green necklaces…
Royal Jewels: Red and Green Necklaces
Several of these necklaces are part of parures (sets of coordinating pieces of jewellery intended to be worn together), meaning that you will often see them worn with the same few pieces. However, some royal families (like the Swedish Royal Family, for example) will mix and match more. In any case, these necklaces are all breathtaking.
Bernadotte Emerald Necklace
The Swedish Royal Family has a wildly impressive collection of jewels. And I love them even more because many members of the family will wear pieces; it isn’t like the Brits where everything sits in vaults and one person might wear something for their lifetime before it disappears again.
The Bernadotte Emerald Demi-Parure dates back to the early nineteenth century, during the reign of the first Bernadotte King (King Carl XIV Johan). The necklace is a favourite piece for the family, understandably so. It features fourteen large emerald medallions surrounded by diamonds, though it originally had sixteen. Interestingly, this was first a belt and was converted to a necklace in the 1880s.
Queen Elizabeth II’s Baring Ruby Necklace
This beautiful necklace was one of Queen Elizabeth II’s purchases rather than inheritances. Theoretically, she did have access to the Crown Ruby suite. However, her mother (Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) held onto that set for her entire life, meaning it was not available for the reigning queen to wear.
In 1964, Elizabeth purchased this necklace via an auction at Sothebys. While it didn’t appear until a 1967 visit to Malta, she wore it frequently throughout her life. (That is until the Crown Rubies became available.)
This necklace has eighteen ruby and diamond clusters, with three larger ruby pendants suspended from a diamond element. While it is not the largest necklace in the British collection, it’s also not small- it’s a good size that makes it an adaptable piece for different necklines.
Dutch Emerald Parure Necklace
The Dutch Emerald Parure is a very useful set for the Dutch Royal Family. It came into the family when Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont married into the family in the 1880s, and has been a favourite for decades. The tiara in this piece is another adaptable piece, quite literally- it has several settings, including a diamond setting and a pearl one.
The necklace from this tiara is perhaps not as hefty as some of the others included here, but I think it holds its own. It has several oval-shaped diamond clusters with emerald accents, with a square emerald surrounded by diamonds at the centre. For me, it is the centre medallion that makes this necklace- it is beautiful without being over-the-top.
Crown Princess Mary’s Diamond, Ruby, and Spinel Necklace
The then-Crown Princess Mary of Denmark attended an event in April 2015 with a new floral necklace and earrings, the necklace featuring diamonds, rubies, and spinels. It dates back to 1900-1910, making it a true Edwardian piece. The necklace and earrings were originally sold in auction in 2012; it is believed that restoration work was done in the years following. Notably, this necklace can also be worn as a tiara.
This is the most delicate of the necklaces included in this list, and the rubies and spinels are accents rather than featured stones. Still, I wanted to include it- I always find the “newer additions” to the royal vaults exceptionally fascinating. (I am hoping we may see it on Princess Isabelle or Princess Josephine in the next few years, it would be a good starter piece for a younger princess.)
Norwegian Emerald Parure Necklace
Interestingly, this emerald parure remains somewhat of a mystery- we don’t actually know who made these pieces or when. They entered the Norwegian Royal Family’s collections when Princess Märtha of Sweden married into the family. And when Märtha and her children were forced to flee during the war, the emerald parure was essentially her insurance if she needed to sell them for money.
This necklace features several square emeralds surrounded by smaller diamonds. Notably, it originally had several pendants but those were removed and distributed. (For example, three were made in a tiara now in the Luxembourgish collection.)
Notably, this necklace was worn to three British coronations: King George V, King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Sonja also wore this necklace to the weddings of the three Scandinavian heirs: her son, Crown Prince Haakon, the then-Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.
Want more royal jewels?
What are your favourite red and green necklaces in the royal vaults?
Cheers,
The Historian
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