The Court Jeweller

Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

This Week in Royal Tiaras: October 18-24

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October 18-24, 2019
We’ve already reviewed the rest of the best royal jewels of the week — now it’s time to rank the tiaras! Don’t forget to vote for your favorite in the poll below!
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10. Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan wore a gorgeous bandeau-style tiara for the court banquet in Tokyo on Tuesday evening. (More here!)

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9. Crown Princess Mary of Denmark chose her Edwardian Tiara and the coordinating earrings for the court banquet on Tuesday in Tokyo. (More here!)
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8. Queen Tunka Azizah of Malaysia wore the Malaysian State Diadem with her mother’s topaz suite for the enthronement banquet on Tuesday. (More here!)
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7. The bandeau base of the Nine Provinces Tiara was the tiara of choice for Queen Mathilde of the Belgians at Tuesday evening’s court banquet in Tokyo. (More here!)
FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP via Getty Images
6. Countess Olympia of Arco-Zinneberg wore her mother’s sapphire and diamond earrings with a bandeau tiara from the collection of her grandmother (Princess Margherita of Savoy-Aosta, Archduchess of Austria-Este) for her wedding to Jean-Christophe, Prince Napoleon in Paris on Saturday. (More here!)
PIERRE EMMANUEL DELETREE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
5. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden wore her Boucheron Laurel Wreath Tiara for the court banquet in Tokyo on Tuesday. (More here!)
PIERRE EMMANUEL DELETREE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
4. For Tuesday evening’s court banquet, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands wore the tiara and jewels from the Mellerio Ruby Parure. (More here!)
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3. Crown Princess Kiko of Japan wore the tiara and jewels from the family’s crown princely jewel suite for the court banquet honoring her brother-in-law’s enthronement on Tuesday. (More here!)
PIERRE EMMANUEL DELETREE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
2. La Buena (Queen Ena’s Fleur-de-Lis Tiara) accompanied Queen Letizia of Spain to the court banquet in Tokyo on Tuesday evening. (More here!)
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1. Empress Masako of Japan looked regal in the Meiji Tiara and more diamond jewels for the court banquet following her husband’s enthronement on Tuesday. (More here!)

This Week in Royal Jewels: October 18-24

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October 18-24, 2019
It has been an absolute bonanza week for royal jewelry — so much so that we need a separate poll just for the tiaras! (That roundup will be up later this morning!) Don’t forget to vote for your favorites in the poll below!
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25. On the final day of the tour of Pakistan, the Duchess of Cambridge wore golden earrings for a visit to an Army Canine Center in Islamabad. (More tour jewels here!)

Alan Jianlan Zhai/Pool/Getty Images
24. For a banquet hosted by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan on Wednesday, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden wore petite drop earrings.
FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP via Getty Images
23. Princess Isabelle of Liechtenstein piled on the pearls and bangles for the royal wedding in Paris on Saturday. (More here!)
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22. For a reception to mark the 7th anniversary of NLT’s Books Unlocked program in London on Thursday, the Duchess of Cornwall wore classic pearls.
KIM HONG-JI/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
21. Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan wore gorgeous red beaded jewels for the banquet hosted by Shinzo Abe on Wednesday.
Alan Jianlan Zhai/Pool/Getty Images
20. For Wednesday’s banquet in Tokyo, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark wore gold earrings and golden bracelets.
STR/JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images
19. As she arrived at the Imperial Palace on the day of her husband’s enthronement, Empress Masako of Japan wore a single stranded pearl necklace and lovely pearl earrings.
FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP via Getty Images
18. Beatrice of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, mother of Jean-Christophe, Prince Napoleon, wore exuberant pearls for her son’s wedding in Paris on Saturday. (More wedding jewels here!)
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17. Queen Sofia of Spain wore pearls with an intricate brooch for the Princess of Asturias Awards in Oviedo on Friday.
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16. For a ceremonial event appointing King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain as honorary citizens of the city of Seoul on Thursday, Letizia wore her diamond and ruby drop earrings.
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15. On Tuesday, Queen Mathilde of the Belgians wore Queen Fabiola’s pearl drop earrings for the enthronement of the Emperor of Japan. (More here!)
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14. The Queen of Malaysia chose a sautoir-style diamond necklace and bejeweled butterfly brooches for the Japanese imperial enthronement ceremony on Tuesday. (More here!)
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13. Diamond circle earrings and one of the family’s amethyst brooches accompanied Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden to Tuesday’s imperial enthronement in Japan. (More here!)
JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images
12. Queen Letizia wore gorgeous diamond and sapphire drop earrings on Wednesday for a visit to the National Cemetery in Seoul.
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11. For the banquet hosted by Prime Minister Abe of Japan on Wednesday, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands wore her diamond and ruby floral earrings.
KIMIMASA MAYAMA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
10. Queen LaMashwana, one of the wives of King Mswati III of Eswatini, wore spectacular diamond and sapphire earrings for Tuesday’s imperial enthronement in Japan. (More enthronement jewels here!)
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9. For audiences with the winners of the Princess of Asturias Awards in Oviedo on Friday, Queen Letizia of Spain wore her diamond wedding earrings.
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8. For QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom wore her Diamond Clematis Brooch. (More here!)
YUI MOK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
7. Queen Elizabeth II chose the large Nizam Rose Brooch for a reception at St James’s Palace marking the 60th anniversary of Cruse Bereavement Care on Monday. (More here!)
YUI MOK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
6. The Kent Amethyst Brooch was Queen Elizabeth II’s choice for diplomatic audiences at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. (More here!)
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5. On Tuesday, Queen Elizabeth II wore a little-seen aquamarine bar brooch for audiences at Buckingham Palace. (More here!)
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4. Queen Letizia wore an astonishing pair of ruby and diamond earrings for the Princess of Asturias Awards in Oviedo on Friday.
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3. For the imperial enthronement on Tuesday, Queen Maxima wore dazzling diamonds from the Dutch vaults, including earrings made of clusters from the Stuart Tiara. (More here!)
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2. Crown Princess Mary wore the earrings, necklace, and bracelet from the Danish Ruby Parure (which were made for Napoleon’s coronation) for the imperial enthronement in Tokyo on Tuesday. (More here!)
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1. Diamonds and emeralds, including the grand riviere from the joyas de pasar, were Queen Letizia’s choice for the Japanese imperial enthronement on Tuesday. (More here!)

Jewels of Emperor Naruhito’s Enthronement (Part 1)

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Get ready, everyone: time to survey the jewels of today’s magnificent enthronement in Japan! (And this is only part one…!)

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Emperor Naruhito began his reign when his father, Emperor Akihito, abdicated in May. On Tuesday, he began his official enthronement ritual with a visit to the Kashikodokoro sanctuary on the grounds of the Imperial Palace. Inside the shrine, he prayed and informed his ancestors — and the sun goddess — of his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne.

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Empress Masako also attended the ceremony, wearing similar traditional attire.

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Other members of the imperial family were there, too. Leading this rainy procession was the emperor’s brother and heir, Crown Prince Fumihito. He was followed by his wife, Crown Princess Kiko, and their daughters, Princess Mako and Princess Kako. Next walked Princess Akiko of Mikasa, Princess Yoko of Mikasa, Princess Takamado, and Princess Tsuguko of Takamado.

KAZUHIRO NOGI/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

After the first ritual was complete, the entire imperial family gathered for the official enthronement ceremony, the Sokuirei-Seiden-no-gi, at the palace. A pair of lacquered platforms had been constructed, topped by a pair of curtained pavilions with elaborate decorations, including two golden phoenixes.

ISSEI KATO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The curtains were pulled back to reveal Emperor Naruhito in his finery. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bowed low in front of the newly enthroned emperor during the ceremony.

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Empress Masako was impressive in her imperial attire during the ceremony.

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During the ceremony, Emperor Naruhito officially read out the proclamation of his ascension to the throne.

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At the culmination of the ceremony, the gathered Japanese dignitaries shouted “banzai!” — wishing long life to the emperor.

KIMIMASA MAYAMA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The imperial family was also gathered and carefully dressed in traditional attire. The crown prince always wears orange during this ceremony, and you’ll see the Crown Prince Fumihito followed that tradition.

ISSEI KATO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Crown Princess Kiko stood near her husband during the enthronement ceremony…

ISSEI KATO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

…as did their daughters, Princess Mako and Princess Kako.

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Emperor Naruhito’s uncle and aunt, the Prince and Princess Hitachi, were present as well.

Kazuhiro Nogi/Pool/Getty Images

During the ceremony, Princess Akiko of Mikasa and Princess Yoko of Mikasa stood behind Prince and Princess Hitachi.

Kazuhiro Nogi/Pool/Getty Images

Beside Princess Hitachi was Princess Tomohito of Mikasa, and behind her were Princess Takamado and Princess Tsuguko of Takamado.

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Foreign dignitaries from around the world witnessed the ceremony, including numerous royals. For the enthronement, they followed a formal daytime dress code, similar to the one mandated for Prinsjesdag in the Netherlands.

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King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, who are close friends of the new emperor and empress, attended the ceremony. Here, you’ll see them greeting Prince Albert II of Monaco, who attended without Princess Charlene.

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Maxima glittered in diamonds, including the family’s gorgeous lattice necklace and earrings made using clusters from the Stuart Tiara.

ISSEI KATO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia represented Spain at the ceremony.

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Queen Letizia wore emerald earrings that come from the collection of her mother-in-law, Queen Sofia. (See another previous outing here!) But it was her necklace — the diamond collet necklace from the joyas de pasar — that grabbed most of the attention. The necklace appears to have been shortened. I’m wondering perhaps if the bracelet she’s wearing here was made using part of the necklace? It’s possible that the piece is convertible.

CARL COURT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The Sultan of Pahang, who was recently elected King of Malaysia, attended the ceremony with his wife, Queen Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah.

CARL COURT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

She sparkled in a diamond necklace and a scattering of bejeweled butterfly pins.

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King Philippe and Queen Mathilde traveled from Belgium for the occasion. (It’s a short trip, so they can make it home in time for the Duchess of Brabant’s eighteenth birthday celebrations.) Mathilde tipped her hat to the ladies of the imperial family, wearing sleek pastels for the enthronement.

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She wore Queen Fabiola’s diamond and pearl drop earrings, and the outline of her dress and cape sparkled, too.

CARL COURT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan were there, too.

CARL COURT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

She wore a gorgeous beaded necklace and earrings for the occasion.

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Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden accompanied her father, King Carl XVI Gustaf, to the ceremony.

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With her royal blue gown and hat, she wore earrings with circle pendants, plus a glittering bracelet and one of the brooches from the family’s amethyst parure.

CARL COURT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark represented the Danish royal family at the enthronement.

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Mary was seated directly beside another prominent royal — the Prince of Wales — during the ceremony.

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Mary wore the earrings, necklace (sans pendants), and bracelet from the grand ruby parure for the ceremony. If you know your royal jewel history, you’ll realize that this means that the ruby set has witnessed both a Japanese imperial enthronement (Naruhito, Imperial Palace in Tokyo, 2019) and a French imperial coronation (Napoleon I, Notre-Dame de Paris, 1804). Amazing.

Oh, and PS: there were even more (former) Japanese princesses in attendance! The emperor’s sister, Sayako Kuroda, wore the typical Japanese imperial daytime jewelry uniform (pearls and a brooch). Noriko Senge, the second daughter of Princess Takamado, jumped the jewelry gun just a bit and wore a diamond fringe tiara (!) for the enthronement.

Speaking of tiaras, we’ll have a look at the jewels from the evening banquet shortly! Stay tuned…