Queen Máxima Jewels 1: 2013 - 2021

[IloveCP]

At yesterday's return invitation in Canada Queen Maxima wore three diamond ears-of-wheat brooches in her hair. I believe that these are parts of the ears-of-wheat tiara which she has never worn so far. The hairstyle is far from perfect, imho, but I love how she adds brooches to it.

She also wore the well-known large pearl earings and a necklace of large pearls.

[DNF] Fotoarchief Denieuwsfoto
[DNF] Fotoarchief Denieuwsfoto

These jewels are very stunning.

 

[rubies]

I think its the Royal Dutch pearls. Her necklace is one size. These are graduated.

 

[Elenath]

The only thing I really question is the endless acquisition of gemstone jewelry. Yes, we all love it and wish we could have it, but if she continues to acquire jewelry at her current rate - what will be the point 5 or 10 years from now. At some point, more is just more.

Maybe she secretly sells excess gems off and donates the money to charity. I'd like to hope so, or hope so for the future.

Is she buying new jewelry or is it just stuff that’s been lying in a drawer somewhere for the past 100 yrs... From what I’ve understood the DRF gas a pretty vast collection of jewelry and some of it hasn’t been seen for a long time.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Is she buying new jewelry or is it just stuff that’s been lying in a drawer somewhere for the past 100 yrs... From what I’ve understood the DRF gas a pretty vast collection of jewelry and some of it hasn’t been seen for a long time.

Queen Máxima does add new items to the collections, like Queen Beatrix, Queen Juliana, Queen Wilhelmina, etc. have done before her. Sometimes also elements disappear from the collection, for an example the "unwearable" diamond-and-sapphire diadem from the firm Israël & Hoetig, Amsterdam (1901) which was broken up to make bijoux for the four daughters of Queen Juliana.

The bulk of the most important jewels is safely placed into the ownership and management of a family foundation, so that it remains intact for future generations. The many splendid jewels we see Queen Máxima with, during official events, are mostly from the historic collections.

Queen Máxima has added diamond bracelets, a tutti-frutti demi-parure, diamond-and-citrine jewels, diamond-and-kunzite jewels, a most impressive pearl collier, ancient golden traditional wear as modern bijoux, modern black and grey pearls, bijoux made from jade, from onyx, etc. to the collection. It are -so far- no new diadems, as she has plenty of these ánd is very inventive with it also (as we have seen with disassembling some diamond ears-of-wheat from a diadem and wear it as hair-ornaments).

 

[rubies]

The King and Queen are wealthy people. If he likes to buy jewels for his wife. Good for them. I thunk she recieves pieces from State visits also. I just enjiy her enthusiasm for glamming it up!!!

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

The King and Queen are wealthy people. If he likes to buy jewels for his wife. Good for them. I thunk she recieves pieces from State visits also. I just enjiy her enthusiasm for glamming it up!!!

I am not sure the Dutch royal family accepts jewels from rulers. Sometimes a new necklace or a brooch is attributed to the Gulf States but it has never been proven. I have the idea the personal bijoux worn by Queen Máxima are almost all purchases by herself or given by her spouse, the royal family or her own family.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

At the memorial service for the late Prince Kardam of Bulgaria, Queen Máxima wore nice pearls

 

[An Ard Ri]

The pearls were very classy and added that regal touch to H.M. somber outfit .

 

[rubies]

I actually love her these pearl earrings of her own as much as the royal ones she wears. They are so beautiful. And I love that she can change them so many ways.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Queen Máxima has brought a new surprise. In contrary to what everyone thought, she did NOT use some diamond ears-of-wheat from the diadem in her hair. On the Benelux Royal Jewels forum a poster called Tamara (known from her sharp observations and wide knowledge) has found out that the three diamond ears-of-wheat hairclips worn in Canada (see Tamara's picture) have a total different design with the diamond ears-of-wheat from the diadem.

The ears-of-wheat in Queen Máxima's hair have a different curve and have visible ears (spikes) from the seeds, let me say: the three diamond ears in Queen Máxima's hair were more natural than the diamond ears in the diadem. So Máxima has been digging in the vaults again and found some ears-of-wheat... (I can not imagine she would purchase new ears while she already has a beautiful diamond diadem in that design...)

 

[Marengo]

How exiting. Thanks for sharing. The close up shows different elements indeed. But maybe the smaller ears look different? Or maybe they are new? I can't think why they would have these ears of wheat lying around for decades and nobody has ever worn them as brooches with the tiara.

 

[Tilia C.]

On the Benelux Jewels Board it was mentioned that it was known that there were more wheat ears in the Dutch jewel collection. Admittedly I have never heard about it before. But thinking about the amazing size of the Dutch collection it might well be that these wheat ears haven't been noticed before.


My impression is that, when it comes to buying jewels, Queen Maxima prefers contemporary piece. And why buying antique jewels when you already have such a wonderful choice of antique jewels, that come with the added bonus of a family history?

 

[rubies]

Well said Tilia. Im not concerned where they came from Im just glad she keeps us guessing!!!

 

[muriel]

On the Benelux Jewels Board it was mentioned that it was known that there were more wheat ears in the Dutch jewel collection. Admittedly I have never heard about it before. But thinking about the amazing size of the Dutch collection it might well be that these wheat ears haven't been noticed before.


My impression is that, when it comes to buying jewels, Queen Maxima prefers contemporary piece. And why buying antique jewels when you already have such a wonderful choice of antique jewels, that come with the added bonus of a family history?

I guess with a collection this sized, there were bound to be a few things lying around that had not been used for some time. I am sure there are more. Now that the ultimate magpie controls the collection, it is just a question of time before more goodies emerge!

 

[muriel]

Queen Máxima has brought a new surprise. In contrary to what everyone thought, she did NOT use some diamond ears-of-wheat from the diadem in her hair. On the Benelux Royal Jewels forum a poster called Tamara (known from her sharp observations and wide knowledge) has found out that the three diamond ears-of-wheat hairclips worn in Canada (see Tamara's picture) have a total different design with the diamond ears-of-wheat from the diadem.

The ears-of-wheat in Queen Máxima's hair have a different curve and have visible ears (spikes) from the seeds, let me say: the three diamond ears in Queen Máxima's hair were more natural than the diamond ears in the diadem. So Máxima has been digging in the vaults again and found some ears-of-wheat... (I can not imagine she would purchase new ears while she already has a beautiful diamond diadem in that design...)

Just a thought: do we think these "new" ears of wheat can be put together into a nice necklace?

 

[rubies]

Good idea. There also might be pieces of things that need to be fixed that she has found and had done. She seems to be interested in bringing out diffetent things. Ive said it many times but if I had access to those vaults I would get nothing done in life...!!!

 

[Tilia C.]

Diamond ears-of-wheat have been very popular jewels in the past. They simbolize fertility and prosperity and numerous royal and noble ladies had sets of these jewels. They were so widespread that it seems not so astonishing that the former Dutch Queens had more than one set.

That said, I must say that I have never seen that a lady had attempted to turn her ears-of-wheat into a necklace. So that might be a new attempt. However there are several known tiaras which were made out of them. (Eg. Princess Helena of Denmark had one, as well as Princess Mary Adelaide of Teck)

 

[rubies]

I hope security is opening thise vaults so she can dig out some good pieces for the Swedish wedding

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

What I find strange, and Marengo already wrote it: why have these diamond ears-of-wheat never ever been seen, as a broche or something?

Apparently it is known that there were more diamond ears-of-wheat in the Orange-Nassau collection, apart from the diadem. The strange thing is that these different sparklers have never been seen. Why not?

On this picture Queen Wilhelmina wore five diamond ears-of-wheat on her headdress. Which ears these are, from the diadem or the loose ones as worn by Queen Máxima, is not easy to tell. (Click on the picture itself to expand to XL).

 

[Tilia C.]

Indeed, it is a mystery why these ears of wheat haven't been seen before. But there still seem to be a number of mysteries around the Dutch royal jewels, I reckon this is one we won't solve in a long time.

It is difficult to compare the two kinds of wheat ears from the pictures we have. But my impression is that those Maxima lately wore are smaller and shorter than those from the tiara. And to me it seems that those worn by Queen Wilhelmina look rather big, so I guess that they are those from the tiara.

 

[IloveCP]

Maxima's jewels at the wedding:

Pic

The necklace is so stunning.

 

[roseroyal]

That tiara is so gorgeous!

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

This picture shows the carat power of the diamonds. Look at the diadem, the collier, the bracelet and then compare the sizes of these with any jewel worn by the ladies around her. The design is not really my liking, but the diamonds are stunning. Imagine all these diamonds, all of them of a fairly good size, being detached from the jewel. Then you are holding two handfuls of glittering diamonds (there is also a large corsage de devant, several brooches and a diamond-encrusted fan belonging to this large parure made by the firm Mellerio dits Meller, Paris).

 

[Pranter]

Do we know anything about the set of jewels (tiara, earrings, necklace) she wore to the wedding? I'm not as familiar with Maxima as some of the other royals.


LaRae

 

[rubies]

Each of the diamomds in the Dutch ruby necklace could be an engagement ring

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Do we know anything about the set of jewels (tiara, earrings, necklace) she wore to the wedding? I'm not as familiar with Maxima as some of the other royals.


LaRae

It was a gift by King Willem III of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg to his second spouse Queen Emma, born Princess von Waldeck und Pyrmont. He ordered it in 1888 at the renowned jeweller firm Mellerio dits Meller, Paris. The set contains of a large diadem, a large collier, a large devant de corsage, a brooch, a large bracelet and a gems-encrusted fan, all with diamonds and rubies. Here you see the corsage which is also part of the parure. According to bills, the King paid 180.000 guilders for the diadem and the collier, which was the equivalent of some 4 million US Dollars today. The other parts of the parure were added shortly after the initial order (for an example the corsage, which was originally part of a different designed collier, which was found too heavy by the young Queen Emma). We may guess the total purchase sum being today's equivalent somewhere halfway the 5 and 6 million US Dollar, I think.

 

[Pranter]

It's stunning. The rubies are just lovely. Nice color...I don't like the lighter colored rubies.

So the whole set is intact? Has Maxima worn all the pieces at different times?


LaRae

 

[Lee-Z]

Do we know anything about the set of jewels (tiara, earrings, necklace) she wore to the wedding? I'm not as familiar with Maxima as some of the other royals.


LaRae

The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor: Tiara Thursday: The Mellerio Ruby Tiara

 

[Pranter]

Thanks Lee-Z ....that blue sapphire tiara is quite something too.


LaRae

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

It's stunning. The rubies are just lovely. Nice color...I don't like the lighter colored rubies.

So the whole set is intact? Has Maxima worn all the pieces at different times?


LaRae

Yes, the whole set is intact (note that there are two different diamond-and-ruby parures in the Orange-Nassau collection...) but Queen Máxima has not worn a complete set alltogether yet. She was already one of the best bejewelled ladies, imagine when all items were worn... I think she will reserve it for the most important events, like a Jubilee Banquet or something. Being sure that no one outglams her...