Prince Christian of Denmark’s 18th birthday gala was a milestone for the young Danish royal. Fortunately for royal watchers everywhere, many of the guests wore tiaras and jewels. Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange, wore the Dutch sapphire necklace tiara.
King Willem III bought a necklace with ten diamonds and eleven sapphires for his wife, Queen Emma. Emma collected further pieces of diamonds and sapphires to create a sapphire parure.
The choker was then made into a medium length necklace with an optional sapphire and diamond pendant. Queen Juliana wore the longer length for a portrait in 1955.
When the piece is in its tiara form, it has five sapphire and diamond rhombs at the top. These five jewels actually came from another set given to Queen Wilhelmina as a wedding present in 1901.
This was Princess Amalia’s first outing with this particular tiara. She also wore the Dutch Diamond Trellis Necklace – the necklace has over 100 diamonds and can be set with various stones, including sapphires. She also chose the two diamonds and sapphires from Queen Emma’s parure.
