Danish Crown Pearl and Ruby Parure

This week, Queen Margrethe of Denmark will celebrate her 80th Birthday and while the big celebrations to mark the day have been cancelled, we are still continuing with our series on her Top 8 Jewels to mark her 80th Birthday, continuing with the Danish Crown Pearl and Ruby Parure.

Featuring a large Pearl Necklace, Pearl, Ruby and Diamond Earrings, two Pearl Clasps, and two Ruby and Diamond links, the Danish Crown Pearl and Ruby Parure was made by C.M. Weisshaupt in 1840, for Queen Caroline Amalie, the Consort of King Christian VIII, ahead of the last Danish Coronation. The Pearl Necklace is the oldest part of the jewels, dating back to Queen Charlotte Amalie, consort of King Christian V, who may have received them from Leonora Christina, Countess Ulfeldt, the scandalous half-aunt of her husband, who was imprisoned without trial for 22 years in the 1600s. The gemstones became part of the Danish Crown Jewels in the will of Queen Sophie Magdalene in 1746, and the four sets made by Queen Caroline Amalie in 1840 have not been altered.

While parts of the Crown Pearl and Ruby Parure have been worn by Danish Queens for centuries, by the time they came into Queen Ingrid’s use in 1947, the pearls had lost their lustre after years without use. She brought them back to life by borrowing the Pearl Necklace, by then at Rosenborg Castle, to wear at night next to her skin. However, Queen Ingrid was not pictured wearing the Pearl Necklace itself, and rarely pictured in other parts of the Parure.

Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty Images

In 1972, the Crown Pearl and Ruby Parure passed into the use of Queen Margrethe and she has taken full advantage of the versatility of the set, wearing the necklace with a variety of claps, including the large stomacher, which has also been worn in different configurations, often with the Floral Aigrette Tiara and the Pearl Poiré Tiara. The Danish Crown Jewels are most often seen at the Annual New Years Galas, and there is no doubt we will continue to see the Crown Pearl and Ruby Parure for years to come.

Queen Margrethe wore the Danish Crown Pearl and Ruby Parure with the Pearl Poiré Tiara at a Gala Dinner for King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway in Copenhagen in 2023, and also for Prince Christian of Denmark’s 18th Birthday Banquet. 

The Danish Crown Jewels are owned by the state but remain at the disposal of the Queen, By custom, they remain in Denmark and cannot be taken visits to other countries, and when not being used, they are kept on permanent display in the treasure chamber at Rosenborg Castle (where I got to see them just a few weeks ago).

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Danish Pearl Poiré Tiara

Danish Emerald Parure

Baden Palmette Tiara

Danish Crown Diamond Parure

The Danish Ruby Parure

Khedive of Egypt Tiara

Antique Diamond Parure

Antique Turquoise Parure

Daisy Brooch

Crown Pearl and Ruby Parure

Queen Alexandrine’s Sapphire Parure

Floral Bracelet Choker

Ruby Horseshoe Brooch

One thought on “Danish Crown Pearl and Ruby Parure

  1. That pearl necklace is exquisite! The only quibble I have is that I find it’s too short for my taste since I don’t like necklaces that almost cut into a person’s neck. I think that adding a couple of pearls on each end of the necklace would do the trick. The difficult part would be to find pearls of the brilliance and quality of the existing ones! I think it looks best in the last picture collage, the bottom picture in the second column. I think she has a large pearl and diamond clasp that serves to elongate the necklace. However, Queen Margrethe doesn’t mind if it’s close to her neck especially when she wears it with the enormous diamond and ruby stomacher, so I don’t think she’ll be adding pearls any time soon!

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