Happy Birthday to Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, who turns 51 today! Having access to the magnificent Dutch Royal Jewellery collection, Queen Máxima was worn a variety of heirloom jewels, which includes this spectacular cabochon duck-egg Emerald Pendant!
The Dutch Royal Tiaras | Queen Máxima’s Top Jewels | Dutch Emerald Pendant | Dutch Royal Jewels
Likely acquired by Princess Wilhelmine of Prussia, the first Queen of the Netherlands, in the late 18th century, this huge cabochon duck-egg Emerald Pendant was not among the emeralds created into the Dutch Emerald Parure around 1900, thus was rarely photographed and not seen much until being worn by Queen Juliana for a portrait session in the 1960s, who also once wore it with the Emerald Tiara.
Embed from Getty Images
Not one of the most worn heirlooms, the Pendant does not seem to have been worn by Queen Beatrix, but in 2004, Princess Laurentien wore the cabochon Emerald Pendant for Prinsjesdag in The Hague in 2004, suspended from a three-row pearl necklace.
Embed from Getty Images
Queen Máxima debuted the cabochon Emerald Pendant in 2015, when it was suspended from one of the configurations of the necklace of the Dutch Emerald Parure, debuted for a State Dinner in China, during which Queen Máxima developed a kidney infection and had to return home. The following year, Queen Máxima wore the Brooch of the Dutch Emerald Parure, from which the cabochon Emerald Pendant was suspended, from her diamond riviere, as she attended a Performance at the Sydney Opera House. The Pendant was also worn for a Dinner at Schloss Saareck in Mettlach in 2018.
Droeg Máxima in Londen een gekuiste versie van deze japon van Jan Taminiau? https://t.co/NNQy2Lvibu pic.twitter.com/m2Hn3Xdd1Z
— Josine Droogendijk (@josineevers) April 26, 2017
Droeg Máxima in Londen een gekuiste versie van deze japon van Jan Taminiau? https://t.co/NNQy2Lvibu pic.twitter.com/m2Hn3Xdd1Z
— Josine Droogendijk (@josineevers) April 26, 2017Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images 
Since 2017, Queen Máxima has mainly worn the cabochon duck-egg Emerald Pendant with the same Jan Taminiau gown, worn first at the Wedding of Filippos Lemos and Marianna Goulandris, followed by the State Banquet during the Dutch State Visit to Portugal, when the Pendant was worn with the Emerald Tiara, and most recently for the Banquet during the Dutch State Visit to Ireland in 2019. The Emerald Pendant is a great match with Queen Máxima’s modern Emerald Earrings, and there is no doubt the heirloom will be worn for years to come!
The Dutch Royal Tiaras | Queen Máxima’s Top Jewels | Dutch Emerald Pendant | Dutch Royal Jewels
The Dutch have such a beautiful collection of emeralds! I can’t believe no one had taken this amazing emerald cabochon pendant out for a spin until Princess Laurentien did in 2004. Apparently Princess Beatrix is not as fond of emeralds as she is of sapphires and pearls. Happy Birthday to Queen Maxima!