Today marks the Anniversary of the Birth of Queen Emma of the Netherlands, who was born on this day in 1858! Queen Emma’s versatile Pearl and Diamond Brooch has been worn by five consecutive Dutch Queens for over a century!
Dutch Sapphire Tiara | Queen Emma’s Diamond Tiara | Dutch Mellerio Ruby Tiara | Van Kempen Tiara | Diamond Aigrette | Sapphire Bow Brooch | Dutch Diamond Stars | Queen Emma’s Diamond Stomacher | Queen Emma’s Pearl Brooch
A striking pearl brooch framed by two rows of old mine diamonds, it originally seems to have been part of a longer, more ornate Stomacher with diamond ribbons and two pearl pendants, which are now worn as earrings. It is thought that the Stomacher was a gift to Queen Emma from King William III, but similar brooches were also worn by her first wife, Queen Sophie.
Queen Emma wore the Brooch, with the original pendants, as the clasp of a three-strand Pearl Necklace with her Diamond Aigrette for a portrait taken soon after the death of King William III in 1890.
The piece was also worn as a Brooch for a portrait taken around 1900, shortly after the end of Queen Emma’s tenure as the Regent of The Netherlands for her daughter.
Queen Wilhelmina was frequently pictured wearing Queen Emma’s Pearl Brooch on numerous occasions throughout her long reign, both with and without a pear-shaped pearl pendant.
The Pearl Brooch was worn as both the clasp of a Pearl Necklace and as a brooch by Queen Juliana throughout her life, most notably the wedding of Wedding of her grandson, Prince Maurits of Orange-Nassau, in 1998.
Queen Emma’s Pearl Brooch has been a favourite of former Queen Beatrix over the years, being notably worn with the Pearl Button Tiara for her Inauguration Ceremony at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam in 1980 and into the later years of her Reign.
Queen Emma’s Pearl Brooch has also been a favourite of Princess Margriet, who has usually worn piece as a clasp of a three-strand Pearl Necklace for several galas events with the Pearl Button Tiara.
Queen Máxima has worn Queen Emma’s Pearl Brooch both as a clasp of a Pearl Necklace and as a Brooch since the early years of her marriage, as well as a clasp of a diamond bracelet.
More recently, Queen Emma’s Pearl Brooch has been set as the clasp of five-strand Pearl Necklace, which was debuted by Queen Máxima for a Dinner at the Grote Kerk in The Hague during a visit by Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark in 2022, and has been worn with the Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara in recent years. There is no doubt we will continue to see this heirloom for years to come!
Dutch Sapphire Tiara | Queen Emma’s Diamond Tiara | Dutch Mellerio Ruby Tiara | Van Kempen Tiara | Diamond Aigrette | Sapphire Bow Brooch | Dutch Diamond Stars | Queen Emma’s Diamond Stomacher | Queen Emma’s Pearl Brooch
