It’s often seen as the poor relation of the jewellery box but
aquamarines, the birth stone of March, have a long royal history
and feature in some of the most striking pieces used by queens and
princesses right now.
The Royal Family has several impressive aquamarine jewels in
their vaults including two stunning tiaras and some of the most
sentimental brooches in any regal collection.
A tiara made to look like ribbons
Aquamarine became a fashionable gemstone in jewellery during the
late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, valued for its
clarity and cool blue tone. In tiara design, the stone offered a
lighter, more modern aesthetic than traditional emerald or ruby
settings.
The Aquamarine Ribbon Tiara reflects this shift in taste,
combining Edwardian lightness with a decorative motif that suggests
movement rather than symmetry alone. And although it’s been seen on
two queens, it’s actually most associated in modern times with the
Duchess of Edinburgh.
been a favourite of the Duchess of Edinburgh
(By Frankie Fouganthin – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wiki
Commons)
Sophie has worn this light and rather unusual tiara on several
occasions, including during her turn as go to royal wedding guest
during the 2010s when she and Prince Edward represented the Royal
Family at many princely marriages.
The tiara gets its name from its design – there are five large
aquamarines in this piece, surrounded by diamonds and all shaped to
flow like a ribbon.
in November 2024 for the Diplomatic Reception (Royal Family/
X)
Queen Elizabeth II was seen rarely in public in this tiara,
famously wearing it with a tasselled jacket on a tour of Canada.
Queen Camilla wore it for the Diplomatic Reception in 2024, causing
quite a surprise as it had been assumed until then that the diadem
was being used by other royals instead.
The Brazilian aquamarine parure of
Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II first received a stunning aquamarine and
diamond necklace and pair of matching pendant earrings in 1953 as a
gift from Brazil. The necklace features nine large oblong
aquamarines set into nine diamond scrolls. Each scroll has a larger
aquamarine drop.
The late Queen then received an aquamarine and diamond hair
ornament and three years later, she had the stones used to make a
large tiara.
gift of aquamarines turned into a very modern royal jewellery
set
(Agência Brasil – EBC, cropped by Limongi, CC BY 3.0 BR , via
Wikimedia Commons)
Historian Leslie Fields describes the tiara in The Queen’s
Jewels, “four scroll-shaped motifs… positioned around the
three upright oblong[ aquamarines]… a collet aquamarine was placed
on the tip of each of the seven vertical ornaments.”
The late Queen wore her aquamarine parure frequently. The
Brazilian Aquamarine Parure is not her only sentimental blue set,
though.
A very special brooch
aquamarine clips for a portrait taken in her Platinum Jubilee
year
(Ranald Mackechnie/ Buckingham Palace)
In 1944, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth gave their daughter,
Princess Elizabeth, a set of aquamarine and diamond brooches. Known
as the Aquamarine Clips, the two brooches were made by Boucheron
and feature several aquamarines in several shapes.
The clips are notable for their mid‑twentieth-century style:
rectangular or oval step-cut aquamarines set in platinum or white
gold, often framed by pavé diamonds that enhance the icy blue hue
of the stones. They reflect the understated sophistication her
parents favored—jewellery that was refined, not ostentatious, but
still suitable for a princess appearing at public events or family
celebrations.
Over time, these early clips became more than decorative pieces.
They were a link between her childhood and adult royal life,
sometimes incorporated with other aquamarine jewellery or worn
alone for more intimate engagements. Their provenance—being a gift
from her parents—makes them particularly significant, blending
personal sentiment with royal tradition.
Sophie’s choice and they’re nearly
always aquamarines
been a big fan of the Royal Family’s aquamarines through the
years
(i-Images/ Pool)
As well as the ribbon tiara, the Duchess of Edinburgh began
wearing a striking and modern aquamarine and diamond tiara in the
mid-2000s. The wave design features a large oval aquamarine in the
centre and can be converted into a necklace.
Queen Camilla’s brooch
special set of aquamarines when she led the Royal Family at the
Commonwealth Day service this year
(BBC still/ fair use)
At Commonwealth Day in March 2024, Queen Camilla wore a brooch
that once belonged to the late Queen. The brooch is made of one
large aquamarine set in an upside down diamond heart with a second
heart-shaped aquamarine suspended below.
