When we talk about royal jewelry, we so often focus on the British royal family and their long-standing tradition of using brooches for silent diplomacy. But today, I want to take you to Amsterdam. The Dutch royal family has mastered this art in a way that is entirely their own, and a perfect example of this unfolded on the morning of June 9, 2026.
It was the start of a highly anticipated three-day state visit. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima were officially welcoming the German Federal President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, right in the heart of Amsterdam at Dam Square. For such a major diplomatic milestone, you might expect something quite rigid or heavy.
Instead, Máxima stepped out in a surprisingly summery, fresh ensemble. She wore a beautifully tailored, slightly puffed white blouse tucked into a long, sand-colored floral skirt by one of her go-to fashion houses, Natan. And, of course, Máxima finished her look with an absolutely massive hat. I have to admit, it takes a certain kind of confidence to wear a brim that size—especially knowing the notorious Dutch wind! But after twenty-five years of wearing hats in the Netherlands, she clearly knows how to handle it with a few sturdy hat pins.
She accessorized this lovely daytime look with an absolutely stunning array of pearls. You know how much I appreciate a substantial pearl necklace, and these were incredibly significant in size, sitting perfectly against her crisp white collar. She paired them with neat, elegant pearl drop earrings—just a classic, luminous pearl suspended from a small diamond stud, which peeked out beautifully from under that wide hat brim.
And if you happened to catch a glimpse of her wrist, you would have noticed another gorgeous piece: a thick, eight-strand pearl bracelet fastened with a striking diamond and ruby clasp. It added such a wonderful touch of classic, refined elegance to the whole ensemble. But while the pearls brought the glamour, if you looked very closely at her blouse, there was a tiny, fascinating detail that almost went unnoticed.
Pinned carefully to her shirt was a small, delicate bow. When you look at the close-up, you realize this isn’t just a piece of costume jewelry. The ribbon features black, red, and gold—the exact colors of the German flag—with a small gold cross in the center. This is actually the daytime, miniature insignia of the German Order of Merit.
It is such a thoughtful approach to diplomatic dressing. It was a quiet, respectful nod to her guests, proving that sometimes, the smallest detail you wear can carry the clearest message. And what makes this even more delightful is that this silent diplomacy was entirely mutual. Máxima’s breezy, summery ensemble provided a fascinating contrast to her guest, Mrs.
Büdenbender, who opted for a highly elegant, more understated approach. The First Lady wore a classic, sharply tailored black coat over a sleek cream dress. But if you look closely at her lapel, you will notice she was playing the exact same diplomatic game! Keen-eyed royal watchers quickly pointed out the tiny orange bow with its delicate striped edges pinned to her coat.
This is actually the daily, miniature variant of the Dutch Order of the Crown—the exact honor she received from the Dutch royals back in 2021. Seeing these two women subtly honoring each other’s countries right there on the cobblestones of Dam Square is just brilliant. It is royal and diplomatic dressing at its absolute finest.
After that morning welcome ceremony, there was a formal reception, a luncheon, and a deeply moving afternoon visit to the National Holocaust Museum. And waiting at the very end of that busy day was a magnificent state banquet at the Royal Palace. If Queen Máxima’s morning jewelry was all about quiet, subtle diplomacy and classic pearls, her evening ensemble was an absolute masterclass in historical grandeur.
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Before we step inside the Royal Palace for the state banquet, I have to talk about how the Dutch royal family handles their jewelry, because it is genuinely fascinating. When you look at their gala appearances over the years, their vault seems absolutely bottomless. But the secret isn’t just an infinite number of diamonds—it is their incredibly clever and creative approach to versatility.
What impresses me most is their brilliant use of these treasures. We are usually so used to seeing historical jewels worn in one familiar configuration, or perhaps with only minimal transformations. It is rare to find a royal vault that acts like a true jewelry constructor set! The Dutch royals, however, masterfully mix and match their pieces.
Diamonds taken straight from a tiara suddenly form the most impressive earrings. They suspend different gemstones from existing earring bases to create entirely new sets, or cleverly adjust the length. Bracelets are separated, and the central stones in grand brooches are easily swapped out, which completely changes the entire impression of the jewel.
Examining the Dutch royal jewels is always a special kind of thrill for me. It turns into this highly engaging puzzle, where you sit and analyze exactly which historical components were brought together to create a specific piece, and try to spot which clever configuration Queen Máxima preferred today. Now, before we dive into the royal diamonds, I absolutely have to mention the guest of honor, First Lady Elke Büdenbender.
So many royal watchers noticed that she was actually one of the most elegant women in the room that night, and I completely agree! She wore a vibrant, classic red gown that gave her such a beautiful, glowing energy. She didn’t wear any heavy jewelry or even a necklace, but she cleverly secured her bright orange Dutch Order of the Crown sash with a lovely, matching fabric flower.
It just proves that sometimes a flawless, simple design can effortlessly hold its own, even in a room full of tiaras. But of course, the Dutch royal ladies definitely brought the historical sparkle to honor their guests. Let’s look at exactly how that brilliant versatility we just talked about was put into practice by the Princess of Orange that evening.
Because if you look closely at her sparkling accessories, you will actually see historical details belonging to three completely different queens of the past beautifully merged into one cohesive look. Princess Amalia arrived at the banquet looking incredibly poised and elegant. She chose a sleek, light blue gown by the designer Rachel Gilbert, featuring delicate silver embellishments along the bodice.
The soft, pale blue color was immensely flattering on her, and it provided a perfect, crisp canvas for the bright red sash of the German Order of Merit she received for the occasion. It’s always such a joy to see her style evolving and maturing with every state event she attends. But naturally, my eyes immediately went to her headpiece.
Amalia was wearing the sparkling Dutch Star Tiara. It sat perfectly in her curled, flowing hair, giving her a wonderfully youthful yet entirely majestic presence. The five diamond stars perched gracefully along the top, catching the light beautifully as she moved through the grand halls of the palace. This tiara looks so perfectly unified, so incredibly meant-to-be, doesn’t it? You would easily think it was commissioned exactly like this from a master jeweler right from the very beginning.
But the truth is, the delicate base and those brilliant diamond stars never actually belonged to the same set—and they didn’t even meet each other until the twenty-first century. Let’s step back into the nineteenth century for a moment. Diamond stars were an absolute obsession across the royal courts of Europe back then.
This trend wasn’t just a random fashion whim; it was actually sparked by the appearance of incredibly bright, spectacular comets in the night skies in 1843 and 1882. People were completely captivated by the heavens, and jewelers responded to this fascination by creating these glorious “shooting star” or “comet” brooches.
In 1879, Queen Emma received a magnificent collection of these diamond stars as a wedding gift when she married King Willem III. And here is where the brilliant diplomatic dressing of this evening truly reveals itself. Before she became Queen of the Netherlands, Emma was actually Princess Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont—a German princess.
By choosing to wear stars that originally belonged to a German-born Dutch queen, Amalia was making a beautifully thoughtful, silent nod to their guests from Germany. The Dutch vaults actually house at least two different sets of these historic stars: one featuring ten-pointed stars, and another with twelve-pointed ones.
They are exquisite pieces of craftsmanship, featuring large central diamonds and a beautifully open setting. Because of that brilliant Dutch versatility we just talked about, these stars have been worn in every conceivable way over the decades. Queen Juliana famously pinned ten of them cascading down the bright blue sash of the Order of the Garter during a 1958 state banquet with Queen Elizabeth II.
Queen Máxima even pinned three of the larger ones to the waistband of her jumpsuit just recently, in May 2026, when hosting the Indian Prime Minister. I really admire that kind of styling—it shows a fearless approach to wearing historic gems in a thoroughly modern, unexpected way. But their most stellar moment—forgive the pun—came in 2002, when an Argentinian financier named Máxima Zorreguieta was preparing to marry the heir to the Dutch throne.
When you are a royal bride, choosing your wedding diadem is one of the most anticipated decisions. You can wear a safe, traditional piece, or you can go big. When it came to Máxima’s wedding, a completely unique piece was created. Her mother-in-law, Queen Beatrix, asked the Dutch court jeweler to take five of Queen Emma’s ten-pointed diamond stars and mount them on an existing tiara frame for the bride.
But this wasn’t just any base. It was the delicate, scalloped diamond festoon frame of the Pearl Button Tiara. Now, jewelry historians still debate the exact origins of this base. Some experts say it was created in the mid-twentieth century, while others strongly believe it originally formed the base of an older strawberry leaf coronet belonging to Queen Sophie, the first wife of King Willem III.
Whatever its true origin, when those nineteenth-century stars were attached to that delicate diamond frame using a special gold wire construction, they created a breathtaking optical illusion. The stars literally looked like they were floating and dancing in her hair as she walked down the aisle. It perfectly matched Máxima’s famously exuberant, joyous personality.
And that brings us right back to Princess Amalia at the German state banquet. The tiara she wore so elegantly that evening is that exact same piece her mother debuted on her wedding day. Amalia has adored her mother’s jewelry since she was a little girl, once admitting that she used to sneak into Máxima’s room and try on whatever pieces were left sitting on the makeup table.
She first wore this star tiara in 2022 for a gala in Norway, and she later shared a very sweet story about how the choice was made. Amalia said: “My mother suggested it… she was like, ‘These are the options. What would you like?’ And I immediately chose my mother’s wedding tiara.” She mentioned how happy she was with how it all turned out, and you can truly see that happiness radiating from her.
So, Amalia’s choice of tiara was actually a brilliant double tribute. Not only was it a thoughtful diplomatic nod to their German guests through Queen Emma’s historical stars, but it was also a beautiful, deeply personal sign of respect to her mother. Looking at the sleek, elegant diamond drops Princess Amalia wore, the sparkling cluster on her earlobe and that delicate diamond-encrusted chain might actually look quite familiar to you.
They form the base of the earrings from the historic Mellerio Ruby Parure. Although, to be perfectly accurate, these earrings weren’t part of the original commission—they joined the suite quite a bit later. Back in 1888, King Willem III commissioned the French jeweler Mellerio to create a magnificent parure for his second wife, Queen Emma.
That original nineteenth-century set was incredibly comprehensive, consisting of six pieces: a tiara, a necklace, a grand devant de corsage, a brooch, a bracelet, and even a jeweled fan. It was actually Queen Juliana who later decided to add a pair of earrings to the parure, and in true Dutch fashion, she made sure they were spectacularly versatile.
The jewelers created an incredibly clever system for these pieces. The diamond cluster tops can be worn completely on their own for a more understated look. Or, using a delicate diamond-encrusted gold chain, they can support a whole variety of different drops. Over the years, the royal ladies have swapped out the ruby pendants for pearls, aquamarines, sapphires, and citrines, easily tailoring the historical jewels to match whatever gown they happen to be wearing.
For this particular state banquet, Amalia opted to attach substantial, pear-shaped diamonds to the chains, creating a sleek, entirely diamond-focused look that complemented her silver-embellished dress flawlessly. Now, if we look at the stunning earrings Queen Máxima wore that evening, we see another example of masterful jewelry transformation—but unfortunately, a completely irreversible one.
To understand the origins of Máxima’s earrings, we have to look back to 1901. When Queen Wilhelmina married, the Dutch people presented her with a truly massive sapphire and diamond parure. Created by J.A. Hoeting, the set contained more than eight hundred dazzling diamonds and sapphires. Wilhelmina wore the full tiara for several important portraits in the 1920s and 1930s, and looking at those archival photos, the sheer scale of the piece is absolutely breathtaking.
But it had a fatal flaw. The tiara was famously described as being simply too cumbersome to wear in public. Because of its immense weight and rigid structure, it eventually ended up sitting unworn in the dark vaults for decades. In 1962, Queen Juliana inherited the unwieldy piece. Now, Juliana faced a unique challenge.
She didn’t just have a single heir to provide for; she was the mother of four daughters. What do you do with a single, massive tiara that is too heavy to actually enjoy? Juliana made a very bold, pragmatic decision. Instead of keeping a museum piece gathering dust, she had the sapphire tiara permanently dismantled.
The jewelers carefully broke it down to create several new, highly wearable sets of diamond and sapphire earrings, brooches, and bracelets so that the gems could be beautifully distributed among all four of her girls. Princess Beatrix received a particularly spectacular pair of large, figure-eight shaped diamond and sapphire earrings from this dismantled tiara.
And it is exactly these earrings that Queen Máxima wore to the German state banquet. I must admit, whenever I hear about a grand, historic tiara being broken up forever, I always feel a slight pang of sadness for the lost history. It is a piece of art we will never see intact again. But when you think about Queen Juliana’s practical wisdom—wanting to provide beautiful, neat, and versatile jewels for her four daughters rather than keeping a heavy relic locked in a safe—it is really hard to argue with her choice.
Looking at how flawlessly elegant and shockingly modern those figure-eight earrings look on Máxima today, the transformation feels completely justified. And these beautifully repurposed earrings were really just a delicate prelude to the main sapphire spectacle of this banquet. The dress Queen Máxima chose to anchor those historic sapphires is a masterpiece itself.
You might recognize this stunning gown by Jan Taminiau from her 2018 state portraits. Its intricate embroidery is actually inspired by the hand-painted wallpaper in the Japanese Room of the Huis ten Bosch Palace. It is a stunning piece of wearable history, but with such a complex, heavily beaded pattern, you need jewels that absolutely refuse to get lost in the background.
Máxima, knowing exactly how to balance a grand look, reached for a tiara that many experts affectionately call the “Gothic cathedral” of the Dutch vault. And continuing that brilliant diplomatic theme, the Queen also chose a masterpiece honoring their German guests. This is the magnificent Dutch Sapphire Tiara.
Just to give you an idea of its staggering scale, it features 655 brilliant-cut diamonds and 33 substantial Ceylon sapphires—from what is now Sri Lanka. The central sapphire alone weighs in at around 44 carats. When you see it catching the light of the banquet hall, it is genuinely spellbinding. It was ordered in 1881 by King Willem III as a spectacular gift for his wife, Queen Emma.
The King paid the extraordinary sum of 100,000 Dutch guilders to the diamond dealer Vita Israels, and the tiara itself was actually crafted by a Dutch firm, Maison van der Stichel. The design is a Victorian marvel. It originally consisted of three parts, with a central element that could be detached and worn as a hair comb.
It also features diamonds set on very thin wires—a technique called en tremblant—so that they literally tremble and sparkle with the wearer’s every movement. Of course, balancing a 700-gram piece of solid gold, diamonds, and sapphires is definitely something you feel after a long evening of dining and diplomatic conversation! To make it slightly more comfortable, the golden frame was actually altered and lightened back in 1928.
Interestingly, even a piece as monumental and historic as this one possesses the capacity for a slight transformation.. For this banquet, Queen Máxima wore the tiara in its absolute full, towering gothic majesty, complete with its soaring central diamond plume. You might remember, however, that she wore this exact tiara for King Willem-Alexander’s inauguration in 2013.
On that day, she chose a slightly different configuration, simply removing that tall central element to give the tiara a sleeker, curved silhouette. However, a tiara of this magnitude demands a supporting cast, and to complete this spectacular look, she needed two more very specific historical touches. To balance the height and grandeur of the tiara, Máxima added a stunning pair of matching diamond and sapphire bracelets to her wrists.
These pieces also come from Queen Emma’s collection and were actually supplied by Vita Israels in 1881 alongside the tiara itself. They are beautifully crafted in silver and gold, featuring delicate floral motifs and arabesques. If you glanced over at Princess Amalia’s left wrist, you would spot another major historical treasure.
She chose to wear Queen Wilhelmina’s Diamond Trellis Bracelet. First seen in an 1898 state portrait, this piece is made of individual diamonds set in gold in a beautifully open lattice, or trellis, pattern. Isn’t it amazing how these heavy, antique pieces from the late 19th century look so effortlessly organic and fresh on a young girl? It just goes to show that truly masterful historical jewelry never really ages, especially when styled with a modern, sleek gown.
But getting back to Queen Máxima, she had one more historical piece prepared for us, pinned right at the waist of her dress: Queen Emma’s Sapphire Bow Brooch. Sometimes known as a stomacher or a devant de corsage, the history of this piece is just as rich as its deep blue color. It was originally commissioned by King Willem III as a spectacular engagement gift for the much younger Princess Emma back in 1878.
At the very center of this ornate diamond ribbon sits a massive oval, cushion-cut sapphire. And this isn’t just any gemstone—it was inherited from the King’s mother, Queen Anna Pavlovna, who was born a Russian Grand Duchess. The sheer size and depth of that central stone are breathtaking, and I absolutely love how its rich color beautifully picked up the tiny hints of blue in the Japanese-inspired embroidery of her dress.
Now, true to the Dutch royal family’s love of transformation, this brooch is famously versatile. The central sapphire is completely removable. In the past, we have actually seen Máxima wear this exact diamond bow with a massive citrine placed in the center instead! It is such a clever trick that completely changes the mood and era of the jewel.
She has worn the sapphire version a few times before, too. But what caught my eye at this banquet is that Máxima finally wore the brooch in its full, original configuration. She attached the large oval sapphire pendant to the bottom ribbons of the bow, which is actually the first time we’ve seen her do that.
It was just really nice to see the piece assembled exactly as it was originally intended for Queen Emma. It is a bold styling choice to place such a monumental, 19th-century jewel right at the waist against a heavily patterned fabric, but if there is anyone who can carry off that level of unabashed glamour with absolute confidence, it is undeniably Máxima.
If you thought the historical sparkle ended with the state banquet, the Dutch royals had one more fascinating lesson in versatility waiting for us the very next evening. Traditionally, a state visit includes a return event hosted by the visiting head of state to thank their hosts. For this occasion, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima attended a musical performance and reception at the German embassy.
Máxima arrived looking incredibly chic in a soft pink, asymmetrical crepe jumpsuit by Natan, featuring a rather dramatic, sweeping shoulder drape. But if you look at her earrings, you probably recognize them right away. Yes, these are the exact same Mellerio cluster bases we were just admiring on Princess Amalia at the state banquet.
Queen Máxima actually gave us a perfect, practical demonstration of just how versatile this suspension system really is. In less than twenty-four hours, she simply took the bases, swapped out the diamond drops her daughter had worn, and attached these light pink stones instead. It was a seamless little switch, and the new pendants harmonized absolutely perfectly with the blush tone of her outfit for the evening.
The true showstopper of the evening, however, was pinned securely to the voluminous shoulder of her outfit. This is the Dutch Diamond and Pearl Devant de Corsage, often referred to simply as the Russian Brooch. And the history behind it is absolutely captivating. This jewel entered the Dutch royal collection all the way back in 1839 as part of the dowry of Queen Sophie, the first wife of King Willem III.
Much like Queen Emma, who we talked about earlier, Sophie was born a German princess—Sophie of Württemberg. Choosing a piece from her collection was clearly no coincidence; it served as yet another thoughtful nod to their guests. The diamonds and pearls originally belonged to her mother, Grand Duchess Catharina Pavlovna of Russia, who became the Queen of Württemberg.
It is a known fact that the brooch contains stones that once belonged to the Russian Tsar, including six extremely rare, highly valuable pink diamonds that were mined in Brazil. Because it is such a massive, multi-layered piece, it can be broken down into several different configurations. Sometimes Máxima wears it completely dripping with all of its original, heavy pearl pendants.
But for this reception, she opted for a slightly simplified version. She detached the pearls, letting the magnificent diamond bow and those rare pink stones speak entirely for themselves against the soft pink fabric of her outfit. It was a really smart styling choice that kept the large brooch from looking too overwhelming.
And I have to share a rather scandalous little rumor about this particular piece. It has survived centuries of royal history, but it almost didn’t make it to Máxima’s shoulder. According to persistent royal whispers, Queen Juliana’s husband, Prince Bernhard, actually tried to quietly sell this magnificent devant de corsage through a jeweler in London years ago! Luckily for us, the sale never happened, and this incredible piece of Russian and Dutch history remains safely locked in the family vault.
Seeing her wear it so effortlessly today really makes you appreciate how these treasures survive against all odds. As the state banquet drew to a close and the guests departed into the Amsterdam night, these century-old diamonds and sapphires made their way back to the Orange-Nassau vaults. I always absolutely love diving into the Dutch jewel boxes.
Both Máxima and her daughter Amalia wear these historic pieces wonderfully. I truly appreciate their boldness and their incredibly creative approach to styling. And I simply adore Máxima for the way she wears literally any jewelry with such chic confidence. Even when she piles on the diamonds and sapphires in a way that might be considered “too much” by modern minimalist standards, on her, it always looks absolutely perfect—as if that is exactly how it was always meant to be worn.
Whose jewelry choice captivated you more this evening—Queen Máxima returning to the full gothic majesty of her sapphires, or Princess Amalia stepping out in her mother’s bridal stars? But our glittering diplomatic season is far from over. In fact, the Emperor and Empress of Japan are packing up for a major trip to Europe next week.
They will be spending time with their good friends, Willem-Alexander and Máxima, before traveling next door for a state visit with the King and Queen of the Belgians. On June 23rd, the imperial couple will be the guests of honor at a grand state banquet at the Palace of Laeken, and it is going to be spectacular.
Word is that we will see a veritable parade of Belgian royals, which means we could be seeing as many as five Belgian royal tiaras on display—including the very first state banquet appearances for Princess Elisabeth and Princess Eléonore! If you don’t want to miss that incredible occasion, make sure you are subscribed to the channel.
We will be sitting down together to carefully examine every single sparkling detail the royal ladies decide to wear. I would love to hear from you in the comments—what are you most looking forward to seeing during these upcoming visits? Are you hoping to see some specific Belgian tiaras finally leave the vault, or are you eager to see what Máxima brings out for her Japanese guests? Thank you so much for joining me today.
The gems themselves may be perfectly silent, but as long as we keep looking closely, their stories never really end. See you next time!
