All of the Queen's Most Amazing Necklaces

They are worth millions of pounds, and kept secure in the vaults under Buckingham Palace. They represent love, power, and intrigue. Their beauty is famed and their history is unique — one was nearly lost to a royal mistress, one was the subject of
investigation, and another has links to ancient history. They are the queen's most impressive and important necklaces, and we have rounded up the top 17 in her majesty's personal collection . . .

Queen Alexandra's Dagmar Necklace

The necklace was created to display the gold and enamel Dagmar Cross, which is said to contain a fragment of the True Cross and a piece of silk from King Canute's grave. However, since the whole piece came into the queen's possession, she has never worn it with the intriguing attachment. The necklace contains 118 pearls and 2,000 diamonds.

The Emir of Qatar Nacklace

When the queen made a state visit to Qatar in 1979, the country's leader presented her with the six-strand pearl necklace set with diamond plaques that each contained six marquise-cut (football-shaped) diamonds and one round diamond. They are usually worn with the matching earrings.

Three-Strand Pearls

The three-strand pearl necklace that has become one of the queen's most iconic items was a gift from her father on the occasion of his Silver Jubilee. It was the nine-year-old princess's first "proper" piece of jewelry and it is still the 90-year-old monarch's go-to piece for most of her daytime engagements.

The Delhi Durbar Necklace

The queen's great-great-grandmother won a box of emeralds in a lottery, and upon her passing, they were left to her wayward son, who in turn left them to his mistress. Queen Mary purchased them back from the woman, and they were used to create the necklace which she wore to the Delhi Durbar — the lavish celebration in India which marked the coronation of her husband King George V. Not only does the necklace feature the infamous emeralds, but it also contains part of the Cullinan diamond — the largest diamond ever found.

The King George Vl Victorian Suite

The sapphire and diamond necklace and earrings were one of the queen's wedding presents from her father, and she loved them so much that she later commissioned a tiara and bracelet to match. The oblong sapphires are surrounded by diamonds and separated by diamond collets. When Noel Coward met the queen, who was wearing the jewels, he wrote, "The Queen looked luminously lovely and was wearing the largest sapphires I have ever seen."

The Coronation Necklace

Queen Victoria commissioned the necklace in 1858, and it was made from stones that were taken from unused pieces from the royal collection such as sword hilts. However, the whopping 22.48-carat Lahore Diamond pendant was taken from the Timur Ruby necklace. Every female monarch has worn it since for coronations, and it is most frequently paired with the matching coronation earrings.

The Crown Rubies

When Prince Albert bought the set of jewelry for his wife Queen Victoria, it was initially set with opals — one of the queen's favorites. However after they were inherited by queen Alexandra, she had them reset with rubies, believing opals to be bad luck.

The Baring Ruby Necklace

The Festoon Necklace

The showier cousin of the queen's three-strand pearl necklace, the diamond festoon was also a gift from her father, King George VI. It is made up of 105 brilliant-cut diamonds that had previously been used to lengthen existing necklaces in the royal collection. The queen usually wears it for big events such as the State Opening of Parliament and state banquets.