Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** This piece explores how Eastern royal families, from Qatar to Malaysia, have adopted and adapted European influences in their jewelry collections, showcasing a fascinating cultural exchange that rivals the opulence of the Old Continent.
Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser of Qatar (l) and Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco (r)
José Luis Díez-Garde
While the East has always been a source of inspiration for Europe, Asia has also been dazzled by the Old Continent. One of the greatest proofs of this is how the royal families of those countries modified many of their customs to imitate European kings. Palaces, clothing, and above all, jewelry, are clear evidence of this, often surpassing the originals.
One of the most striking cases is the Thai royal family, which has been amassing a jewelry collection for decades that rivals those of the queens of the United Kingdom or the Netherlands. Notable pieces include the diamond swan brooches purchased by the legendary King Rama V in 1897 during his visit to the Russian Tsar. These twin brooches have become icons of the family, along with eight diamond bracelets and the emerald necklace that Queen Sri Bajrindra gifted to Princess Rambai Barni in 1917. These are the oldest treasures preserved by this family, considered almost sacred by their people, who have added many pieces throughout the 20th century.
Among these, one can cite the diamond fringe tiara from 1920; the modern floral tiara, seen in Spain during a state visit in the 1980s; and the impressive sapphire parure worn by Queen Suthida in 2023 during the coronation of King Charles III, accompanied by one of her diamond buckles. To this must be added the impressive collection of Van Cleef & Arpels held by the Chakri dynasty, including a diamond tiara, the Thai gold tiara, and a diamond necklace.
Suthida and King Rama X of Thailand in an archive image
The famous Sheikha of Qatar, Moza bint Nasser al-Missned, in addition to a haute couture collection considered one of the most important in the world, also possesses a breathtaking jewelry collection. She has a predilection for Cartier, owning the spectacular serpent necklace, which she wore in London in 2010. This ophidian design features two large diamonds that replaced the original emeralds, considered the largest in the world. In 2014, she was seen in Morocco wearing the Le Tavernier necklace in pearls and diamonds, valued at over 10 million euros. Another notable piece was her Hand of Fatima, also by the Parisian maison, in diamonds with a giant sapphire. She has also trusted designer David Webb, owning one of his most important pieces: a gold and coral necklace worn at the coronation of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al-Missned
For many years, the Sultan of Brunei was considered the richest man in the world. This is reflected in the family’s jewelry collection. Queen Saleha possesses one of the largest tiaras on the planet, the colored diamond tiara, in addition to another with large emeralds, one with an impressive heart-shaped diamond, and a ruby tiara acquired in 2000. When it comes to necklaces, the queen has no shortage, owning spectacular pieces featuring medallions of diamonds, sapphires, and rubies.
Brunei’s Prince Abdul Mateen weds his fiance in lavish 10-day celebration
Malaysia has the peculiarity of being a rotating monarchy, but there is a constant: the Gandik Diraja tiara and the Kalung Diraja necklace. These are two pieces designed by the English jeweler Garrard in the 1980s, modifying two earlier designs. The royal family of Johor, currently on the throne, possesses another well-known piece: the diamond necklace created by J.W. Benson. This particular and grand design consists of two necklaces, with the shorter one having a vertical strip that falls like a pectoral. It can be worn in various ways, and part of it has been adapted to create a tiara.
Queen Rania of Jordan, for her part, does not have a jewelry collection similar to other queens, but she can boast of the beauty of the Arabic tiara, with 1,300 diamonds, which she first wore in 2006 and was later photographed in by Mario Testino in 2008. The design has been modified to make it more adaptable, as the Jordanian queen seems to prefer smaller designs, such as the Boucheron tiara, conceived as a bracelet, or the diamond tiara, which was apparently initially conceived as a necklace.
Rania of Jordan
For her part, another well-known queen is Jetsun of Bhutan. She only has two tiaras, as far as we have seen: the emerald tiara and the turquoise bandeau. In the happiest kingdom in the world, it seems jewelry is not so important.
Rania is the only queen from whom a jewel has been taken away. Although she did not inherit Queen Alia’s Cartier tiara, as it ended up in the hands of Princess Haya, she used to occasionally wear this diamond design as a loan from her sister-in-law. This was part of the famous scandal involving Haya after her flight to London in 2019.
