Historic Diamonds / Royal Stories
Meet the Danish Rose Diamond Bandeau, Denmark’s Newest Crown Jewel
By Jane Asher, Published: September 24, 2025
It’s set with some seriously stunning rose cut diamonds.
Queen Mary of Denmark wears the Danish Rose Diamond Bandeau tiara at a gala dinner at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark, on December 6, 2024. (Getty Images)
The Danish Royal Court has unveiled a new piece in the Crown Jewel Collection, the Danish Rose Diamond Bandeau tiara. Commissioned by Queen Mary, the tiara features rose-cut natural diamonds that were once part of a diamond belt or girdle, originally owned by Princess Charlotte Amalie of Denmark in the 1700s.
Meet the Author
- Jane Asher is a social media manager with a passion for pop culture.
- She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Washington University in St. Louis.
- As a journalist, her work has been featured in publications such as InStyle Magazine, Stylecaster, Martha Stewart Weddings and more.
The Danish Crown Jewels: A Historic Collection
The Danish Crown Jewels are unique in that they are among the very few crown jewels in the world that are both displayed in a museum and still worn by reigning royals. The collection is made up of four parures: the diamond brilliant parure, the emerald parure, the ruby and pearl parure, and the rose-cut diamond parure—the latter giving rise to the new Danish Rose Diamond Bandeau tiara. Each suite was assembled in 1840 by Queen Caroline Amalie, consort of King Christian VII, using heirloom gemstones and diamonds passed down through generations.
Before this recent redesign and the creation of the Danish Rose Diamond Bandeau, the rose-cut diamond suite consisted of a diamond belt or girdle and a diamond brooch that could be broken down into smaller pieces. The diamonds used to create each piece date back to Princess Amalie of Denmark, the only unmarried daughter of King Frederik IV.
What Makes Rose-Cut Diamonds Unique
The stones in the Danish Rose Diamond Bandeau tiara are rose-cut diamonds, which fall under the antique cut category and are often considered a more romantic cut of diamond. Meant to glow under candlelight, rose cuts were a result of advancing diamond-cutting technology in Europe in the 16th century. Unlike a brilliant cut diamond, rose cuts do not have a pavilion—the bottom of a diamond that comes to a point—giving them a flatter shape.
Instead, they feature a faceted dome in the crown—the top section seen from above—with anywhere from 3 to 24 facets, far fewer than a brilliant cut’s 57 or 58 facets. This distinctive domed silhouette, which resembles the petals of a rosebud, is what gave the rose cut diamond its name.
The Royal Redesign of the Danish Rose Diamond Bandeau
The Royal Court released a statement about the redesign of the Danish Rose Diamond Bandeau, sharing, “With the creation of the new frame, The Queen and the Royal Collection are resuming the old tradition of adapting the crown jewels to the demands and needs of the times. This, in many ways, marks a new path for the Danish crown jewels, uniting the different traditions that have surrounded these four iconic jewelry sets–a path between revitalization and continuity.”
The official Instagram account of the Danish Royal Family also released a video of Queen Mary and royal jewelers in the redesign process, giving us an up-close look at the diamonds and the new Danish Rose Diamond Bandeau tiara on Instagram.
These rose-cut diamond pieces had rarely seen the light of day in the last few decades, as they were not often worn by Queen Margrethe II, who abdicated the throne to her son in January 2024. She wore the brooch only on rare occasions, including during her 50th-birthday celebration, but the belt has not been seen since Queen Ingrid repurposed it as a necklace around 1950. Now, with its transformation into the Danish Rose Diamond Bandeau, royal admirers are delighted to see this storied jewel reemerge—revitalized for a new era yet still steeped in history.
Danish Royal Jewels in Modern Times
Unlike many crown jewel collections that are locked away in vaults, the Danish regalia is a living tradition—ceremonial treasures still worn by members of the royal family. Today, the women of the Danish Royal House wear a combination of personal jewelry that has been purchased or gifted, heirlooms overseen by The Danish Royal Property Trust, and, of course, the official crown jewels.
These pieces appear on grand occasions such as the New Year’s banquet, state visits, and milestone celebrations. As the official Danish Royal Family website notes, “Historical jewels are worn as part of the traditional display of splendour, but at the same time are a tangible reflection of The Royal House of Denmark’s familial and diplomatic relationships through the centuries with the countries surrounding us.”
Queen Mary is breathing new life into these diamonds in the Danish Rose Diamond Bandeau, giving them more opportunities to shine. She isn’t the only European royal to have reset heirloom gems—Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, and Kate Middleton have all modernized their jewels for a new generation.
Although the Crown Jewels cannot leave Denmark, as is customary, it is almost certain Queen Mary will debut the dazzling Danish Rose Diamond Bandeau tiara at state visits and royal celebrations at home in the near future.
