Royal Rubies

The ruby parure of Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark is a delicate piece of the highest craftsmanship dating back to the early nineteenth century: it was made for Désirée Clary, wife of Marshal of the Empire Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, to mark the imperial coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1804. In 2002, the ruby parure was finally passed to Crown Prince Frederik and his future wife, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark. In 2010 Crown Princess Mary decided to hand over the precious set to the goldsmiths Dulong Fine Jewelery in Copenhagen. In one of the most comprehensive restoration projects of the century, the set was carefully restored and modernised. The possibilities in being able to customise the parure were now commensurate to the demands of a modern crown princess known for her stylish appearance. The reworking was accompanied and documented in detail by jewellery expert Nina Hald. With photographs by Sarah Lindbæk, the book Royal Rubies provides a fascinating insight into the restoration process of the new set.