![Sophie, Countess of Wessex smiles on the balcony as she attends Royal Ascot 2022 at Ascot Racecourse on June 15, 2022 in Ascot, England (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2023-0107-sophie01.jpg?resize=1200%2C782&ssl=1)
The Countess of Wessex celebrates her birthday in January, and in her honor, we’re taking a look this month at some of the most glittering pieces from her jewelry box. First up: her collection of jewels set with gorgeous blue topazes and aquamarines.
![The Countess Of Wessex attends "Rory Bremner at the Savoy" in aid of Wellbeing October 21, 2003 in London (Bruno Vincent/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2023-0107-sophie02.jpg?resize=1200%2C1903&ssl=1)
In the early years of her royal marriage, Sophie began wearing a set of jewelry set with blue stones, possibly aquamarines or blue topazes. The earrings feature a modern design, with geometric ribbons of diamonds paired with the blue stone drops. The set also includes a necklace with a pendant in a matching design.
![On the eve of the wedding of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Mary Donaldson, the Earl and Countess of Wessex arrive for a gala at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, 13 May 2004 (DPA Picture Alliance Archive/Alamy)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2023-0107-sophie03.jpg?resize=1200%2C1595&ssl=1)
In May 2004, Sophie paired the earrings and the matching pendant necklace with a borrowed diamond tiara for the the pre-wedding gala for Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark in Copenhagen.
![Sophie Rhys-Jones, Countess of Wessex arrives at the Opera Garnier Gala Night as part of Monaco's National Day celebrations which this year double as Prince Albert II's Enthronement celebrations, at Opera Garnier on November 19, 2005 in Monte Carlo, Monaco (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2023-0107-sophie04.jpg?resize=1200%2C1900&ssl=1)
In November 2005 in Monaco, Sophie paired the set with a new piece: a convertible diamond and aquamarine tiara. The modern sparkler was worn for Prince Albert II’s enthronement gala. The large central aquamarine is significantly paler and greener than the stones in the necklace and earring set, but the modern design of each piece almost makes them work as a married parure. The tiara has been attributed to Collins & Sons.
![Sophie Rhys-Jones, Countess of Wessex arrives at the ChildLine & Mission Enfance Royal gala dinner at Banqueting House on March 8, 2006 in London, England (MJ Kim/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2023-0107-sophie05.jpg?resize=1200%2C1800&ssl=1)
In 2006, Sophie wore the new tiara as a necklace at a charity gala for Childline. Coincidentally, Prince Albert II of Monaco was also at this gala. To my knowledge, there’s never been a suggestion that any of Sophie’s jewelry is connected to the Grimaldis, but her aquamarines do pop up at events linked with the Monegasque princely family with some regularity.
![Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Forfar during the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace on November 22, 2022 in London, England (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2023-0107-sophie06.jpg?resize=1200%2C1907&ssl=1)
More recently, we saw Sophie wear the convertible diamond and aquamarine tiara for a state banquet at Buckingham Palace during the South African state visit in November 2022. She paired the tiara with diamond jewels from the collection of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Sophie also has a large aquamarine and diamond ring, worn here at Royal Ascot in 2009. I believe this has also been connected to Collins & Sons.
![Britain's Count of Wessex Prince Edward and Britain's Countess of Wessex Princess Sophie arrive for the religious wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene of Monaco at the Prince's Palace on July 2, 2011 in Monaco (DAMIEN MEYER/AFP via Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2023-0107-sophie07.jpg?resize=1200%2C1819&ssl=1)
Another event in Monaco, another debut of an aquamarine piece! This Art Deco-style brooch, with a large central aquamarine, also features diamonds, plus surrounding rings of green and blue enamel. Sophie wore it for the first time in public at the July 2011 wedding of Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco.
![Sophie, Countess of Wessex attends day two of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 20, 2012 in Ascot, England (Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2023-0107-sophie08.jpg?resize=1200%2C1972&ssl=1)
Sophie wears the gorgeous aquamarine brooch often. It pops up especially frequently at Royal Ascot. This outing took place at the races in the spring of 2012.
![Sophie, Countess of Wessex attends the second day of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 15, 2016 in Ascot, England (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2023-0107-sophie09.jpg?resize=1200%2C1738&ssl=1)
And here, she wears the brooch in the Royal Box at Ascot in June 2016.
![Sophie, Countess of Wessex, visits to the Chelsea Flower Show in London on May 20, 2013 (BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2023-0107-sophie10.jpg?resize=1200%2C1246&ssl=1)
Sophie has paired the Art Deco brooch with various earrings, including some set with blue gems. This gold pair, worn at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2013, features rectangular blue gemstone drops.
![Sophie, Countess of Wessex poses for a photograph following a visit to Whitton School on June 19, 2009 in Whitton, England (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2023-0107-sophie11.jpg?resize=1200%2C1785&ssl=1)
She also has a pair of floral earrings set with blue gems. Here, she wears them for a school visit on June 19, 2009, which also happened to be her tenth wedding anniversary.
![The Countess of Wessex is pictured at a gala dinner in Luxembourg Grand-Ducal palace, after the civil wedding of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg and Belgian Countess Stephanie de Lannoy on October 19, 2012 (Christian Aschman/Grand Ducal Court/Abaca Press/Alamy)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2023-0107-sophie12.jpg?resize=1200%2C1764&ssl=1)
But Sophie’s most significant piece of aquamarine jewelry is undoubtedly the tiara that she debuted at the wedding of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stephanie of Luxembourg in October 2012. The piece, which features five large aquamarines set in complicated ribbons of diamonds, was worn by the late Queen in the 1970s.
The provenance of the piece is unclear—it may or may not be part of the aquamarine gifts that Queen Elizabeth II received from Brazil. Sophie has worn the piece with other items of jewelry that belonged to the Queen, including the King Faisal Necklace and the Silver Jubilee Pearl Earrings.
![Sophie, Countess of Wessex attends the wedding of Princess Madeleine of Sweden and Christopher O'Neill hosted by King Carl Gustaf XIV and Queen Silvia at The Royal Palace on June 8, 2013 in Stockholm, Sweden (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2023-0107-sophie13.jpg?resize=1200%2C1751&ssl=1)
Sophie has worn the tiara on subsequent occasions as well, including a prominent outing at the wedding of Princess Madeleine of Sweden in June 2013. For that event, she paired the tiara with Queen Elizabeth II’s Pear-Shaped Diamond Pendant Earrings and a round brooch that also appears to be set with white and blue gemstones.
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