Many of the Queen’s brooches are traditional pieces, inherited from generations past. But there are an increasing number of modern pieces in her collection. Today, we’re looking at one of these newer brooches: a ruby and gold jewel made for her by Grima.

The brooch is both an example of design from the Queen’s reign and a sentimental bauble: it was given to her in 1966 by the Duke of Edinburgh. The piece consists of rubies and diamonds set in yellow gold.

The Grima Ruby Brooch was, as the name suggests, made by jeweler Andrew Grima. Born in Italy and raised in England, Grima’s pieces were striking examples of mid-century modern design. And the family also had another link to royal jewelry: Grima’s wife, Jojo, was the granddaughter of Sir Thomas Cullinan — yes, that Cullinan. Grima’s daughter, Francesca, runs the firm today.

The Queen has worn the brooch regularly throughout her reign, including appearances during her annual Christmas Broadcast. And in 2011, she chose the brooch for one of the most important diplomatic events of her reign: the landmark 2011 state visit to Ireland.

Among the Queen’s enormous collection of brooches, there’s a number of pieces that have serious sentimental value. One of these is a brooch in the shape of a basket of flowers. It’s been in her jewelry box for almost 70 years.

The flower basket brooch — which Leslie Field notes is an example of what is sometimes called a “giardinetti,” or “little garden” — was given to the Queen in 1948 by her parents. It was a present to mark the birth of her first child, Prince Charles, who also happened to be a future heir to the throne.

The Queen, then still Princess Elizabeth, wore the brooch for Charles’s first official photograph. The black-and-white portrait doesn’t show off the true colorful joy of the brooch, as it’s set with diamonds as well as sapphires, rubies, and emeralds.

The brooch has become a regular part of HM’s jewel rotation, especially in recent years. And in 2013, she sentimentally chose the brooch for a very important family event: the christening of Prince Charles’s first grandchild, Prince George.