15 of Queen Elizabeth's Diamonds That You Have to See to Believe

The iconic headpiece was made in 1937 for the coronation of George VI and reduced in height for that of his daughter the queen. It contains 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and 269 pearls, but the most impressive feature is the 317.4-carat Cullinan II diamond — the second largest cut from the original stone — which sits in the crown's band.

Set with emeralds, sapphires, rubies, pearls, 365 rose-cut diamonds, and a whopping amethyst, the cross-embellished orb (seen in the queen's left hand) was created to represent Christ's authority over the world and has been used for every coronation since 1661.

A symbol of the monarch's role as head of state, the scepter was created in 1661, and it contains the largest cut diamond in the world. The 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond was discovered in 1905, and the fist-sized stone was the biggest ever found. After it was gifted to King Edward VI, it was broken down into several pieces. The largest — the 530.2-carat Cullinan I, also known as The Star of Africa — was set at the top of the scepter, while the other Cullinan were used mostly in brooches.

It may not be the biggest, oldest, or most expensive in the queen's collection, but her engagement ring is sure to be the piece of jewelry closest to her heart. It is made up of a three-carat brilliant-cut diamond with smaller stones on either side, and all were taken from a tiara that had once belonged to Prince Philip's mother.

Nobody knows how old this whopping 106-carat diamond actually is, but it is recorded as far back as 1300, in a curse from an old Hindu text. Afterward the jewel moved around India, Persia, and Afghanistan as a spoil of war, before being gifted to Queen Victoria. She wore it in a brooch, and it was then passed down to Queen Mary, Queen Alexandra, and Queen Elizabeth (the queen mother) to be worn in their Queen Consort crowns. It currently sits in the queen mother's crown in the Tower of London.

When Prince Philip requested that an engagement ring be made from one of his mother's tiaras, he also commissioned a bracelet to be made, which was his wedding present to his bride. The queen has worn it many times since, including for her Diamond Jubilee portrait. As have many other items from the queen's personal collection over recent years, it was also lent to the Duchess of Cambridge for her first state banquet.

For the earrings, the 12- and seven-carat main stones were in 1830 taken from an Indian armlet made from twisted silks and commissioned by Queen Victoria to be worn alongside the Coronation Necklace. The queen usually wears the earrings with the matching necklace as a set for formal occasions.

Crafted out of stones from unused items such as swords, the necklace is made up of 25 cushion-cut brilliant diamonds and an impressive central drop jewel — the 22.48-carat Lahore diamond. The necklace was commissioned by Queen Victoria and made by Garrard in 1858, and it has been worn at every coronation since. The queen has also worn it to formal events and for her Diamond Jubilee portrait.

As seen on stamps, coins, and bank notes, this crown was made in 1820 and was worn by George IV on the way to his coronation. The diamond-encrusted roses, thistles, and shamrocks represent England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and there are a total of 1,333 diamonds incorporated in the piece, along with pearls and a pale yellow diamond at the center of the front cross. The queen first wore it for the State Opening of Parliament in the year she acceded to the throne, and then to her coronation, as well as many times since.

The tiara is set with brilliant- and rose-cut diamonds and was made by royal jewelers Garrard. The style is Russian and was very popular with the royal family in the first half of the 20th century. The queen borrowed it from her mother for her wedding day.

The impressive piece was gifted to Victoria by a committee of ladies called The Women's Jubilee Offering. The diamond and pearl centerpiece and six trefoils on either side could be used separately as brooches and pins. It has become a favorite of the queen's and worn often with the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara.

The Delhi Durbar was a commemoration in India to mark the accession of King George V and called for a little something special for his Queen Consort Mary. The necklace is set with eight cabochon emeralds — three cushion shaped, four oval, and one lozenge shaped — and six large brilliant-cut diamonds with a double platinum chain set with 94 brilliant-cut diamonds and more on the chains, which suspend the whopping emerald pendant, and the marquise-cut Cullinan VII diamond.

Commissioned by Queen Mary, the delicate piece is made up of brilliant- and rose-cut diamonds with 19 pearls and was made by Garrard in 1913. It was worn by the queen to the premiere of Conquest of Everest in 1958 and was a wedding gift to Princess Diana, who wore it many times. Most recently it was borrowed by the Duchess of Cambridge for a banquet at Buckingham Palace.

The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland were a committee of women who raised money for the tiara, which was a wedding gift to Queen Mary. The large diamonds around the top were originally pearls, but Queen Mary later decided to have the pearls placed in the Lover's Knot tiara. This one was given to the queen as a wedding present, and it seems to be her favorite of all her tiaras.

Upon her passing, society heiress Dame Margaret Greville left her entire collection of famed jewels to her friend the queen mother, and many of the pieces have become favorites of the queen. When Cartier made the earrings in 1929, the purpose seems to have been to combine as many different cuts of diamond as possible, featuring half-moon, trapeze, square, baguette, baton, and emerald-cut stones. The earrings were one of the queen's wedding presents from her parents.

For day-to-day life, the queen favors three strands of pearls, but for special occasions such as a State Opening of Parliament or official visits, she favors the three strands of diamonds her father gave her in 1950, when she was a 24-year-old princess. The 105 brilliant-cut diamonds were taken from a collection of loose stones that had previously been used to lengthen existing necklaces in the royal collection.