The Ancient and Auspicious Order of the Nine Gems ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นโบราณมงคลนพรัตนราชวราภรณ์; ) was established in 1851 by King Mongkut (Rama IV) of the

Kingdom of Siam Kingdom of Siam may refer to: * Sukhothai Kingdom (1238–1351) * Ayutthaya Kingdom (1351–1767) * Thonburi Kingdom (1768–1782) * Rattanakosin Kingdom (1782–1932) * Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and official ...

(now

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

). The order is bestowed upon the members of the

Thai royal family The Chakri dynasty ( th, ราชวงศ์ จักรี, , , ) is the current reigning dynasty of the Kingdom of Thailand, the head of the house is the king, who is head of state. The family has ruled Thailand since the founding of the ...

and distinguished high-ranking officials who have given service to the kingdom and who are active Buddhist laypeople. In practice, it is the highest Thai order granted to Thai citizens, as the two higher orders are reserved for royalty or foreign heads of state. Members of the order are entitled to use the postnominals น.ร.

History

The order is based on the model of European orders of chivalry and merit. The nine gems are the Thai form of the original Hindu royal amulet known as the

navaratna ''Navaratna'' ( sa, नवरत्न) is a Sanskrit compound word meaning "nine gems" or "ratnas". Jewellery created in this style has important cultural significance in many southern, and south-eastern Asian cultures as a symbol of wealth, st ...

and in its original form consisted of a ring of gold bearing the nine gems awarded to a Thai general after he won an important military victory and is also part of the royal insignia given the Thai king at his

coronation A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the presentation of ot ...

. This ring still is part of the insignia of the order and worn by the male members of the order. The nine precious stones of the royal amulet constitute an integral part of both the badge and the star of the order. The nine gems and the corresponding benefits that they bestow on their bearers are: *

Diamond Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, ...

—Power, wealth, success over enemies *

Ruby A ruby is a pinkish red to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum ( aluminium oxide). Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called ...

—Success and longevity * Emerald—Strength and security *Yellow

Sapphire Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminium oxide () with trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, vanadium, or magnesium. The name sapphire is derived via the Latin "sa ...

—Charm and love *

Garnet Garnets () are a group of silicate minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. All species of garnets possess similar physical properties and crystal forms, but differ in chemical composition. The different s ...

—Health and longevity *Blue

—Love and wealth *

Pearl A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariids. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is composed of calcium carb ...

/ Moonstone—Purity, happiness, and success over enemies *

Zircon Zircon () is a mineral belonging to the group of nesosilicates and is a source of the metal zirconium. Its chemical name is zirconium(IV) silicate, and its corresponding chemical formula is Zr SiO4. An empirical formula showing some of t ...

/ Topaz—Wealth and success in legal affairs * Cat's Eye—Protection by spirits, and from fire

Insignia

The decoration consists of a single class (knight). The insignia are: *Pendant of the Nine Gems, on a yellow sash with red, blue, and green trim, worn over the right shoulder to the left hip (for men). For women, the Pendant of the Nine Gems is attached to a silk ribbon, worn on the front left shoulder. *Star of the Nine Gems, to wear on the left breast. *Gold Ring of the Nine Gems, for men, to wear on the right index finger. *The Sovereign Grand Master of the Order is Knight but added the Chain of the Nine Gems sash above to wear over the right shoulder to the left hip above sash badge and the star is decorated with diamonds.

List of Sovereigns

List of recipients

Highlights indicate living members

Royal Knights

Royal Dames

Knights

Living recipients of the order

References

External links

The Ancient and Auspicious Order of the Nine Gems
Secretariat to the

Cabinet of Thailand The cabinet of Thailand or, formally, the Council of Ministers of Thailand ( th, คณะรัฐมนตรี; is a body composed of thirty-five of the most senior members of the government of the Kingdom of Thailand. The cabinet is the prim ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Order Of The Nine Gems Nine Gems, Order Of The 1851 establishments in Siam Gemstones in religion Awards established in 1851