Order of the Nine Gems

The Ancient and Auspicious Order of the Nine Gems เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นโบราณมงคลนพรัตนราชวราภรณ์
Woodcraving of the Order of the Nine Gems at Wat Ratchabophit, Bangkok.
Awarded by the King of Thailand
Type	Chivalric order
Established	1861
Religious affiliation	Buddhism
Seat	27
Eligibility	Royal Family and Lay Buddhists
Criteria	At the monarch's pleasure
Status	Currently constituted
Founder	Mongkut
Sovereign	Vajiralongkorn
Grades	Knight/Dame
Statistics
First induction	1861
Last induction	28 July 2019
Total inductees	73
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of the Royal House of Chakri
Next (lower)	Order of Chula Chom Klao
Ribbon bar of the Order of the Nine Gems

The Ancient and Auspicious Order of the Nine Gems (Thai: เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นโบราณมงคลนพรัตนราชวราภรณ์; RTGS: Khrueang Ratcha-itsariyaphon An Pen Borannamongkhon Noppharat Ratchawaraphon) was established in 1851 by King Mongkut (Rama IV) of the Kingdom of Siam (now Thailand). The order is bestowed upon the members of the Thai royal family 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 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. 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—Power, wealth, success over enemies
• Ruby—Success and longevity
• Emerald—Strength and security
• Yellow Sapphire—Charm and love
• Garnet—Health and longevity
• Blue Sapphire—Love and wealth
• Pearl/Moonstone—Purity, happiness, and success over enemies
• Zircon/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

Rama IX (1946–2016)
Image	Name	Date	Present age	Notes	Ref.
	HM Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother MChK NR PCh MPCh MVM	5 May 1950	91
	HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn RMBh MChK NR PChW SR	16 January 1973	71	Sovereign of the order since 13 October 2016.
	HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, the Princess Royal MChK NR PCh MPCh MVM	5 December 1977	68
	HRH Princess Chulabhorn Walailak, the Princess Srisavangavadhana MChK NR PCh MPCh MVM	16 June 1993	66
Rama X (2016–present)
Image	Name	Date	Present age	Notes	Ref.
	HM Queen Suthida MChK NR PCh MPCh MVM	4 May 2019	45
	HRH Princess Soamsawali, the Princess Suddhanarinatha MChK NR PCh MPCh MVM	5 May 2019	66
	HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the Princess Rajasarini Siribajra MChK NR PCh MPCh MVM	28 July 2019	45