I chose the Stuart tiara to wish the lovely Karen Conlin a happy birthday. Why? I mean, look at it. You have to be impressed, which is how I feel about Karen’s work. If you haven’t already, check out Grammargeddon.com. Let’s all wish her a happy birthday…and then dig into the awesomeness that is the Stuart tiara. This tiara belongs …
Tiara Tuesday: Marie Louise’s Ruby Diadem
Don’t freak out, but technically Marie Louise’s ruby diadem doesn’t exist anymore. We’ll get to why in a moment – but first, let’s set the scene. In 1810, Napoleon ordered this tiara for his second wife, Marie Louise of Austria (Marie Antoinette’s niece). He understood that age-old saying, “Happy wife, happy life,” so he ordered all new jewels for Marie …
Tiara Tuesday: The Russian Aquamarine Tiara
This tiara was created around 1900, most likely for Empress Alexandra, wife of Nicholas II (and mother of Grand Duchesses Olga and Marie, for you Romanov Legacy readers). We don’t know this for sure, however, since there are no pictures of Alexandra wearing this tiara. These honkin’ aquamarines are arranged in a traditional Russian kokoshnik style, with a platinum frame …
Tiara Tuesday: Princess Takamado’s Tiara
The woman the world calls Princess Takamado was born Hisako Tottori, the daughter of an industrialist. Raised in England, where her father worked, she graduated from Cambridge University with degrees in anthropology and archaeology. After graduation, she went back to Japan and met Prince Norihito (the emperor’s cousin) at a party hosted by the Canadian Embassy. Less than a full …
Tiara Tuesday: Hessian Turquoise and Moonstone Tiara
The Hessian turquoise and moonstone tiara was purchased in 1906 by Grand Duke Ernst Louis of Hesse as a Christmas present for his second wife, Princess Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolhms-Lich. Although it was made in Russia, we don’t know by whom (some sources say Cartier, others say a competitor of Faberge). This tiara’s stones have special meanings: diamonds for eternity, turquoise …
Tiara Tuesday: Marie Feodorovna’s Wave Tiara
Marie Feodorovna’s wave tiara may or may not have been made by Cartier – some sources say it was, but I can’t confirm it. As you can tell by the name, it belonged to the empress of Russia, wife of Alexander III. This tiara came with a matching necklace and brooch, but it doesn’t look like Marie wore them together. …
Tiara Tuesday: The Duchess of Alba’s Tiara
Maria del Rosario Cayetana Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Francisca Fitz-James Stuart y Silva, the Duchess of Alba, died this past Thursday at the age of 88. She had 57 noble titles, holding the Guinness World Record for most noble titles recognized by an existing government. It’s said that she could cross all of Spain without ever sleeping under a roof that wasn’t …
Tiara Tuesday: Princess Fawzia of Egypt’s Tiara
Princess Fawzia of Egypt’s tiara was commissioned from Van Cleef & Arpels by her parents, King Fuad I of Egypt and Queen Nazli. The occasion? Fawzia’s 1939 wedding to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Crown Prince (and later Shah) of Iran. It came with a necklace and a pair of earrings, all set in platinum. The tiara features pear-shaped and baguette-cut …
Tiara Tuesday: The Westphalian Tiara
The Westphalian tiara came via special request from Monica Kent. I’m so happy I was able to find this sucker for her! This tiara doesn’t have an actual name because it’s not famous or well-documented, so I’m just calling it the “Westphalian tiara.” It’s made up of two rows of diamonds and a single octagonal emerald. The upper tier is set …
Tiara Tuesday: The Portland Sapphire Tiara
The Portland sapphire tiara was created around 1890, probably by Garrard. The 6th Duke of Portland commissioned it for his wife, Winifred Dallas-Yorke. That’s her in the image above. Five of the sapphires came from Ceylon, four from Burma, and the last three are anyone’s guess. The pearls are all natural saltwater pearls. The sapphires have different origins because the …