The Court Jeweller

The Court Jeweller



I'm so excited to introduce my newest royal jewel project to all of you! The Court Jeweller will cover jewels from throughout history up to the present day, with a focus on jewels worn by royals and nobles. We'll look at historical photos, read about jewel news from the past, and recap glittering events from today. I can't wait to see you all there, and I hope you enjoy

The Mountbatten Star Tiara

Photos (clockwise from top left): Edwina Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma; Penelope Knatchbull, Lady Brabourne; Penelope Knatchbull, Lady Brabourne; tiara detail; Patricia Knatchbull, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma


Happy New Year's Eve, everybody -- time to break out the champers and sing Auld Lang Syne! But not before we look at our final tiara of the year: another starry

The Hesse Star Tiara

Photos: Hereditary Grand Duchess Cecilie of Hesse and by Rhine


As we wrap up our wild and wonderful year of tiaras, I think it's only fair that we reach for the stars, don't you? Today and tomorrow, we'll look at two more star tiaras, and today's sparkler is the star kokoshnik once worn by Cecilie of Hesse and by Rhine.



The Hesse family gained prominence in the nineteenth century when one

Weekend Bonus: The Cartier Indian Tiara

Lady Rose Gilman (born 1980) "wears" the Cartier Indian Tiara (click here for provenance info) with the assistance of her mother, the Duchess of Gloucester (born 1946), in a portrait taken by Norman Parkinson in 1981

Weekend Bonus: The King Edward VII Ruby Tiara

Countess Sonia Bernadotte af Wisborg (1909-2004), the second wife of Count Sigvard Bernadotte af Wisborg, wears the King Edward VII Ruby Tiara (click here for provenance info) at the eighteenth-birthday celebrations for her niece, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, in 1958. As an extra bonus, Princess Margaretha of Sweden (born 1934) wears the Khedive of Egypt Tiara (click here for provenance

The Belgian Art Deco Bandeau Tiara

Photos (clockwise from left): Queen Mathilde of the Belgians; Queen Astrid of Belgium; Queen Paola of Belgium; tiara detail


Our final diamond bonus tiara of the week is one of the remaining heirlooms in the Belgian royal collection: the art deco bandeau that once belonged to Queen Elisabeth.



The tiara was made for Elisabeth in the early twentieth century. The tiara is relatively small,

The Arabic Scroll Tiara

All photos: Queen Rania of Jordan


Our final queenly tiara of the week belongs to one of the most glamorous queens consort in the world: Rania of Jordan. This tiara, the Arabic Scroll, combines traditional design with the beauty of Arabic script.



In the early years of her husband's reign, Rania primarily wore the Cartier tiara that once belonged to Queen Alia. But that tiara was never hers;

The Weiller Art Deco Tiara

Photos (clockwise from top left): Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg; Countess Diane de Nassau; Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg; tiara detail


We've discussed a veritable boatload of Luxembourgish tiaras here this year, but here's one more for the road: the diamond art deco tiara owned by Princess Sibilla, a sister-in-law to the current grand duke.



Princess Sibilla got her current royal title

The Spanish Fleur-de-Lys Tiara

Photos (clockwise from top left): María Mercedes, Countess of Barcelona; Queen Ena of Spain; Queen Ena of Spain; Queen Ena of Spain; Queen Sofia of Spain


The Spanish royal family have a good number of beautiful heirloom tiaras in their vaults, but today's tiara, the Fleur-de-Lys, is the one they call "La Buena." Through decades of upheaval, they've managed to hang on to the good one, and it's

The Danish Floral Aigrette Tiara

Photos (clockwise from top left): Queen Margrethe II of Denmark; Mrs. Lauritz Melchior; Queen Margrethe II of Denmark; Queen Ingrid of Denmark; Queen Margrethe II of Denmark (as brooch)


One of the sparkliest diamond tiaras in Denmark is the floral aigrette tiara that belongs to the reigning queen, Margrethe II. But this versatile aigrette took a bit of a meandering path to its current home in

The Leuchtenberg Sapphire Tiara

Photos (clockwise from top left): Princess Sibylla of Sweden; Queen Victoria of Sweden; Queen Silvia of Sweden; Queen Josefina of Sweden; Queen Louise of Sweden


Merry Christmas, everybody! To kick off our holiday celebration, we're going to look at one of the most magnificent tiaras owned by a royal family today: the tiara from the Leuchtenberg sapphire parure. And stay tuned after the tiara

The Princess Anne Festoon Tiara

Photos (clockwise from left): Princess Anne, the Princess Royal; Autumn Phillips; Princess Anne, the Princess Royal; tiara detail


After all of the Windsor tiaras we've marveled at this year, there's still one more diamond sparkler to discuss from the collection. Today, let's talk about the diamond festoon tiara owned by the Princess Royal.



As the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II, Anne

The Wolfers Tiara

All photos: Queen Fabiola of Belgium


The Belgians may not have extensive jewel vaults, but there are several tiaras in the royal family's possession that are reserved primarily for queens. The main one is the Nine Provinces Tiara, but there are two tiaras that have only been worn by one queen, Fabiola. We've already talked about her Spanish tiara; today, let's have a look at the one created

The Savoy-Aosta Tiara

Photos (clockwise from left): Princess Anne, Duchess of Aosta; Princess Maria Beatrice of Savoy; tiara detail; Princess Astrid of Belgium; Princess Astrid of Belgium


To keep you all in the holiday spirit, how about a bonus week of diamond tiaras? Consider it my Christmas gift to all of you! Let's kick off the festivities by looking at a tiara with Italian roots that is today worn by a Belgian

The Maltese Cross Tiara

For our last full week here at A Tiara a Day, we're going to have a look at some of the most regal sparklers around: tiaras that are worn primarily by queens. Today's tiara, the Maltese Cross, is one of the heirlooms in the Norwegian royal vaults.


As is the case with many of the historical tiaras owned by the Norwegian royals, this piece came from another country: the United Kingdom. It

Weekend Bonus: The Cartier Diamond and Pearl Tiara

Queen Sofia of Spain (born 1938) wears the Cartier Pearl and Diamond Tiara (click here for provenance info) at the wedding of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark in 2004. She also wears an heirloom diamond collet necklace that belonged to Queen Ena of Spain

Weekend Bonus: The Queen Sophie Diamond Tiara

Queen Friederike of the Hellenes (1917-1981) wears the Queen Sophie Diamond Tiara (click here for provenance info); as an extra bonus, she wears as a necklace the family's emerald parure tiara (click here for provenance info) and other pieces from the parure

The Londonderry Diamond Tiara

Photos (clockwise from left): Theresa Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Marchioness of Londonderry; Edith Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Marchioness of Londonderry; Theresa Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Marchioness of Londonderry; tiara detail


Let's cap off our week of British noble tiaras with a sparkly tiara that was worn at one of the most glittering events of the nineteenth century: the Londonderry Diamond Tiara.

The Portland Sapphire Tiara

Images (clockwise from left): Ivy Cavendish-Bentinck, Duchess of Portland; tiara worn by model; tiara worn by model; tiara detail


Gilded Age Britain was full of oversized, exaggerated tiaras. Today, let's look at one of the very biggest of the bunch: the sapphire, diamond, and pearl tiara owned by the Dukes of Portland.



The tiara was made for the family by E. Wolff & Co. for Garrard. Most

The Curzon Boucheron Tiara

Photos (from left): Mary Victoria Curzon, Lady Curzon; tiara detail; Mary Victoria Curzon, Lady Curzon


Yesterday, we looked at a diamond Boucheron tiara made for an American-born peeress, and today we're discussing ... a diamond Boucheron tiara made for an American-born peeress. Shocking, I know! The buccaneers did love Boucheron. Today's tiara is the sparkler the jeweler made for Mary

The Marlborough Boucheron Tiara

Photos (clockwise from left): Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan; Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan; Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan; tiara detail


At the turn of the twentieth century, some of the sparkliest jewel collections in Britain were owned not by the nation's royal princesses but by the wives of aristocrats. One of the most magnificent aristocratic tiaras around belonged to the American-born wife of the

The Windsor Emerald Tiara

Photos (clockwise from top left): Wallis, Duchess of Windsor; Wallis, Duchess of Windsor; tiara detail (similar piece)


It's hard to think of many twentieth-century royal figures whose jewels hold more interest than Wallis Simpson, the American woman for whom Edward VIII gave up the British throne. The Duchess of Windsor's jewels show up in the news frequently, as they are often sold and

Weekend Bonus: The Cartier Pearl Drop Tiara

Princess Caroline of Monaco (born 1957) wears the Cartier Pearl Drop Tiara (click here for provenance info) in a portrait also featuring her late husband, Stefano Casiraghi, and their three children, Andrea, Charlotte, and Pierre

Weekend Bonus: The Queen Louise Diamond Tiara

Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld (born 1938) wears the Queen Louise Diamond Tiara (click here for provenance info). As an extra bonus, Princess Margaretha, Mrs. Ambler (born 1934) wears the Diamond Four Button Tiara (click here for provenance info)

The Vasa Tiara

Photos (clockwise from top left): Princess Astrid of Norway; Princess Astrid of Norway; Crown Princess Märtha of Norway; tiara detail; Princess Astrid of Norway


We've viewed some good and some perhaps not-so-good tiaras during our bonus week of Norwegian sparklers -- what do you say we close out the series with one of the ones I like the best? This is the Vasa Tiara, currently owned by the

The Napoleonic Cut Steel Tiara

Photos (clockwise from top left): tiara detail; Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnuson; Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden; Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld; Queen Silvia of Sweden


Crown Princess Victoria may not have attended this year's Nobel ceremony, but she did bust out a sparkler for the King's Dinner on Wednesday. Let's have a look at her tiara of choice: the Napoleonic Cut Steel

The Norwegian Gold Bandeau Tiara

Photos: Princess Astrid of Norway


Okay, let's get down to business here: while Princess Astrid of Norway is one of my favorite spunky royal ladies, she really got the short end of the stick when it came to some of her tiaras. While she does have some good pieces -- we've already talked about her turquoises, and stayed tuned tomorrow for a rather lovely piece from her collection -- she also

The Swedish Laurel Wreath Tiara

Photos (clockwise from left): Princess Lilian of Sweden; Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden (as necklace); Princess Lilian of Sweden; Princess Lilian of Sweden; Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden


One of the Swedish royal women who was a fixture at the Nobel ceremonies for decades is no longer with us: Princess Lilian, who died earlier this year at the impressive age of 97. In her honor, let's

The King Olav Gift Tiara

All photos: Princess Märtha Louise of Norway


We talked a few months ago about some of the tiaras that royal princesses had received for their eighteenth birthday. It's something of a Scandinavian tradition; Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine of Sweden each received one, as did each of the three Danish princesses (Margrethe, Benedikte, and Anne-Marie). Even a future Scandinavian

The Swedish Diamond Button Tiaras

Photos (clockwise from left): Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden (wearing the Six Button); Six Button detail; Princess Madeleine of Sweden (wearing the Four Button); Four Button detail


At yesterday's Nobel ceremony, the group of royal ladies in attendance was a bit smaller than usual. Crown Princess Victoria was away celebrating the life of the late Nelson Mandela, and Princess Madeleine, who

The Queen Maud Diamond Tiara

Photos (from left): Queen Maud of Norway; Princess Ragnhild of Norway; Queen Maud of Norway


For our bonus Norwegian tiara yesterday, we looked at the tiara that Princess Ragnhild inherited from her Danish grandmother; today, let's have a look at the important diamond tiara that she wore from the collection of her British grandmother, Queen Maud of Norway.


This tri-level diamond tiara was

The Napoleonic Amethyst Tiara

Photos (clockwise from left): Princess Madeleine of Sweden; Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden; Queen Silvia of Sweden, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden; Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld


The family that currently sits on the Swedish throne has genealogical ties to Swedish kings from centuries ago, but they're more immediately descended from French nobility. Because of this, the

The Boucheron Circle Tiara

All photos: Princess Ragnhild, Mrs. Lorentzen


While the Swedes are responsible for handing out the majority of the Nobel prizes, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded each year by their Scandinavian cousins, the Norwegians. Although Norway's Nobel ceremony is a much more low-key, daytime affair -- read: hats, not tiaras -- it's only right that we celebrate their jewels with a set of bonus tiaras,

The Nine-Prong Tiara

Photos (clockwise from top left): Queen Sofia of Sweden; Queen Louise of Sweden; Queen Silvia of Sweden; tiara detail; Queen Silvia of Sweden; Queen Sofia of Sweden


For Swedish royal jewel lovers, this week is one of the most important of the year. Tomorrow, the Bernadottes will dress up in their finest to honor the winners of this year's Nobel prizes, and it's quite possible that today's

Weekend Bonus: Romanian Greek Key Tiara

Crown Princess Margarita of Romania (born 1949) wears the Romanian Greek Key Tiara (click here for provenance info)

Weekend Bonus: The Romanov Pearl Kokoshnik Tiara

Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia (1872-1918) wears the Romanov Pearl Kokoshnik Tiara (click here for provenance info)

The Hesse Turquoise and Moonstone Tiara

Images (clockwise from left): Grand Duchess Eleonore of Hesse and by Rhine (portrait detail); tiara detail; tiara detail


Today's a pretty special tiara day, my dear magpies -- it's the final day of our week of turquoise sparklers, and it also happens to be my birthday! To share my birthday cheer with all of you, I thought I'd feature one of my personal favorite turquoise tiaras: the unusual

The Queen Maud Turquoise Tiara

All photos: Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner


For today's turquoise tiara fix, we turn our attention to the Norwegian royal jewel collection. Their heirloom turquoise and diamond tiara, which has roots in Britain, is worn today by the king's sister, Princess Astrid.



While this tiara is often identified with the first queen of modern independent Norway, Queen Maud, it actually goes back a

The Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Turquoise Tiara

Photos (clockwise from top left): Hereditary Princess Kelly of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; Princess Victoria Adelheid, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; Hereditary Princess Kelly of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; tiara detail


When you hear of princess and princesses of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, one very famous member of the family, Prince Albert, may be the first who springs to mind. But although the consort

The Persian Turquoise Tiara

Photos (clockwise from top left): Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom; Princess Margaret of the United Kingdom; Princess Margaret of the United Kingdom; tiara detail


When the Queen Mum married the Duke of York in 1923, the two of them never expected to become monarch and consort one day. But even the second lady of the land would have needed quite the jewel collection in those days, and

The de Tornos Turquoise Tiara

All photos: the Duchess of Vendôme

Even when you're marrying a royal groom who isn't technically royal anymore, you need a serious tiara. This is perhaps even more true when you're marrying the man who is the heir to the headship of the House of Orléans (and therefore will one day be one of the pretenders to the French throne). This turquoise and diamond tiara, the de Tornos Tiara, was the