The Official Tiara Gallery
Alright, it is only my little gallery but I thought now was the
moment to ponder some of the beautiful tiaras that
have graced aristocratic heads at royal occasions.
The Royal Wedding may well add frisson to the
upcoming sale at Sotheby's of
the glorious emerald drop tiara that once belonged to Princess
Katharina Henckel von Donnersmarck. The tiara has
evolved from humble wreaths of leaves and flowers
worn at religious ceremonies to splendid symbols of powers in which
the most magnificent jewels are displayed, shedding a cascade of
almost magical light on the wearer. In the last few decades, tiaras
have began to fade out but the grandest of families still have a
few gathering dust in the safe. Most tiaras are made so that they
can be taken apart and the jewels worn separately on less grand
occasions. Tiaras are still made today by the oldest jewellery
houses such as Chaumet, Boucheron, Cartier, Garrard and
Van Cleef & Arpels, that have maintained the tradition
despite dwindling interest. It is no surprise that countries such
as Japan and the Middle East who have a monarchy are still markets
for these head ornaments. As Catherine Middleton
steps out of her car and into Westminster Abbey, all eyes will be
fixed on her head and which tiara she is
wearing.
