Diamond Tiara Tournament: Connaught Diamond vs Luxembourg Empire

Will it be the delicate Swedish sparkler or the imposing Luxembourgish diadem?

This floral diamond tiara was Crown Princess Margareta of Sweden’s wedding gift from her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught. The piece is endlessly convertible, able to be worn as a tiara or in two different necklace settings. After her death, the tiara was inherited by her eldest son, Prince Gustaf Adolf. It became the favorite tiara of his wife, Princess Sibylla, and the family still sentimentally associates the tiara with Sibylla. Today, it remains in the royal vaults, and you’ll often see it worn by Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, Princess Madeleine, and Princess Christina.

This sparkler, which is owned by the grand ducal family of Luxembourg and likely dates to the 1820s, is a massive diamond fortress of a tiara. Because of its size, the all-diamond tiara has plenty of room for the incorporation of numerous motifs, including geometric, anthemion, and scroll designs. The tiara is reserved for the use of the grand duchess, and it’s currently worn by Grand Duchess Maria Teresa.