Diamond Tiara Tournament: Vladimir (Widowed) vs Stuart

Will it be the heirloom Romanov sparkler or the priceless Dutch diamond tiara?

Though this classic Romanov tiara is most recognizable with its pearl or emerald pendants, the sparkler can be worn in an all-diamond “widowed” version as well. Originally part of the collection of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia (wife of Grand Duke Vladimir), the tiara was smuggled out of the country during the revolution and later purchased by Queen Mary. The Queen, who inherited the tiara from Queen Mary in 1953, wears it in the all-diamond form on occasion.

This grand Dutch royal tiara dates to 1897, but the biggest diamond in it, the forty-carat Stuart Diamond, has been in royal hands since the seventeenth century. The sparkler was a favorite of the late Queen Juliana, and in recent years, Queen Maxima has begun wearing in public, too.