The Court Jeweller

Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Diamond Tiara Tournament: Alexandra’s Kokoshnik vs City of London Fringe

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Our first contest is a battle of diamond fringes!

ARTHUR EDWARDS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images, Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik vs. The Kent City of London Fringe Tiara
ARTHUR EDWARDS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

This classic diamond tiara was inspired by a kokoshnik owned by Queen Alexandra’s beloved sister, Empress Marie Feodorovna of Russia. Alexandra received hers as a silver wedding present from a group of aristocratic women. Later worn by Queen Mary, it’s graced the Queen’s head since 1953, and has been a fixture at galas and state banquets during her reign.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Simple and delicate, this classic tiara is a textbook example of the traditional diamond fringe design. The tiara was a wedding gift from the City of London to Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent in 1934. Today, it belongs to Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, and it was most recently seen on their daughter, Lady Gabriella, on her wedding day.

The Diamonds Are Forever Tiara Tournament!

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Get excited magpies! It’s time for…

The Diamonds Are Forever Tiara Tournament!
Clockwise, from top left: Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik (ARTHUR EDWARDS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images), the Braganza Tiara (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images), the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara (Chris Jackson/Getty Images), and the Meiji Tiara (KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)

I’ve put together a roster of 64 all-diamond tiaras currently worn by reigning royals (and their family members) from around the world — and then ranked them and sorted them into a competitive tiara bracket! These are the top seeds, but really, I divided them into four tiers, with the 1-4 seeds in the first tier, the 5-8 seeds in the second tier, and so on. (And, as always, I’m excited to see how you vote in each contest, and which winner you pick!)

click to enlarge

Here’s a look at the full bracket; you can click to enlarge the image above, or you can download a PDF version at this link! Get excited: voting begins bright and early tomorrow!