The Court Jeweller

Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Scandi Sparkler Spectacular: And The Winner Is…!

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The votes have been tallied, and we have a tiara tournament champion!

Grand Ladies Site

It made its way from Munich to Stockholm with Josephine of Leuchtenberg…
Wikimedia Commons

…and was given to Victoria of Baden by King Oscar II and Queen Sofia…
Nationaal Archief/Wikimedia Commons

…and was worn with spirit by Queen Louise…
FRANK VAN BEEK/AFP/Getty Images

…and now sparkles on Queen Silvia!
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That’s right: the Leuchtenberg Sapphire Parure Tiara reigns supreme in this competition! It brought in a dominant 68.99% of the vote, while the Norwegian Emerald Parure Tiara was chosen by 31.01% of voters.
JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images

Thank you all so much for voting in this tiara tournament! I know how much you’ve enjoyed them, so never fear: we’ve got another one coming up shortly! Until then, I hope you enjoy the sparkling content I’ve got in store for you — think deep dives into important royal collections and shimmering state visit jewels…!

Scandi Sparkler Spectacular: The Championship!

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It’s time to pick a champion in our Scandinavian Sparkler Spectacular! But first, we’ve got our Final Four results!

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This tiara contest was dramatic, but thankfully not because of any tampering attempts this time around! The Norwegian Emerald Parure Tiara pulled off a win in a very close contest, winning with 50.11% of the vote, while the Danish Ruby Parure Tiara came in right on its heels with 49.89% of the vote! (Out of more than three thousand votes cast, only seven votes separated the two!)
JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images, Chris Jackson/Getty Images

This contest, by contrast, was a complete and total runaway! Though 20.91% of voters selected the Khedive of Egypt Tiara, the Leuchtenberg Sapphire Parure Tiara was triumphant with 79.09% of the vote! Astonishing!
And that means it’s time for our final contest of the tournament!
Chris Jackson/Getty Images, JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images

The Norwegian Emerald Parure Tiara vs. The Leuchtenberg Sapphire Parure Tiara

Chris Jackson/Getty Images


The most historic set of jewelry in the Norwegian vaults, this diamond and emerald parure has its roots in the earliest part of the nineteenth century. They were handed down from Princess Augusta, Duchess of Leuchtenberg, to her daughter, Empress Amelie of Brazil. She in turn bequeathed the set to her sister, Queen Josefina of Sweden and Norway, who left them to her daughter-in-law, Queen Sofia of Sweden. In 1931, Sofia passed the emeralds down to her own daughter-in-law, Princess Ingeborg of Sweden. She gave them to her daughter, Crown Princess Martha of Norway, to use as an insurance policy during her World War II exile. Happily, the family survived the war, and the emeralds remain with the main branch today, worn exuberantly by Queen Sonja.


JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images



One of several important suites of heirloom jewelry in the Bernadotte collection, the Leuchtenberg sapphires began their journey in Germany. They were a gift from Empress Josephine of France to her daughter-in-law, Princess Augusta, Duchess of Leuchtenberg. Augusta passed them to her daughter, Queen Josefina of Sweden and Norway, and they’ve been in the Swedish vaults ever since. In 1930, Queen Victoria of Sweden bequeathed them to the family jewel foundation, which means they cannot be sold. Today, they’re typically worn by the most senior woman in the royal family: presently, that’s Queen Silvia. The flexible diadem has been one of her favorite jewels throughout her decades as Sweden’s queen consort.
Stay tuned for the results of the tournament on Saturday!


Scandi Sparkler Spectacular: Leuchtenberg Sapphires vs Khedive of Egypt

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This match pairs up two tiaras with Swedish royal history!

JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images, Chris Jackson/Getty Images
The Leuchtenberg Sapphire Parure Tiara vs. The Khedive of Egypt Tiara
JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images
One of several important suites of heirloom jewelry in the Bernadotte collection, the Leuchtenberg sapphires began their journey in Germany. They were a gift from Empress Josephine of France to her daughter-in-law, Princess Augusta, Duchess of Leuchtenberg. Augusta passed them to her daughter, Queen Josefina of Sweden and Norway, and they’ve been in the Swedish vaults ever since. In 1930, Queen Victoria of Sweden bequeathed them to the family jewel foundation, which means they cannot be sold. Today, they’re typically worn by the most senior woman in the royal family: presently, that’s Queen Silvia. The flexible diadem has been one of her favorite jewels throughout her decades as Sweden’s queen consort.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
The diamond scroll tiara, made by Cartier, was Crown Princess Margareta of Sweden’s wedding gift from Khedive Abbas II of Egypt. The gift was especially sentimental, because Margareta and her husband, the future King Gustaf VI Adolf, had fallen in love in Cairo. The lovely jewel was able to be worn as a traditional tiara, or taken off the frame and worn as a corsage ornament. When Margaret died, the tiara was inherited by her only daughter, Queen Ingrid of Denmark. All three of Ingrid’s daughters, as well as three of her granddaughters, have worn the tiara on their wedding days. When Ingrid died in 2000, the tiara was bequeathed to her youngest daughter, the former Queen Anne-Marie of Greece. She continues to wear the jewel (and lend it to other family members) today.