The Court Jeweller

Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Diamond Tiara Tournament: Meiji vs Baumer Aigrette

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Will it be the classic Japanese sparkler or the modern Monegasque aigrette?

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The Meiji Tiara vs. The Baumer Aigrette
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This classic diamond tiara was the first important Western-style diadem worn by the Empresses of Japan. Since the late nineteenth century, all Japanese empresses have worn the tiara, which has a set of interchangeable round and star diamond toppers. Today, the tiara is worn by Empress Masako.
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Prince Albert II of Monaco commissioned this all-diamond aigrette for his new wife, Princess Charlene, in 2011. The tiara’s creator, Lorenz Bäumer, took his inspiration from Charlene’s aquatic prowess and the principality’s maritime location, creating an aigrette that resembles the spray rising off of a cresting wave. Charlene has worn the aigrette only once so far in public: at her wedding reception, held after her religious wedding ceremony.

Diamond Tiara Tournament: Week One Results!

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The results from our first week of voting are in!

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We began the week with a diamond fringe-off! Though the Kent City of London Fringe pulled in 26.75% of the vote, Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik triumphed with 73.2%.
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This contest matched up beloved tiaras from the Spanish and Dutch royal vaults. The Dutch Diamond Bandeau flexed its heavyweight wattage, winning with 57.58% of your votes, while 42.42% of you selected the Spanish Floral Tiara.
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Two modern diamond sparklers were paired up here! Though Queen Noor’s Diamond Tiara brought in a very respectable 47.61% of the vote, Princess Sibilla’s Diamond Tiara was the winner with 52.39% of your votes.
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It was diamond buttons versus diamond scrolls in this match-up! The Belgian Scroll Tiara was the clear winner, raking in 77.71% of the vote, while the Swedish Six Button Tiara was selected by 22.29% of voters.
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This was a diamond floral battle! The Savoy-Aosta Tiara garnered 27.47% of your votes, but 72.53% of you chose the Dutch Laurel Wreath Tiara as the winner.
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Upset alert! Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau was the winner in this match-up with 59.86% of the vote, knocking out the region’s #3 seed, the Khedive of Egypt Tiara (which was chosen by 40.14% of voters).
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Two classic royal wedding tiaras were paired up in this contest! Though Queen Elisabeth’s Art Deco Bandeau was selected by 25.53% of voters, Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara won the day with 74.47% of the vote.
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images, Keystone Press/Alamy
Our final contest of the week matched up tiaras from Denmark and Monaco! The Danish Floral Aigrette was the runaway winner in this match-up, winning 80.39% of the vote, while 19.61% of voters chose Princess Grace’s Diamond Tiara.
We’ll have more voting tomorrow, and more lovely jewels to enjoy later today!

Diamond Tiara Tournament: Floral Aigrette vs Grace’s Diamond

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Our final contest of the week features tiaras from Denmark and Monaco!

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The Danish Floral Aigrette vs. Princess Grace’s Diamond Tiara
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Some believe that this incredible, flexible floral ornament originally belonged to Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia, grandmother of King Frederik IX. We know for sure, though, that in the 1960s it belonged to a famous Danish-American tenor, Lauritz Melchior. He sold it to King Frederik in 1963, and it’s been sparkling on the heads of Queen Ingrid and Queen Margrethe II ever since. Queen Margrethe is especially inventive in the ways she wears the three-sectioned tiara.
Keystone Press/Alamy

This understated tiara features more than two hundred diamonds in its festoon design. Worn by Princess Grace of Monaco throughout her life, the tiara popped up often at galas and state dinners. It may even have been the one worn by Princess Caroline on the eve of her first wedding. Today, the tiara is still part of the Monegasque princely jewelry collection.
Stay tuned — we’ll have the results of this week’s votes on Sunday (and more sparkle in the meantime!)