Author: LuckeyGirl

While I haven't been into the royal world as long as others, I have jumped in feet first! Fave families are the Scandis: Swedish, Danish and Norwegian, but I'll gladly go anywhere fabulous clothes and amazing jewels take me. Apparently I am the expert on tiaras, orders, sashes, history and the Monegasque Princely Family...
In Defense of the Tiara – The Dutch Pearl Button
Tiaras

In Defense of the Tiara – The Dutch Pearl Button

LuckeyGirlLeave a comment

For our next face off, we’re doing some convertible tiaras. From a little convertible, like today’s to some that have more options than you can count!

Today though we are focusing on a tiara that was converted from a vault fave to a very special wedding tiara: The Dutch Pearl Button.

The original tiara

The History

It is thought that the base of the tiara once belonged to Queen Sophie, but while the design is close, it’s not exact.

The buttons of this tiara started as small brooches that also belonged to Queen Sophie.

However the pieces started life, they came together in 1967 for Princess Margriet to wear for her wedding to Pieter van Vollenhoven.

The tiara also played a part in Queen Beatrix’s inauguration.

It was worn by various members of the Royal Family, through the 80s and 90s, and the base was used to created Máxima Zorreguieta’s wedding tiara. The stars for Máxima’s tiara came from the Royal Vault; they are 10-point diamond stars brooches that once belonged to Queen Emma.

The Case for the Tiara

LG: While the original design of this piece doesn’t “wow” me, it’s a good piece for any Royal Vault: good size, pearls, diamonds, and seems to work on everyone. That said, Max’s version of this one is one of my Top 5 Wedding Tiaras (oh…there’s an idea for a post…). She looked stunning, and managed to take a very standard tiara and make it her own.

The Handbag: I love it, particularly in the star format. I like the space and airyness of it, if you can call something so laden with pearls and diamonds and design airy. It is also a great match to the two major wearers, Oma and Max. Not easy, since both are strong but different personalities.

The Case against the Tiara

OC: This is not my favorite piece in the Dutch vault. I appreciate how it can be changed around and I prefer the star version. That being said, it leaves something to be desired in overall design. Perhaps it is the size of the toppers which require spacing that isn’t appealing to me?

LiL: I don’t know. I like it with the stars, and I like it on darker hair, especially the way Princess Margriet has it styled. But it sort of all falls apart on blondes. So unless it’s earmarked for “Middle A”, I’m going to have to pass.

What are your thoughts on the Dutch Pearl Button Tiara?
Vote
Battle of the Tiaras – Daughter-In-Law Edition
Tiaras

Battle of the Tiaras – Daughter-In-Law Edition

LuckeyGirlLeave a comment

The last few weeks we’ve run down a few of the tiaras given to some royal daughters-in-law. Time to see which is your favorite!

The Alexandrine Diamond Drop Tiara

Catch up on it’s history and poll results here.

The York Diamond Tiara

Catch up on it’s history and poll results here.

The Diamond Daisy Tiara

Catch up on it’s history and poll results here.

Which tiara is your favorite?
VoteResults
In Defense of the Tiara – The Diamond Daisy Tiara
Tiaras

In Defense of the Tiara – The Diamond Daisy Tiara

LuckeyGirlLeave a comment

For our last entry in this series of “daughter in law” tiaras, we are focusing on the Diamond Daisy Tiara that Mette-Marit wore for her wedding.

The History

This tiara of daisies surrounded by scalloped circles, was made in 1910 and was given to Mette-Marit by King Harald and Queen Sonja. It is believed to have been made by Garrard.

For the 1999 movie, An Ideal Husband, Cate Blanchett either wore either this tiara or a duplicate. Since the movie was released two years prior to the wedding, it may indeed be the same tiara. As Garrard’s provides loans to movie makers, and has sold jewelry to the Norwegians in the past, it is likely the tiara came from them.

In the years after the wedding, this has become Mette-Marit’s most worn tiara, although she has worn others from the vault as well.

The Case for the Tiara

LiL: I LOVE this tiara. Would I like to see her shake it up a bit, and branch out more often? Sure. But this is so HER, that I can’t complain too much.

The Handbag: Can a tiara be low-key? If so, this is it. It is lovely. Feminine. Very MM, and will be suitable for Ingrid Alexandra when the time comes. It is so…..Norwegian. It never shouts, it whispers.

LG: I’m not usually one for smaller tiaras, but this one is gorgeous. It is perfectly suited for our Norwegian Crown Princess, and will one day suit Ingrid Alexandra as well.

The Case against the Tiara

OC: As part of MM’s reimaging campaign, this piece cannot be beat. However, this is not the tiara of a Crown Princess, but rather her daughter coming of age.

What do you think of MM's tiara?
VoteResults
In Defense of the Tiara – The York Diamond Tiara
Tiaras

In Defense of the Tiara – The York Diamond Tiara

LuckeyGirlLeave a comment

For the next in our series of “daughter in law” tiaras, we have the York Diamond Tiara.

The History

This tiara became part of royal history on July 23, 1986 when Prince Andrew married Sarah Ferguson. Sarah entered Westminster Abbey wearing a floral arrangement headband to anchor her veil. During the registry signing, and away from photographer’s eyes, the flowers and blusher veil were removed to reveal this tiara.

The tiara was originally believed to have been a loan from a family friend, but shortly enough Buckingham Palace revealed that it was indeed a present, purchased for Sarah by Queen Elizabeth II. The tiara is designed as a series of leafy scrolls and collets of diamonds set in platinum.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh also gifted their new daughter-in-law a demi-parure, including a necklace, earrings and a bracelet.

Sadly, Andrew and Sarah’s marriage didn’t last and they divorced in 1996. Sarah did get to keep her tiara, and has worn it since. Most memorably to Elton John’s White Tie and Tiaras charity ball in 2001.

Many of us thought that when Eugenie married last fall, she would wear her mother’s tiara. We’ll have to wait and see if Beatrice wears the York Tiara for her wedding.

The Case for the Tiara

LiL: I like this one and always have. It’s a good size for the wife of the second son, and since it’s all diamonds on platinum it goes with everything. And although I promised myself going in to this review that I’d keep my mouth shut, I just can’t. THOSE FLOWERS ON HER HEAD ARE TRAGIC! It has ruined “flowers on the head” for me in almost every case since.

The Handbag: I always associate this with eighties excess and when I came over to scrutinize it I was all ready to be an against. Much to my surprise, it is actually a pretty and classic design and I find myself being an energetic “for” instead. Sarah never looked better than when she revealed this on her wedding day.

The Case against the Tiara

OC: It’s ok, nothing special. I think the tapering of size bugs me the most. As a child, I loved the reveal when they came out of the registry. There was no earthly reason a loan from the vaults couldn’t have been made and this purchase is a symbolic diss.

LG: Fully agree with OC here. I wouldn’t turn it down if offered, but it’s nothing special. The tapering doesn’t really bother me, but the too tall spike on the front does.

What to you think of the York Tiara?
VoteResults
In Defense of the Tiara – Alexandrine Diamond Drop
Denmark · Tiaras

In Defense of the Tiara – Alexandrine Diamond Drop

LuckeyGirlLeave a comment

For our next face-off we’re going with tiaras that were gifted to the brides by their new in-laws. These can either be from the vaults, as today’s is, or newly purchased. Let’s jump in!

Not a great shot of the tiara, I know, but c’mon…that’s a fab pic!
Better? 🙂

The History

This one entered the Danish vault around the turn of the last century courtesy of Queen Alexandrine. We’re not sure of the exact provenance, some saying it was made in Paris around 1912, others saying it was Alexandrine’s own 18th birthday tiara, but there’s no solid evidence either way.

What we do know is that when Queen Alexandrine passed away in 1952 this tiara was inherited by her son, King Frederik IX. Six years later Frederik presented the tiara to Princess Margrethe as her 18th birthday tiara.

As usually happens, after King Frederik’s death and Margrethe’s accession this tiara was chosen less and less as the new Queen had access to the entire jewelry vault. But it was given new life in 1995, when Prince Joachim married Alexandra Manley. Alexandra wore this tiara on her wedding day, and for all tiara events afterward, as it was her only tiara.

The Case for the Tiara

OC: I like this piece on craftsmanship alone. In another community I had mentioned I thought it looked like water droplets on spider webs and I imagine it’s difficult to achieve that using rocks. I appreciate its symmetry.

The Handbag: I love this. No one can tell me it isn’t a beautiful, twinkly thing. I think it must be nestled in the hair, and when Alex was a princess she obliged us by doing so, often. It cannot be perched. That ruins it.

The Case against the Tiara

LiL: Not a fan. I mean, it’s okaaaay, but there are others out there that do a much better job of looking like water droplets on spider webs.

LG: It’s pretty enough, but once I read “water drops on spider webs” I was done… Any tiara described as looking like spider webs is no tiara for me. Although, Alexandra wears it extremely well.

So…what do you guys think?

What are your thoughts on the Alexandrine Diamond Drop Tiara?
VoteResults