Time for a perennial love it or hate it tiara…the Swedish Cameo Tiara. This one dates back to the coronation of Napoleon, apparently made for Josephine by the court’s jeweler Marie-Étienne Nitot.
Upon Josephine’s death in 1814, it seems her son, Eugene inherits the tiara. Eugene was later created Duke of Leuchtenberg by his father in law, King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria. Eugene’s eldest daughter, Josephine, married Crown Prince Oscar of Sweden, with the Cameos accompanying her to Sweden. They then take a winding trip through the Swedish Royal Family: from Josefina to her daughter Eugenie; Eugenie to her nephew Eugen (who loaned them to Crown Princess Margareta); and then Eugen to Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha as a wedding present.
Two of Sibylla’s daughters wore the tiara for their weddings, as well as the current Queen Silvia and Crown Princess Victoria.
The Case For the Tiara
LuckeyGirl: This one did take me a while to warm up to. While never actively hating it, it was one of those “oh…that tiara” ones. Until Victoria wore it on her wedding day. It was absolute perfection with her wedding gown, and became a firm favorite; I even started liking it in previously outings (except Silvia’s wedding look…still don’t like that one). The history is one of the draws, but I love the idea of a tiara with nary a diamond (yes, I love the Cut Steel too…oh, future post…).
The Handbag: I love it. It is my favorite tiara. Is it intrinsically pretty? Hmmmmm, well you have to love cameos and gold and that is a hard sell. I love it because it is history in jewelry form – come on, it dates back to Napoleon. I also love that it is distinctive, that it comes with an awesome whatever-you-call-it parure (you can tell I am not the jewelry expert around here), and that is a challenge to wear. I still maintain that the one truly successful contemporary outing was on Vickan’s head, at her wedding.
The Case Against the Tiara
LiL: DISCLAIMER: Written prior to my complete Cameo tiara awakening. You aaaall think you know where this is headed, right? Not so fast. I mean, yeah, I still don’t care for it, but…BUT. I don’t hate it anymore. That’s something, right? I think it’s all of the photoshops I’ve done of it over the years that has softened my opinion. I really love it “on” Maddie and Sofia. So yeah, not a hard pass anymore. More of a “If I have to, okay. But don’t expect me to wear it all the time.”
OC: This was a tough one for me, but overall it’s a no. Victoria SLAYED on her wedding day, and the history on this piece alone should put me in the Yes column but I just can’t. The gold and the mismatching of the cameo colors with seed pearls makes me bonkers. I only want to see it in photos of Victoria’s wedding. The parure is also generally hideous.
Now for the fun…love it or leave it?