Tiaras and hair ornaments Archives

Art Deco diamond hair ornament, Cartier.

November 30, 2012

I just showed this to my boyfriend and the following conversation happened:

Me: “Look!! People used to wear this on their heads!”
Him: “Yeah, I could see you doing that.”

Art Deco diamond hair ornament by Cartier, circa 1930. Via Diamonds in the Library.

I cannot imagine any reason to not wear something like this on your head.

This spectacular Art Deco diamond hair ornament was created by Cartier in 1930. It was designed as two posies of leaves, ribbons, scrolls, and flowerheads set en tremblant and is set throughout with cushion-shaped and circular-cut, rose, and baguette diamonds. It is signed Cartier, London, and I love it with all of my heart.

This Art Deco diamond hair ornament was sold in Sotheby’s May 2012 Magnificent Jewels sale. All images and info are thanks to Sotheby’s.

Magnificent and rare emerald and diamond tiara.

November 21, 2012

That title is straight from the Sotheby’s auction, but it was so appropriate that I couldn’t bring myself to edit it. You should be sitting down before you look at this this emerald and diamond tiara. And breathing deeply. Ready?

Detail: Magnificent and rare antique emerald and diamond tiara. Via Diamonds in the Library.

This incredibly beautiful, impossibly stunning emerald and diamond tiara was previously owned by a bona fide princess, Princess Katharina Henckel Von Donnersmarck.

[Image source.]

Try not to drool on your keyboard, it’s bad for the keys and you’re going to want to scroll down to see the rest of the pictures.

Magnificent and rare antique emerald and diamond royal tiara. Via Diamonds in the Library.

This emerald and diamond tiara is of foliate and floral inspiration. The base is set with a central row of eleven large cushion-shaped diamonds, each collet set between pairs of muguets (aka Lily of the Valley). Below this row is a line of laurel leaf motifs and above it are festooned ribbons, all pierced and millegrain set throughout with rose and brilliant-cut diamonds.

Alternate view: Magnificent and rare emerald and diamond tiara. Via Diamonds in the Library.

The tiara is surmounted by a row of eleven polished pear-shaped emeralds, totaling approximately 500 carats, graduated in size from the center, each emerald drilled and held in diamond set cusp motifs, the nine largest tipped by rose diamonds, mounted in silver and gold. The emeralds are detachable.

Spectacular, yes?

This to-die for emerald and diamond tiara was sold in Sotheby’s May 2011 Magnificent and Noble Jewels sale for a record-breaking $11,912,064 . All images and info are thanks to Sotheby’s unless otherwise noted.

Amazing Art Deco tiara by Cartier.

November 9, 2012

I’ve never seen another tiara quite like this Art Deco tiara by Cartier.

What makes it so remarkable, in my opinion, is the pear-shaped diamonds dangling on it like ornaments on a Christmas tree. How sumptuous, all of those diamonds trembling at the ends of the diamond-set scrolls. Such casual luxury.

Like many of my favorite things, this tiara was designed by Cartier in the 1920’s. The tiara is designed as a series of graduated diamond-set scrolls, each suspending pear-shaped diamond flexible pendants. It centers upon a lozenge-shaped diamond. Christie’s does not give a total carat weight, which is a shame, because I’m very curious. The piece is signed Cartier London and comes in a red leather Cartier case.

This Art Deco tiara by Cartier was listed in Christie’s November 2012 Magnificent Jewels sale. All images and info are thanks to Christie’s.

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