The Daily Diadem: The Schleswig-Holstein Honeysuckle Tiara

The Schleswig-Holstein Honeysuckle Tiara
(Image licensed to The Court Jeweller; DO NOT REPRODUCE.)

Princess Helena Victoria (born Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein) wears her diamond honeysuckle tiara in a portrait, probably taken ca. the 1937 coronation

Jewels on Film: VICTORIA (Episode 3, "The Clockwork Prince")

Time for another bejeweled recap of Masterpiece's Victoria, everybody! If you've missed any previous posts, head over here for a refresher.

The Daily Diadem: Queen Maud's Pearl Tiara

Queen Maud's Pearl Tiara (Grand Ladies Site)

Queen Maud of Norway (born Princess Maud of Wales) wears her diamond and pearl tiara in a portrait, ca. 1905

Hollywood Royalty: Jewels of the 2017 SAG Awards

The cast of Hidden Figures celebrates at the SAG Awards (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Time for another red carpet jewelry rundown, magpies! Here's a look at some of my favorite jewels worn at last night's Screen Actors Guild Awards.

14 of the Biggest Royal Diamonds

The Dresden Green Diamond (NORBERT MILLAUER/AFP/Getty Images)

As January draws to a close, it's only right that we have one last major celebration of the iciest of all gemstones, the diamond. Today, we're looking at fourteen of the largest diamonds from royal collections around the world. Some are still owned by royals today, while others have ended up in other hands, but they all have one thing in common: major, major sparkle.

The Daily Diadem: Princess Victoria's Floral Tiara

Princess Victoria's Floral Tiara (Wikimedia Commons)

Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom wears a diamond floral tiara in a portrait taken in 1905

Sundays with Victoria: The Fringe Brooch

Queen Victoria wears the jewel in a state portrait by Winterhalter, ca. 1859 (Wikimedia Commons)

One of the grandest, most glittering ornaments in Queen Victoria's collection was today's diamond fringe brooch -- but, believe it or not, it used to be even grander!

The Daily Diadem: Princess Louise's Forget-Me-Not Tiara

Princess Louise's Forget-Me-Not Tiara (Wikimedia Commons)

Princess Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife wears her diamond forget-me-not tiara in a portrait taken in 1905

Queen Rania's Boucheron Bracelet Tiara

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

We talk about lots of tiaras on this blog that can be converted into other pieces of jewelry. Generally, tiaras are transformable into necklaces or brooches. But today’s small tiara is one of the few sparklers that can be worn as either a tiara or a bracelet.

The Daily Diadem: Princess Irene's Diamond Tiara

Princess Irene's Diamond Tiara (Grand Ladies Site)

Princess Irene of Prussia (nee Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine) wears a diamond tiara, ca. 1890s

This Week in Royal Jewels: January 20-26

January 20-26, 2017

Earrings, brooches, and tiaras galore this week! Don't forget to vote for your favorites in the poll below!

Stephen Pond/Getty Images

10. The Duchess of Cambridge chose her morganite drop earrings from Kiki McDonough for a visit to the East Anglia's Children's Hospice at Quidenham on Tuesday.

The Daily Diadem: Princess Viktoria's Kokoshnik

Princess Viktoria's Kokoshnik (Grand Ladies Site)

Princess Viktoria of Schaumburg-Lippe (born Princess Viktoria "Moretta" of Prussia) wears a kokoshnik-style tiara in a portrait, ca. 1908

Queen Letizia Earring Roundup

Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images

Time for a survey of the casual, daytime jewels that the always-elegant Queen Letizia of Spain has been wearing this week. (And we've got a bonus queenly appearance, too!)

Royal Replicas Hit the Runway in Paris

ALAIN JOCARD/AFP/Getty Images

Designers are showing off haute couture creations in Paris this week, and on one runway, replicas of royal tiaras were included in the show. Here's a look at some of the replica tiaras used by Alexis Mabille in his 2017 Spring/Summer collection.

The Daily Diadem: Grand Duchess Ella's Emerald-Studded Kokoshnik

Grand Duchess Ella's Emerald-Studded Kokoshnik (Wikimedia Commons)

Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna of Russia (born Princess Ella of Hesse and by Rhine) wears a fabric kokoshnik studded with emeralds for a portrait, ca. 1885

State Visit Jewels: Icelandic Visit to Denmark

The Icelandic visit to Denmark (SISSE STROYER/AFP/Getty Images)

Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik of Denmark welcomed the President and First Lady of Iceland to Copenhagen yesterday, and Margarethe pulled out some of her most modern jewels for the occasion.

The Daily Diadem: Queen Victoria's Emerald and Diamond Tiara

Queen Victoria's Emerald and Diamond Tiara (Grand Ladies Site)

Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine (later Victoria Mountbatten, Marchioness of Milford Haven) wears a diamond and emerald tiara borrowed from her grandmother, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, for a costumed event

Jewels on Film: VICTORIA (Episode 2, "Brocket Hall")

Time for another round of the latest royal soap opera adaptation, Victoria, which is currently airing on Sunday nights on PBS in the States. It's all weddings, Chartists, and costume balls in this episode...

The Daily Diadem: Duchess Charlotte's Kokoshnik

Duchess Charlotte's Kokoshnik (Wikimedia Commons)

Duchess Charlotte of Saxe-Meiningen (born Princess Charlotte of Prussia) is depicted wearing a jeweled kokoshnik in a portrait by Philip de Laszlo, ca. 1890s

Bejeweled Close-Ups: The Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace

The Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace, photographed in 2007 during the Buckingham Palace Summer Exhibition [Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images]

One of the grandest pieces of royal jewelry worn so far by the Duchess of Cambridge is the Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace. The Queen loaned the necklace, which was one of her wedding gifts in 1947, to Kate for a reception at the National Portrait Gallery in 2014. Today, I've got some interesting close-up views of the necklace, which was made by Cartier. The intricate design of this piece can sometimes get lost, but these closer shots show just how complicated and interesting the necklace's setting really is. Enjoy!

The Daily Diadem: The Savoy-Aosta Tiara

The Savoy-Aosta Tiara (Mark Renders/Getty Images)

Princess Astrid of Belgium wears the Savoy-Aosta Tiara at a state banquet for the President of Portugal, October 2005

Sundays with Victoria: The Turkish Diamonds

Winterhalter's 1847 portrait of Queen Victoria in her wedding gown and jewels; the painting was an anniversary gift for Prince Albert

Last week, we chatted about the classic diamond and sapphire brooch that Queen Victoria wore on her wedding day. Today, we're looking at her other sparkling wedding jewels: the Turkish diamond necklace and earrings.

The Daily Diadem: The Belgian Scroll Tiara

The Belgian Scroll Tiara (Cour Grand-Ducale)

Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlote of Luxembourg (born Princess Josephine-Charlotte of Belgium) wears the Belgian Scroll Tiara in an official court portrait, ca. 1950s

The Wolfers Tiara

The Wolfers Tiara, worn by Queen Mathilde of the Belgians
[Adam Nurkiewicz/Getty Images]

The Belgians may not have extensive jewel vaults, but there are tiaras in the royal family’s possession that are reserved primarily for queens. The main one is the Nine Provinces Tiara, but there are a few more tiaras that have also only been worn by queens. Today, let’s have a look at one that was created by a Belgian jeweler, the Wolfers Tiara.

The Daily Diadem: Queen Margherita's Musy Tiara

Queen Margherita's Musy Tiara (Wikimedia Comons)

Queen Marie-José of Italy (born Princess Marie-José of Belgium) wears Queen Margherita's Musy Tiara in a portrait

This Week in Royal Jewels: January 13-19

January 13-19, 2017

We've got a queen-heavy royal jewel roundup this week! Don't forget to vote for your favorites in the poll below!

(STEFAN WERMUTH/AFP/Getty Images)

10. The Duchess of Cambridge wore her Oscar de la Renta earrings to outline the new Heads Together agenda for 2017 in London on Tuesday.

The Daily Diadem: Princess Clementine's Pearl Tiara

Princess Clementine's Pearl Tiara (Grand Ladies Site)

Clémentine, Princess Napoleon (born Princess Clémentine of Belgium) wears a tiara topped with pear-shaped pearls in a portrait, ca. 1914

Jewels on Film: VICTORIA (Episode 1, Part 2: "Ladies in Waiting")

Time for another bejeweled peek into the world of Masterpiece's Victoria, everybody! Although PBS ran the first two episodes of the series as one long, two-hour block on Sunday, we've divided them up here. Today we're looking at the second half, which aired as the episode "Ladies in Waiting" in the UK.

The Daily Diadem: Crown Princess Stephanie's Fleur-de-Lis Tiara

Crown Princess Stephanie's Fleur-de-Lis Tiara (Wikimedia Commons)

Crown Princess Stéphanie of Austria (born Princess Stéphanie of Belgium) wears an elaborate tiara with a fleur-de-lis design in a late nineteenth-century portrait

Jewels on Film: VICTORIA (Episode 1, Part 1: "Doll 123")

Time for our first bejeweled recap of the Masterpiece series Victoria, everyone! (The show aired last fall in the United Kingdom and some other countries, but it didn't premiere until this week in the USA.) This show is a little ridiculous, guys -- it plays so fast and loose with the source material that sometimes I felt like they should have just named the main character "Queen Schmictoria." But it's sort of entertaining, and we've got a couple of interesting jewel moments on tap. Put on your Suspension of Historical Disbelief hats, and get ready to critique some costume jewels!

The Daily Diadem: Princess Louise's Tiara

Princess Louise's Tiara (Grand Ladies Site)

Princess Louise of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (born Princess Louise of Belgium) wears a tiara in a portrait, ca. 1894

On the Block: Gunnila's Tiara Sold

Countess Gunnila Bernadotte's Tiara (Wikimedia Commons)

The lily of the valley aigrette that belonged to the late Countess Gunnila Bernadotte sold at auction at Bukowski's in Stockholm.

Jewel History: Tiaras of the Princess Royal's Wedding (1858)

Prince Friedrich of Prussia and the Princess Royal on their wedding day (Detail, John Phillip's The Marriage of Victoria, Princess Royal)
[Wikimedia Commons]

"Tiaras of the Princess Royal's Wedding"

(originally appeared in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 11 Feb 1858)

The Princess Royal, eldest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, married Prince Friedrich of Prussia on January 25, 1858. This is a newspaper report, syndicated from the Times of London, that describes the dresses and jewels worn at the wedding by the ladies of the royal family.

From the Phillip painting: Queen Victoria with several her younger children
[Wikimedia Commons]

The train and body of Her Majesty's [1] dress were composed of rich mauve (lilac) velvet trimmed with three rows of lace, the corsage ornamented with diamonds, and the celebrated Koh-i-Noor [2] as a brooch. The petticoat mauve and silver moire trimmed with a deep flounce of Honiton lace. The head dress, a royal diadem of diamonds and pearls [3].

The Daily Diadem: Empress Carlota's Diamond Tiara

Empress Carlota's Diamond Tiara (Wikimedia Commons)

Empress Carlota of Mexico (born Princess Charlotte of Belgium) is depicted wearing a diamond tiara in a portrait by Santiago Rebull, ca. 1867

The Lotus Flower Tiara

Detail from a colorized portrait of the Queen Mother wearing the tiara, ca. 1925
[Wikimedia Commons]

Last week, we ranked 35 of the best jewels worn so far by the Duchess of Cambridge, who recently celebrated her 35th birthday. Here's a more in-depth look at the top jewel on that list: the Lotus Flower Tiara.

The Daily Diadem: Queen Louise's Coronet

Queen Louise's Coronet (Grand Ladies Site)

Queen Louise of Belgium is depicted wearing a small diamond coronet in a portrait by Gustaaf Wappers

Sundays with Victoria: The Albert Brooch

Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom recreates her wedding outfit, including the Albert Brooch, for an 1847 portrait by Winterhalter
[Wikimedia Commons]

With tonight's debut of Victoria on PBS, many Americans are about to be sucked in to a dramatic retelling of Queen Victoria's early life. I'll be recapping the jewels of the series every week here on the blog (and live-tweeting over on Twitter!), but in the meantime, I'll also be showcasing some of the real pieces from Victoria's jewelry box. We're starting today with one of her most famous jewels: the Albert Brooch.

The Daily Diadem: Marie Henriette's Diamond Tiara

Marie Henriette's Diamond Tiara (Grand Ladies Site)

Queen Marie Henriette of Belgium wears a small diamond tiara in a postcard portrait

The Pearl Poire Tiara

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark wears the Pearl Poire Tiara as she celebrates her Ruby Jubilee at Christiansborg Palace, January 2012
[Chris Jackson/Getty Images]

Denmark is perhaps one of the most tiara-rich countries in Europe, but even among their large cache of sparklers, a few tiaras stand out as particularly historically important. One of these, the Pearl Poiré Tiara, highlights the maternal heritage of the country's current monarch.

35 of Kate's Best Jewels: 1-7

(Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool /Getty Images)

Time for the sparkliest and brightest pieces in our countdown of 35 of Kate's Best Jewels!

The Daily Diadem: Queen Elisabeth's Cartier Bandeau

Queen Elisabeth's Cartier Bandeau (Grand Ladies Site)

Queen Elisabeth of Belgium wears her Cartier bandeau in a portrait

This Week in Royal Jewels: January 6-12

January 6-12, 2017

The big bejeweled events of the new year have given way to more casual pieces, but we still have some glitter to enjoy. Don't forget to vote in the weekly poll!

(JOHN THYS/AFP/Getty Images)

10. Grand Duchess Maria Teresa wore a simple gold necklace and her wedding ring to welcome Angela Merkel to Luxembourg on Thursday.

35 of Kate's Best Jewels: 8-14

(Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

We're getting to the good stuff now! Here's the penultimate section of our countdown of 35 of Kate's best jewels...

The Daily Diadem: The Nine Provinces Tiara

The Nine Provinces Tiara (Wikimedia Commons)

Queen Astrid of Belgium wears the Nine Provinces Tiara, ca. 1928

Reader Mailbag: Lots of Glittery Goodness!

(Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images, Sotheby's screencap, SVT screencap)

Here's a bit of a hodge-podge post for your Thursday morning, featuring bits and bobs of jewelry news sent in to me by some of the fabulous magpies who read the blog. Enjoy! (And if you come across a story that you think the readers here at TCJ would love, send it along to my email inbox!)

35 of Kate's Best Jewels: 15-21

(Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

We're halfway through our birthday celebration countdown of 35 of Kate's Best Jewels! The sparkle's starting to amp up...