Queen Noor's Diamond Tiara

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Queen Noor of Jordan celebrates her birthday today, and we're celebrating along with her by featuring her intriguing diamond tiara.

The Daily Diadem: Queen Victoria's Sunray Fringe Tiara

Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom wears her sunray fringe tiara in a portrait taken ca. 1897 to mark her Diamond Jubilee; the tiara was later inherited by her youngest daughter, Princess Beatrice

Jewel History: Crown Jewels Burglar Alarm Sets Off Security Tizzy (1958)

Entrance to the Jewel House at the Tower of London, April 2017 (Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

"Crown Jewels Burglar Alarm Sets Off Security Tizzy"

(originally appeared in the Ottawa Journal, 22 Aug 1958)

LONDON, Aug. 22 -- The boss at the Tower of London confessed to Scotland Yard today that he set off the burglar alarm to see how well the crown jewels are being guarded.

"I'm delighted with the test," said Brig. Leslie Frederick Ethelbert Wieler. "It worked extremely well."

The Daily Diadem: The Bavarian Sunburst Tiara

Hannes Magerstaedt/Getty Images

Felipa of Bavaria wears the family's diamond sunburst tiara at her wedding, May 2012; learn about the history of the tiara, which the family has since sold, over here!

Jewels on Film: The Crown Season 2 Trailer

Netflix recently released the first trailer for the upcoming second season of The Crown, which debuts on the streaming service on December 8. You all know what that means -- time to judge the jewels! (I recapped the entire first season of the show, and you can read all of my posts about the series here!)

The Daily Diadem: The Romanian Massin Tiara

Queen Marie of Romania wears the family's diamond and pearl Massin Tiara in a portrait; you can read much more about the tiara, which was disappeared in revolutionary Russia, over here!

Jewels in Motion: The Patiala Necklace

SHAUN CURRY/AFP/Getty Images

Our series on the grand royal jewels made by Cartier continues today with a whopper of a piece: the necklace commissioned from the firm by the Maharaja of Patiala.

The Daily Diadem: The Edinburgh Turquoise Tiara

Grand Ladies Site

Queen Marie of Romania (then the nation's crown princess) wears the Edinburgh Turquoise Tiara in a portrait, ca. 1894; along with most of the rest of Marie's jewelry, this tiara disappeared in Russia during the 1917 revolution

The Vasa Tiara

Crown Princess Märtha of Norway (with Crown Prince Olav) wears the Vasa Tiara, 1929 (National Archive of Norway/Wikimedia Commons)

The Norwegian monarchy may be a young one, but the current royal family has quite a stash of jewelry, thanks to their descent from Danish, British, and Swedish royalty. Today's sparkler, the Vasa Tiara, came into the Norwegian vaults through the current king's mother, Crown Princess Märtha, who was royal in her own right.

The Daily Diadem: The Northumberland Strawberry Leaf Tiara

A model wears the Northumberland Strawberry Leaf Tiara during the Ageless Diamonds exhibition at Christie's in London, 1959; the tiara was stolen from the Dowager Duchess of Northumberland when her car was ambushed by thieves during the Greek state visit in 1963

This Week in Royal Jewels: August 11-17

August 11-17, 2017

Many royals are currently on holiday, but we've still got a bit of glitter this week, including a royal wedding! Don't forget to vote for your favorites in the poll below!

A post shared by Tatiana Blatnik (@tatianablatnik) on Aug 17, 2017 at 12:58pm PDT

10. Princess Tatiana of Greece and Denmark wore pearly stud earrings for a night out with her husband in Geneva on Thursday.

The Daily Diadem: The Richmond Tiara

Sussex Police Department

The Richmond Tiara, owned by the Gordon-Lennox family, is shown in a photograph provided by local police; the tiara, which dates to 1820, was burgled from the family's estate, Goodwood House, in January 2016

On the Block: Russia's Dynasty Diamonds

YURI KADOBNOV/AFP/Getty Images

This November, a unique collection of diamonds will be auctioned online that were mined and polished in Russia. Here's a look at the "Dynasty" diamonds.

The Daily Diadem: Queen Maud's Pearl Tiara

Grand Ladies Site

Queen Maud of Norway wears the original version of her diamond and pearl tiara in a portrait, ca. 1905; read more about the tiara, which was stolen and later replicated, over here!

Princess Diana's Bracelet Designer Revealed

BRITTA PEDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images

After the Duchess of Cambridge recently wore a pearl bracelet from the collection of her late mother-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales, the designer of the bracelet has written more about the piece.

The Daily Diadem: Grand Duchess Hilda's Tiara

Grand Duchess Hilda of Baden wears her diamond tiara, ca. 1930s; the tiara was recently stolen from a German museum and has not been found (more details over here!)

The Top Ten: Princess Anne's Jewels

CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/AFP/Getty Images

Today, the Princess Royal celebrates her birthday, and to mark the occasion, I've compiled a list of ten of her very best pieces of jewelry. Anne's collection is much bigger than this, so be sure to add your own list in the comments below!

The Daily Diadem: Princess Christina's Diamond and Pearl Tiara

HENRIK MONTGOMERY/SCANPIX/AFP/Getty Images

Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnuson wears her small diamond and pearl tiara at the Nobel Prize Banquet, December 2010; the tiara, which was a gift from Elsa Cedergren (Christina's godmother), was later stolen from Christina's home and discarded in the sea by the thief

Jewel History: Hired Jewels Are Much in Evidence (1901)

May Goelet, later the Duchess of Roxburghe, attends the Devonshire House Ball in costume as Scheherazade, 1897

"Hired Jewels Are Much in Evidence"

(originally appeared in the St. Louis Republic, 28 Jul 1901)

London, July 27 -- I have just acquired a rather curious bit of information, which may be taken for granted, coming as it does from the jewelers of the West End.

It appears there are many jewelers in the West End who carry on privately a regular trade, hiring out to approved customers [1] tiaras, necklaces, bracelets, and other articles for special occasions, and a very fine paying business it is.

The Daily Diadem: Lady Lauderdale's Coronation Tiara

Ada Maitland, Countess of Lauderdale wears a tiara with a floral design with her coronet in an official portrait taken for the coronation of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, 1902

Jewels in Motion: The Windsor Amethyst and Turquoise Suite

The Duchess of Windsor wears her amethyst and turquoise jewels (screengrab)

Our celebration of royal jewels made by Cartier continues this month with one of the most colorful, modern sets that the firm made for the Duchess of Windsor: her amethyst and turquoise suite. Enjoy seeing this beautiful set of jewelry in motion!

The Daily Diadem: Lady Tankerville's Coronation Tiara

Leonora Bennet, Countess of Tankerville wears a diamond fringe tiara at the coronation of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, 1902; her tiara appears to be identical in design to the Swedish Modern Fringe Tiara, but it's not been determined whether the tiaras are the same piece or two pieces made by the same design

Empress Eugenie's Pearl Tiara

The tiara on display in the Louvre (Wikimedia Commons)

Through all of the royal upheaval of nineteenth-century France, one thing remained constant: the women of the royal and imperial families were top-notch jewelry wearers. Today's rather magnificent pearl diadem traces its way back to the country’s last empress, wending its way through other royal families before finally returning back home.

The Daily Diadem: Lady Eglinton's Coronation Tiara

Wikimedia Commons

Janet Lucretia Montgomerie, Countess of Eglinton and Winton wears a large diamond and pearl tiara in her official portrait from the coronation of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, 1902

This Week in Royal Jewels: August 4-10

August 4-10, 2017

We've got lots of vacation bling this week, plus a surprising amount of sparkle from the opera! Don't forget to vote for your favorites in the poll below!

Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images

10. Queen Letizia of Spain wore her beloved Chanel star stud earrings on Sunday for a visit to a museum in Soller during the family's summer holiday in Palma de Mallorca. (More over here!)

The Daily Diadem: Lady Erroll's Coronation Tiara

Mary Hay, Countess of Erroll wears a variation on a diamond fringe tiara at the coronation of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, 1902

Princess Mabel's Wedding Tiara

Robin Utrecht - Pool/Getty Images

Tomorrow, Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau, daughter-in-law of Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands and sister-in-law of King Willem-Alexander, celebrates her birthday. To help us all get in a celebratory mood, we're taking a deep dive today into the interesting history of her wedding tiara.

The Daily Diadem: Lady Powis's Coronation Tiara

Grand Ladies Site

Violet Herbert, Countess of Powis wears a circlet-style tiara in her official portrait from the coronation of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, 1902

Jewel History: Coronation Jewels (1902)

Coronation portraits of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra by Sir Samuel Luke Fildes (Wikimedia Commons)

"Coronation Jewels"

(originally appeared in the Ogden Standard, 19 Apr 1902)

Though King Edward [1] will drag a prodigious train of almost eighteen karat spun gold at his heels, and his Queen [2] will perambulate the famous abbey under a gilt canopy carried by four important duchesses, it is the jewels, royal and individual, that will make for the greatest splendor at the forthcoming coronation.

Queen Alexandra frankly adores precious stones, and King Edward has a very pretty knowledge of good gems; between them they will display on coronation day some magnificent antique and modern specimens, and to help the glitter and the glory of the occasion, the Queen has asked the peeresses to wear their tiaras. The result will undoubtedly be dazzling, for during the past three centuries rich English families, taking advantage of the troubles of their continental neighbors, have bought fine jewelry, and now own the most abundant treasures of this sort of any of the nobility in Europe.

The Daily Diadem: Lady Shrewsbury's Coronation Tiara

Anna Theresa Chetwynd-Talbot, Dowager Countess of Shrewsbury wears a star and pearl tiara with her coronet at the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, 1902

Summer Sparkle for Spain's Royal Family

JAIME REINA/AFP/Getty Images

The royal family of Spain is in Palma de Mallorca for their annual summer holidays, and they've been wearing lots of summery jewelry out and about.

The Daily Diadem: Lady Clancarty's Coronation Tiara

Grand Ladies Site

Isabel Le Poer Trench, Countess of Clancarty wears a diamond tiara with her coronet for the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, 1902

Book Review: The Husband Hunters (2017)

The Husband Hunters: Social Climbing in London and New York (Photo: The Court Jeweller)

This week is the 115th anniversary of the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom, so I thought it was an excellent occasion to tell you about a new book with Edwardian connections: Anne de Courcy's The Husband Hunters: Social Climbing in London and New York (2017).

The Daily Diadem: The Meiji Tiara

Wikimedia Commons

Empress Shoken of Japan wears the Meiji Tiara in its star setting in an official portrait, taken ca. 1880s; read all about this tiara's fascinating history over here!

Jewels in Motion: The Cartier Halo Tiara

Lewis Whyld/WPA Pool/ Getty Images

This month's Jewels in Motion posts are going to focus on royal jewels made by Cartier, and what better place to start than a royal wedding tiara? You can read all about the Cartier Halo Tiara's history over here, and then come back here to see it glittering in motion! (Note that some GIFs may feature flash photography.)

The Daily Diadem: The Takamado Scroll Tiara

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Princess Takamado wears her diamond and pearl scroll tiara with its matching mirrored necklace at the wedding of Princess Madeleine of Sweden, June 2013

The Bourbon-Parma Tiara

Princess Irene wears the Bourbon-Parma Tiara on her wedding day

Princess Irene of the Netherlands celebrates her birthday today, and to mark the occasion, we're looking at the diamond tiara she wore on her wedding day -- at one of the most controversial royal weddings of the twentieth century.

The Daily Diadem: The Takamado Laurel Leaf Bandeau

HENRIK MONTGOMERY/AFP/Getty Images

Princess Takamado wears her diamond laurel leaf bandeau at a banquet during King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden's birthday celebrations at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, April 2016

This Week in Royal Jewels: July 28-August 3

July 28-August 3, 2017

The royals' summer holidays are upon us, but we've still got some intriguing pieces of jewelry to enjoy this week. Don't forget to vote for your favorites in the poll below!

Chris Jackson - Pool/Getty Images

10. In Ypres on Sunday, the Duchess of Cambridge wore pieces from her faux pearl button set, including the Eugenia earrings by Balenciaga, for the Last Post ceremony during the Passchendaele centenary. (More over here!)

The Daily Diadem: The Japanese Honeysuckle Tiara

SVEN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images

Empress Michiko of Japan wears the family's diamond honeysuckle tiara for a dinner at Uppsala Castle in Sweden, May 2007; the tiara was previously worn by Emperor Akihito's aunt, Princess Chichibu

Sofia Shines for Sustainability

Ole Jensen/Getty Images

We got a shiny treat from Princess Sofia of Sweden this week: a new pair of earrings!

Charlotte Casiraghi's Most Glittering Jewels

VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images

Happy birthday to Charlotte Casiraghi, elder daughter of Princess Caroline of Monaco and granddaughter of Princess Grace! Although she's not royal, Charlotte is the daughter of a princess and the granddaughter of a movie star, so the world's spotlight has been firmly fixed on her for years. Here's a look at some of the most sparkling jewels she's worn in the public eye so far.

The Daily Diadem: The Japanese Crown Princely Wedding Tiara

POOL/AFP/Getty Images

Crown Princess Masako of Japan wears a diamond scroll tiara, also worn by her mother-in-law at her wedding, as a bridal diadem, June 1993

The Crown of Scotland

Queen Elizabeth II views the Crown of Scotland following the opening of the fifth session of the Scottish Parliament, July 2016 (ANDREW MILLIGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

With Queen Elizabeth II currently in residence at her Scottish retreat, Balmoral Castle, I thought now would be the perfect time to take a look at a piece of crown jewelry we've not discussed here thus far: the Crown of Scotland.

The Daily Diadem: Princess Kako's Tiara

TORU YAMANAKA/AFP/Getty Images

Princess Kako of Akishino wears her diamond fleur-de-lis tiara and its matching mirrored diamond necklace at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, December 2014

Charlene's Diamond-Studded Red Cross Gala

Handout/Pierre Villard/Le Palais Princier via Getty Images

The annual Red Cross Gala was held in Monte Carlo last weekend, and Princess Charlene was sparkly and spangled from head to toe.

Jewel History: Ex-King and Princess Wed in Greek Palace (1948)

King Michael of Romania and Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma on their wedding day. Anne is wearing the Romanian Greek Key Tiara and Queen Marie's diamond sautoir. (Wikimedia Commons)

"Ex-King and Princess Wed in Greek Palace"

(originally appeared in the Lethbridge Herald, 10 Jun 1948)

ATHENS, June 10 -- Michael, youthful ex-king of Romania [1], and Anne, a 24-year-old Danish princess of the House of Bourbon-Parma [2], were married today in the royal palace here.

In a ceremony which took slightly more than 20 minutes, Archbishop Damaskinos [3] of the Greek Orthodox Church united the royal families of Romania and Denmark. Anne and Michael first met at the wedding last fall of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip in London [4].