Under Re-Construction

I'm going to let you in on a little secret: while I love a ruby, sapphire or emerald and diamond tiara, and even a pearl piece now and then, the aquamarine tiara, especially when worn by someone with intense ocean blue eyes, is possibly my favorite combo. Aqua tiaras can be hard to pull off - the cuts required to best show off an aquamarine don't always lend themselves to the best tiara motifs. But you know who nailed it? The last Tsarina of Russia. Her Aquamarine Kokoshnik

And now for something totally different. A Russian tiara that we know the whereabouts of. Or at least.... we did. The Russian Pearl...

There's so much mystery when it comes to the Romanov jewels. But one would assume that we have known all of those mysteries for years. And yet, in 2012 a new mystery came to light. A long forgotten Romanov jewel - the Sapphire Wave Tiara.

Yes, I know that I'm supposed to be writing about Russian tiaras right now. And yes, I also know that this one is titled the Yugoslavian Diamond Kokoshnik Tiara. Just hold tight with me for a little bit and all will be revealed.

When researching the lost Russian Tiaras, one can't help but be a little sad. So many lovely jewels who's whereabouts are unknown. Auctioned off (or worse) in the early 1900s never to be seen again. And so was the fate of Alexandra Feodorovna's Emerald Tiara (sometimes called The Columbian Tiara).

Ahhhh, young love. Or was it? A fourteen year old bride. A fifteen year old groom. At the hands of the matchmaker of matchmakers, young Princess Louise of Baden was fixed up with Grand Duke Alexander Pavlovich of Russia, the future Tsar Alexander I, by his grandmother, Catherine the Great.

I don't know about you, but I sure am glad that #TiaraTuesday is back. Two weeks without historical tiaras is just too long to go. I hate it when the darn day job gets in the way of my dream life. Today's #TiaraTuesday diadem holds a bit of mystery, to say the least.

So many treasures lost. It happens when a royal empire falls. Families are at best driven into exile and at worst? Well, I think we all...

Definitely my favorite Spanish tiara and quite possibly in my top five tiaras of all time you'll find the Ansorena Meander Tiara. If you've been following me and reading these posts for any length of time, you'll know that I love a convertible piece of jewelry. One that is a necklace one minute and a brooch another. Or better yet, a tiara that can still be a tiara yet also a necklace at the same time. I love the efficiency.

When I think of royal tiaras, I think of antique pieces that have been handed down through the ages, property of the crown instead of belonging to the individual. Sure, there are exceptions. Queen Elizabeth has a few tiaras that belong to her and not the state. And her sister had an amazing tiara she bought with her own funds and then wore in a photoshoot in her bathtub. There's a Spanish tiara that also fits the bill: the Ansorena Fleur-de-Lis Tiara

I've always said it's good to know a cop, lawyer, judge and a rich shipping magnate. Ok, I may have added that last one recently. But only because in researching today's tiara, I found out that Princess Sophia (as she was known at the time) was given this off the charts gorgeous ruby and diamond parure, which includes the Niarchos Ruby Tiara, as a wedding present.

What's it like to count the Duchess of Windsor (who also loved the House of Cartier) and Frank Sinatra as clients? If only we could ask Suzanne Belperron. Maybe best known for her 'stones imbedded in stones' designs, Belperron had a style all her own.

Well, I've avoided the obvious for a while now, but I guess it's time to go ahead and talk about the rings that everyone has talked about already. Who do I mean? Well, I guess it's time we talk abut Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank and the padparadscha sapphire engagement ring.

Prior to Princess Eugenie wearing the Greville Emerald Tiara in her wedding last October, we didn't often see colored stone tiaras center stage for royal nuptials. But there's always that exception and in this case, it was the Infanta Pilar's Sapphire Tiara, which had been worn at not just one but TWO royal weddings in the 21st century.

When daddy is one of the richest men in America (so is grandpa, but who's counting) and you're getting married, what kind of wedding present should you expect? Clearly, a piece of jewelry to make even the most seasoned of jewelry collectors catch their breath is in order. And so it went with Barbara Hutton, the only child of Edna and Franklyn Laws Hutton (and granddaughter of Frank W. Woolworth). When Barbara married a prince in 1933, her father bequeathed her with an outstan

When you think of trend setters and fashion plates, I'm guessing the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth's mum, known also as Elizabeth I, doesn't come to mind. But it seems, in her own right, she was. At least when it comes to engagement rings.

Not all of the tiaras out there have been passed down for generations within royal families. There are some tiaras that are delightful but weren’t initially brought to life by a king, queen, prince or princess. Just like the days of royals only marrying royals are over, some tiaras have made their way into royal collections via gifts from non-royal families. One such tiara is The Marichalar Meander Tiara.

It would make sense, given that Spain is surrounded by water on more than two sides, that there could be a royal tiara in their...

What is it about mothers and daughters-in-law? Especially royal mothers? Poor Queen Ena. Her MIL, Queen Maria Cristina, was quite the the critic. No matter that Ena (whose real name was Princess Victoria Eugenie) was a direct descendant of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria (their granddaughter, to be exact). Queen Maria Cristina was born a Habsburg archduchess and she had her mind made up that her son would be marrying one of his Habsburg cousins. But cupid had other plans and

It can't be all kokoshniks and greek keys. Sometimes a royal gal just needs some flowers! That's why today's episode of #TiaraTuesday focuses on the Spanish Floral Tiara. I mean... the name says it all.