Unidentified, Mystery and Lost Royal Jewels

[lashinka2002]

This is the tiara Princess Alice wore to King Edward VII wedding.
Does anyone know where it originates from? Or where it is now?
It looks beautiful from afar.

http://www.btinternet.com/~sbishop100/alicegar.jpg

[trey033]

I believe this is the strawberry leaf tiara that she's wearing...it was later passed on to her daughter the Queen of Spain...at least I've seen photos of her wearing it...I'm not sure where it is now...trey

[Mia]

That is not the Strawberry leaf tiara but another one, sort of similar in style, but belonging to the Hesse family (which is logic since in the above picture Princess Alice is wearing it. She was married to Grand Duke Ludwig of Hesse und Bei Rhein.)

Plenty of pictures on Danjel's site:
http://nl.msnusers.com/RoyaltyDanjel/gerhessenw.msnw

[reynard]

A poster to danjel's website posted this tiara and said he didn't know the information of the tiara. Any guesses?

[Elspeth]

Looks vaguely Russian.

[reynard]

Someone at the RJmb pointed out that the Iranian tiara is very similar, as if they had added yellow diamonds in place of pearls.What do you think?

[norwegianne]

I think I'll add in with Elspeth, and say it looks vaguely Russian.

Fairly similar to something I think the Dowager Empress wore in a photoshoot with her sister, Queen Alexandra. But I can't seem to find the pictures of it, right now. It looks similar, as I remember it. But I can be wrong.

[EmpressRouge]

I've check in Tiara: A History of Splendor, Famous Jewelry Collectors, and Queen Elizabeth II's Jewels for the tiara. Nothing. If anyone has a copy of Queens' Jewels by Vincent Meylan, it might be in there.

[Mia]

This tiara is made by Köchert. The answer comes from Volker on Royal Jewels Message Board.

"Theophil von Hansen - an achitect(!!) and a friend of Köchert provided the designs for the beautiful diadem named "Byzantine" and for a swan parure composed if pendant and earrings. The artistry and craftsmanship manifested by the "Byzantine" diadem, with its harmonious juxtapositions of diamonds and pearls was judged impeccable and won for Köchert the first prize for jewellery at the World Exhibition in Vienna in 1873. Pictures of it frequently appeared - and still appear today - in ilustrated purblications in Germany, France, England and America.Unfortunately the diadem was later dismantled!"

[EmpressRouge]

Originally Posted by Mia

Unfortunately the diadem was later dismantled!"

Too bad! It was such a beautiful piece.

[laduchesse]

According to Geoffrey C. Munn's Tiaras - A History of Splendour (page 257), this tiara was made by Cartier for Adele, Countess of Essex in 1902. Lady Churchill borrowed this tiara from the Countess for the Queen's Coronation in 1953.

[christinacg]

Thank you very much! I for some reason thought it was British royal tiara that hasnt been seen in awhile. Do you know if its for sale?

[HRHAmy]

WOW! That is one spectacular tiara, does it belong to anyone? That would have looked great on Princess Diana. I hope someone buys it and puts it to good use if it's for sale. Beautiful!:)

[Sean.~]

Also borrowed and worn by Margarita of Romania at her 1996 wedding to Radu Duda.

[crisiñaki]

Originally Posted by Sean.~

Also borrowed and worn by Margarita of Romania at her 1996 wedding to Radu Duda.

Sorry for the ignorance but if you want to wear it, you have to rent it or just borrow it?:o:o:o
Thank you very much

[Warren]

The Essex tiara is now owned by Cartier. It was loaned to (Crown) Princess Margarita of Romania for her wedding in 1996.

pic courtesy "Tiaras A History of Splendour" by Geoffrey Munn, Antique Collectors' Club 2001

The Essex Tiara

[Thomas Parkman]

To throw in my two cents: magnificent, just magnificent. I just hope that Cartier does not go out and perpetrate the vulgar example of Van Cleef and Arpels who removed the emeralds from the tiara of the Empress Marie Lousie and sold them off. They then sold the diamond studded frame to some American who had the thing bedecked with turquoises and then to compound the infamy gave it to the Smithsonian. I hope Cartier keeps the thing until somebody who will appreciate it comes along and buys it. Cheers.

[HRHAmy]

Is there a picture of anyone wearing the Essex Tiara? I'm trying to picture someone wearing it but with no luck.:( It would have to sit up high right? so the bottom diamond could dangle down?

[joon112]

What a gorgeous tiara that is. Anyone interested in purchasing it for me? I would promise never to take it off!

[Warren]

Originally Posted by HRHAmy

Is there a picture of anyone wearing the Essex Tiara?

Well, yes...
pic courtesy Getty Images

(Crown) Princess Margarita of Romania 1996: Essex Tiara