The Swedish Cut-Steel Bandeau Tiara

This unique little tiara is made of steel that has been carefully cut and highly-polished, allowing it to sparkle and shine almost like dark diamonds. Cut-steel jewelry was an affordable and popular trend that lasted throughout the nineteenth century. The Swedish royal family possesses numerous pieces of cut-steel jewelry, including a large steel and gold tiara, and this bandeau, which features a lattice-like pattern topped with faceted steel beads. The piece is part of an early nineteenth-century set, and it also includes a matching hair comb.

Over the past decade, the bandeau has become a popular piece with several members of the Bernadotte family. Crown Princess Victoria was one of the first to embrace its charms. She wore the piece several times in the years just after her marriage, including an appearance at the pre-wedding gala in Luxembourg in October 2012.

For the gala, Victoria wore the tiara with diamonds from the family vaults—and from this angle, you’ll be able to spot the bandeau’s matching hair comb placed at the back of her head.

Victoria also wore the bandeau in March 2013 for a gala dinner during a state visit by the President of Turkey to Stockholm.

The tiara has also made two recent appearances during Nobel Prize celebrations. The first came in December 2016, when Princess Sofia wore the tiara for her third appearance at the ceremony.

Princess Sofia paired the tiara with diamond and emerald earrings, as well as a diamond floral brooch.

The tiara was brought to the Nobels once more in December 2017, when it was worn by the King’s sister, Princess Christina.

She wore the tiara with diamonds. This side view offers us a good look at the length of the tiara, which wraps around to the back of the wearer’s head.

It’s funny—this is among the oldest tiaras in the Swedish royal collection, but doesn’t it look extremely modern when nestled in Princess Christina’s short hair? So unusual and fresh!