Stéphanie of Baden’s Seed Pearl Tiara
Today is German-American Day here in the USA, and since I’m one of the many Americans with German heritage, I thought we’d celebrate here by looking at one of the most interesting tiaras to come from nineteenth-century Germany: the seed pearl tiara that belonged to Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Baden.
Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Baden wears the tiara [source] |
The tiara was first owned by a royal with serious connections: Stéphanie de Beauharnais, a relative of Empress Joséphine of France. Joséphine’s second husband, Napoleon Bonaparte, was especially fond of Stéphanie; he made her a member of the imperial family and engineered her marriage to the future Grand Duke of Baden. The tiara was made around 1830, after Stéphanie had been widowed. It is set with diamonds and pearls in yellow gold, and it was originally worn on the top of the head.
Queen Carola of Saxony wears the tiara [source] |
On her death in 1860, Stéphanie bequeathed the tiara to her granddaughter, Crown Princess Carola of Saxony. Carola was the only daughter of Stéphanie’s eldest daughter, Princess Louise Amelie of Baden, and the deposed Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden. Carola had married the Crown Prince Albert of Saxony in 1853; they succeeded to the Saxon throne in 1873, but they never had children, so when she died in 1907, Carola left the tiara to her first cousin, Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen.
Princess Marie, Countess of Flanders [source] |
Marie became a member of the Belgian royal family when she married Prince Philippe, the Count of Flanders, in 1867. Tradition said for many years that the tiara was once owned by Empress Carlota of Mexico, but it was actually Carlota’s sister-in-law, Marie, who owned the piece. (This is also one of the many tiaras that is incorrectly said to have been owned by Empress Joséphine, who had been dead for more than a decade by the time the tiara was made.)
When Marie died in 1912, the tiara remained with the Belgian royals. Twelve years later, it was given to her granddaughter, Princess Marie José, on the occasion of the princess’s first court ball. At this point the tiara was altered to be worn as a bandeau. Most of the time, a separate frame is required for a tiara to be worn as a bandeau. Sometimes two frames exist — for example, the Strathmore Rose has two — but other times, the frame itself is altered so that it can be worn as a bandeau (or transformed from bandeau to traditional tiara). This tiara was lengthened to allow it to be worn across the forehead. The seed pearl tiara was the very first diadem that Marie José ever wore.
When Marie José married into the Italian royal family in 1930, her jewel collection expanded significantly. She wore the family’s imposing Musy tiara at her wedding, and that piece became the one that she was most associated with during her lifetime (including during the month that she was Italy’s queen). But she still kept the seed pearl tiara, and after her death in 2001, it was inherited by her daughter, Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy.
In 2007, Maria Gabriella decided to sell many of her mother’s jewels, including the seed pearl tiara. The German state of Baden-Württemberg, which includes the former grand duchy of Baden, splashed out more than $85,000 to purchase their former grand duchess’s tiara auction. Today, the tiara is a part of the permanent collection on display at Schloss Mannheim, which was once the home of Grand Duchess Stéphanie.
The Top Ten: Bandeau Tiaras
They may not be the biggest or mightiest of tiaras, but I have a soft spot in my heart for the humble bandeau. Sparkly with a vintage flair, these tiaras tend to be lightweight, easy to wear, and flattering even on modern hairstyles. Be sure to chime in with a list of your favorite bandeaux in the comments below!
When Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby married Crown Prince Haakon of Norway in 2001, she embodied cool, minimalist Scandinavian style. Her wedding bandeau was a vintage piece that complemented that aesthetic perfectly. Reportedly made during the Edwardian era, the bandeau is a delicate row of diamond-studded daisies. It was a gift to the new crown princess from her husband’s parents, King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway.
It’s a tradition for Scandinavian princesses to receive a tiara as an 18th birthday present, and Princess Madeleine of Sweden’s birthday gift tiara was a vintage bandeau. The tiara, which features a single large aquamarine suspended between two thin bands of diamonds, was reportedly worn by Queen Louise in the 1920s. The tiara has been worn both atop the head and, in true ’20s style, across the forehead.
The jewel vaults of the grand ducal family of Luxembourg are full of bandeau tiaras set with a variety of gemstones, including citrines, aquamarines, and pearls. This golden bandeau, worn above in the 1970s by Princess Marie-Astrid, features oval-shaped amethysts interspersed with rows of seed pearls. The tiara was recently worn by one of the family’s newest members, Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie.
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark’s nickname is “Daisy,” so it’s only fair that she should have her own delicate bandeau made of daisies. This tiara is nearly the twin of Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s daisy bandeau; however, this one includes small turquoises interspersed between the diamonds, making it a perfect partner to Margrethe’s growing collection of modern turquoise jewelry.
The Queen Mum was a true ’20s princess when she joined the British royal family, and she had plenty of bandeau tiaras to keep up with the latest fashions. One of the most lovely was the small diamond floral tiara given to her as a wedding present by her parents, the Earl and Countess of Strathmore. The tiara was made in the late 19th century, but it had two frames: one that allowed it to be worn atop the wearer’s head, and another that let it drop down across the forehead.
Now owned by the German state of Baden-Württemberg, this tiara originally belonged to Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Baden. It was later lengthened to be worn bandeau-style by Marie-José, the last queen of Italy. Its delicate pattern of seed pearls echoes the shape of a coronet.
The tiara reserved for Belgian queens, the Nine Provinces Tiara, can be worn in various forms, but my favorite is without a doubt the delicate meander bandeau of the tiara’s base. Made by Van Bever for Queen Astrid in the 1920s, it has been worn by every Belgian queen since. When Queen Mathilde began wearing the tiara, she originally selected just to wear the bandeau, saving the bigger version for later.
We don’t really know that this gorgeous diamond and sapphire bandeau belonged to Empress Marie Feodorovna of Russia, but tradition links the piece to her. Regardless of its provenance, it’s one of the most gorgeous bandeaux in the British royal collection. Worn in the 20th century by Queen Mary and Princess Margaret, this one hasn’t been seen in years — but I’d love to see one of the young Windsor princesses give it a whirl!
Francesca von Habsburg, who is married to the head of the House of Habsburg, often wears a bandeau featuring emeralds and diamonds set in a wreath pattern. The tiara was originally owned by a different royal family: it was a silver wedding anniversary present given to Empress Augusta Viktoria of Germany. From her, it moved into the collection of the Hanoverian royal family, and when they auctioned it, it was bought by the Habsburgs. The bandeau can also be worn as a necklace.
With more than a hundred total carats of diamonds, this diamond bandeau is perhaps the grandest of them all. Made in the 1930s using stones from one of Queen Emma’s necklaces, the tiara has become one of Queen Máxima’s trademarks. It’s easy to see why: the platinum tiara is reportedly light and very easy to integrate into various hairstyles. And it has serious, serious sparkle under candlelight!
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