I didn’t hold on to the intrigue for long and immediately revealed to you the secret of some tiaras. Jewelry is often a complex design solution. Jewelers have been making transformable jewelry for a long time.
Let me remind you of Madame Walska's famous brooch with a yellow briolette diamond.
Hanna Walska, a Polish opera singer, originally owned the diamond in the 1930s. Yellow diamond 96,62 carats.
The creative minds at Van Cleef & Arpels, the legendary French high jewelry house, have transformed the Walska Briolette Diamond into a true work of art. Combining their signature design language with the captivating beauty of a diamond, they created the Walska Briolette Diamond Brooch.
The brooch in the shape of a phoenix, a mythical bird symbolizing rebirth and renewal, is made of yellow and white gold, and the body of the bird is decorated with a melange of precious stones. Diamonds, emeralds and sapphires come together in vibrant colors that convey the vibrancy and dynamism of the bird in flight. The Walska Briolette diamond is delicately set into the bird's beak.
But the uniqueness of the Walska Briolette diamond brooch lies not only in its design, but also in its versatility. The brooch can be disassembled into individual jewelry: the wings and tail become earrings, the body of the bird is transformed into a brooch, and the stunning briolette can be worn as a pendant.
But let’s return to the tiaras and look at their wonderful transformations! Ahead are 15 extraordinary pieces of jewelry..
Tiara of the Grand Duchess of Vladimir
I want to start with this famous tiara. Its design may not be as impressive and the transformation may not be as dramatic as in the following examples, but it has a special charm and meaning.
The Tiara of the Grand Duchess of Vladimir was made in 1874 for Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna. She was smuggled out of Russia for her after the revolution. Maria Pavlovna subsequently left the tiara to her daughter Elena, who was married to Prince Nicholas of Greece.
In 1921, the jewelry was purchased by Maria Tekskaya, grandmother of Elizabeth II. Initially, the tiara was decorated with drop-shaped pearls, and Queen Mary asked to complement it with emeralds. The tiara became Queen Elizabeth's favorite and she wore it without the stones from time to time.
Impressive pearls:
Close-up of the Vladimir tiara with Cambridge emeralds:
Kentish tiara with aquamarines by Georges Fouquet
The 1908 tiara has a frame of five oval motifs (removable), each with a large Siberian aquamarine, the color of which has been enhanced by the addition of blue enamel, surrounded by an openwork pattern consisting of small arches decorated with lines of diamonds of 6 pearls.
Antique tiara with sapphires circa 1890
Composed of a floral and foliage spray in the center, each flower head has a cushion shaped foil sapphire in the center and an openwork edge of old cut diamonds raised on diamond shaped stems.
The tiara transforms into a sapphire brooch and diamond necklace.
An impressive late Victorian tiara with diamond rosehip flowers
10 of the 11 sections turn into a necklace. Each section can also be worn separately as a brooch or a pair of earrings.
Necklace/tiara of diamonds, emeralds and pearls in the Belle Epoque style, circa 1890
Features a graduated fringe of antique diamond cut trefoil panels set with pearls and emeralds, transforming from a tiara into a necklace.
Tiara with detachable brooches, 1850
Monson necklace/diamond tiara, 1880-1900
Tiara/necklace with Faberge cyclamen diamond flowers
This diamond necklace featuring cyclamen flowers tied with a ribbon dates from 1903. It can also be worn as a necklace. The fine workmanship here is a fine example of the craftsmanship of the Faberge jewelery workshop.
Belle Epoque diamond tiara circa 1880s
Belle Epoque diamond tiara circa 1880s with five diamond flower heads and tiny fittings and keys.
Diadem with a diamond wheat sheaf, second half of the 19th century
Made in the form of two sheaves of wheat, each of which is tied with a ribbon-bow, decorated with diamonds. Each sheaf of wheat detaches from the frame and can be worn as a brooch, the bows are detachable with additional brooch hardware.
Diamond Bow Tiara 1918
Austria is getting married...
When Archduchess Maria Valerie of Austria commissioned the imperial court jeweler Kochert to create a wedding tiara for her daughter, the events of the First World War had already cast a dark shadow over the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The wedding was quiet.
Both noble and practical
Archduchess Marie Valerie's wedding gift to her daughter is a subtle reflection of the events of that time. The modest but elegant tiara consists of seven parts. Together they form a wide headdress with three diamond-shaped bows.
Diadem
The strict symmetry of the shape of the libel contrasts with the playful bows.
All seven elements can be worn as separate brooches!
The tools needed to separate the seven parts of the diadem have been preserved.
The ability of a tiara to turn into brooches opens up numerous possibilities for its owner: for example, individual parts can be used to decorate a hairstyle.
Antique diamond tiara turned into a choker necklace, 19th century
Diamond necklace/tiara, circa 1890
A diamond necklace, designed in the form of a graduated line of round cut diamonds, connected by a knife blade, accompanied by seven precious stones, the largest of which is in the form of an acanthus and scroll, articulated and set with diamonds, the remaining six precious stones of a similar design, set in silver and gold, complete with several accessories including a tiara frame, brooch, hair comb and a pair of earrings.
Diamond tiara/necklace, last quarter of the XNUMXth century
Composed of fleur-de-lis and opposing scroll motifs, a swing with a graduated row of twenty pear-shaped diamonds, on a band consisting of diamonds and trefoils, set throughout with cushion diamonds and roses, several small stones missing, the tiara detaches to form a necklace and bandeau, bandeau divided into two parts approximately 310 mm and 145 mm. Property from the estate of Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe.
Tiara with Mikimoto pearls
Transforms into an exquisite necklace.
