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| The Topaz (or Citrine) and Pearl Tiara |
Out of the grand ducal collection in Luxembourg comes this bandeau of oval stones in a warm orange-yellow hue separated by arcs of small pearls, all set in yellow gold. Exactly what type of stones those orange numbers are is unknown, with topaz and citrine being the two most popular guesses (
Luxarazzi discusses the likelihood of each in their entry on this piece).
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| Necklace and earrings |
Whatever they are, these orange stones also adorn matching earrings and a necklace to form a parure with the tiara; the earrings include a large round orange stone with a large pendant, all with a pearl outline, and the necklace is a twisted gold chain with up to five pendants, each an orange stone on a pearl-embellished clasp.
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| Maria Teresa, Joséphine-Charlotte, Alexandra |
The precise history of this set is unknown, but it's been worn by the grand ducal ladies since at least the 1980s. For several decades it remained sparingly worn; Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte wore it on occasion, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa wore it when she was the Hereditary Grand Duchess, and Princess Margaretha (daughter of Joséphine-Charlotte) borrowed it on at least one occasion. It seems to be experiencing a tiny resurgence in the past few years, though: Princess Alexandra (daughter of Maria Teresa and Grand Duke Henri) wore the tiara in 2011, Maria Teresa used it during a state visit, and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie used it to coordinate with her gold gown and her orange-trimmed sash at Princess Madeleine of Sweden's wedding in 2013.
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| Stéphanie |
This is quite a unique piece. This color of stone is not a popular material in tiaras, and to combine it with pearls is another unusual choice. It's perfectly suited to be a part of the Luxembourg collection, though, as they have plenty of tiaras to pick from - in particular, several smaller options with various colored stones. That variety allows them to save a piece like this for use when it really suits the outfit, which is the perfect showcase for such an intriguing tiara.
This stone combination in a tiara: yes or no?
Photos: Frankie Fouganthin/Wikimedia Commons,Gammarapho, Cour grand-ducale, Place Royale screencap