I’ve received quite a few questions over time about the Duchess of Windsor (Wallis Simpson, 1896-1986) and tiaras. Though we might not immediately associate her with tiaras, she was occasionally spotted with some sort of sparkling headgear, today’s tiara being perhaps the closest she came to the royal tiara realm as we know it.
The tiara she’s wearing here was created for her by Cartier in 1949 and is actually a necklace made to do double duty as a tiara when required. The base is a row of emerald beads which were already in her jewel collection; the top features diamond loops in double rows, the diamonds supplied by Cartier. A basically identical piece had been made for Cartier’s stock in the same year (shown below). She wore her version just a few times in tiara form - the Duchess of Windsor may have been known for her magnificent jewel collection, but tiaras were not a big part of her bedazzled self.
The tiara she’s wearing here was created for her by Cartier in 1949 and is actually a necklace made to do double duty as a tiara when required. The base is a row of emerald beads which were already in her jewel collection; the top features diamond loops in double rows, the diamonds supplied by Cartier. A basically identical piece had been made for Cartier’s stock in the same year (shown below). She wore her version just a few times in tiara form - the Duchess of Windsor may have been known for her magnificent jewel collection, but tiaras were not a big part of her bedazzled self.
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The Cartier stock piece |
Considering things from that perspective, it’s no wonder tiaras didn’t feature regularly. This necklace/tiara is a nice compromise, I think: interesting and eye-catching in its use of emerald beads, modern and clean in design, but also an unmistakably royal shape when worn as a tiara.
Do you like this little tiara compromise?
Photos: National Portrait Gallery/Cartier Ltd