Three tiaras came up for auction in Hong Kong only a month ago at Sotheby’s, and auctioneers see Asia as an important market for these storied jewels. According to the auction house, one third of the tiaras they have sold in the past five years have been snapped up by Asian buyers.

Most tiaras seen at auction are aristocratic heirlooms. Two at Sotheby’s were late 19th century and transformable; the third, a scrolling bandeau tiara of old mine rose-cut diamonds, was early 20th century and easier to wear as it lies flat on the head.

Chaumet, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron, Graff and Garrard in London continue to craft diamond tiaras. As a royal warrant holder, Garrard has created many for British royalty, including the Fringe tiara worn by Queen Elizabeth, Princess Anne and Princess Beatrice on their wedding days. Gerrard offers the Princess collection, with each design named after a current princess. These attract a lot of interest from Chinese clients, who can select from this “repeatable” collection or commission a bespoke design.

“From a design perspective, we strive to create pieces that are both wearable and timeless, and that ultimately meet the client’s needs,” says Garrard’s creative director, Sara Prentice.

Between the 70s and 90s, many Victorian-era designs were deconstructed for their precious gems, an action that would be considered sacrilegious today. Cartier started buying back their original tiaras 30 years ago, restoring and making them available through the Cartier Tradition collection.

Currently there is a stunning Persian-inspired bandeau-style tiara in pavé-set diamonds, sapphires and aquamarine. Made in 1926, it is worn around the forehead. The aquamarine centrepiece becomes a brooch and the sides of the headband form a bracelet.

Cartier made tiaras for the Russian court in the early 20th century when the traditional kokoshnik style, which sits high on the forehead, became all the rage in Europe. Jacques Cartier received a flurry of orders for tiaras for Edward VIII’s proposed coronation, which was hastily replaced by George VI’s in 1937 after the abdication.

Tiaras could only be worn by married women and were de rigueur at court and for coronations, including that of Edward VII in 1902. Cartier London received 27 commissions from duchesses attending the event, which inspired Americans to flock to Cartier in Paris. Today, the rules around tiaras have changed, reflected in the bespoke pieces crafted in Cartier’s workshops for Russian, Chinese and Middle Eastern clients.

Tiaras are often designed to be transformable. In Garrard’s Princess tiaras, the centrepiece can be worn as a pendant. Van Cleef & Arpels’ latest high jewellery collection, Sous Les Étoiles, features the Helios long necklace in diamonds and pearls that transforms into a tiara.

Clients at auction have different reasons for bidding on a tiara, “but many enjoy tiaras that are transformable into different styles”, says Yu. “I believe women today are more adventurous in their styling choices, and jewellery is a great way to express individuality. Some tiaras are convertible into multiple fittings such as brooches, hairpins, bracelets or necklaces – the possibilities are endless.”

Graff in London has crafted a number of pieces for queens, princesses, the wives of heads of state and Asian brides since the 1970s. Notable tiaras currently available are the Belle Epoque-style flowers and bow motif headpieces, and a contemporary design from the Threads collection of cross-hatched rows of diamonds. There are also discreet diamond Alice bands.

“A tiara is a bold statement jewel while still being distinctly feminine,” says Anne-Eva Geffroy, design director at Graff. “We also take into consideration the need for the piece to be comfortable when worn.” Wearability is an important factor when choosing a design.

Chaumet’s devotion to the tiara is a fascinating part of the maison’s history. It has produced more than 2,000 since 1780 and continues to make new models every year. In Salon des Diademes at its Place Vendôme flagship, hundreds of silver nickel replicas are on display, from which clients can draw inspiration before placing their orders (a new tiara takes two to six months to craft).

Many early creations were made for Empress Joséphine, the first wife of Napoleon, who is regarded a style icon of her era. Her classical Grecian-inspired designs were created by Chaumet founder Marie-Étienne Nitot. She is the muse for a signature collection, which has just been updated and which includes a lovely diamond tiara.

Chaumet is marking the bicentenary of Napoleon’s death, with an exhibition exploring their lives through works of art, correspondence and jewellery, including aigrettes and tiaras.

The exhibition runs until the July 18, 2021, with an opportunity for visitors to an immersive themselves digitally, by “trying on” a cameo tiara and dress once worn by the empress. Filters of two tiaras – including the starry Firmament de Minuit – are also accessible on Chaumet’s Instagram page.

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