Tiaras and Trinkets on Tuesdays (Swann State Sapphires)

This is normally my favourite post in the week and today will also be about my favourite stone, the Sapphire. I have descided to do a small series like I did about rubies but this time revealing some of the more impressive sapphire tiaras in our world. To begin will discuss a tiara and its matching parure in my own collection. However I feel terribly philosophical today as I ponder the value of things. Being with the animals at the Second Chance Sanctuary must have affected me. I am strangely questioning topics like beauty and worth. What are they if all things come to an end? Regardless of whether you believe in the "end of the world" or not, all things do pass away. Jewellery gets broken up, deteriorates etc. Fortunes are lost or dissipates through the generations and even great civilizations change irrecoverably or fall. Yet when something is beautiful it is irrefutably so but I suppose part of beauty is in the moment and must eventually move on to make space for greater beauty. 

The Swann Crown Jewel Collection has a parure consisting of pearls, diamonds and sapphires. It is known as the State Sapphires and is worn by the Duchess Consort of Swann only. She would wear it as her official "crown" on the Investiture Day of the Duke of Swann and is then free to also wear it as she pleases on state occasions of a similar level of importance. The last to wear it was my mother Princess Elizabeth the Duchess of Swann at my father's Investiture. 

The Swann State Sapphires worn here in an old photo of  Princess Elizabeth, the last Duchess of Swann

It is probably the tallest tiara in the world and as such it's style is a bit dated. Its official capacity bars it from being replaced however unless a reigning Duke officially proclaims a new piece to do so. A small coronet of  diamonds exists in the Swann Crown Collection that could do the job but no official move has been tabled. The parure also includes very grand chandelier earrings and a strangely humble necklace. Perhaps the original designer thought the tiara enough of a spectacle not to be "helped" further by a deluge of sapphires on the neck. It does seem acceptably balanced for the smaller necklace. 

A very recent archive photo of the parure taken for inventory purposes 

The Duke of Swann would have to marry in order for the public to see this piece worn again. Doubly so if there is a Duchess on the horizon she would also, have to want to wear, this Mount Everest of a jewellery piece. Not everybody's cup of tea. What do you think of it?