Tiaras and Trinkets on Tuesdays (Tiara Duels)

In the years directly following the 1996 Revolution a decade of austerity and prudence prevailed across Europa's elite classes. What remained of Royalty barely showed any pomp and ceremony unless strictly required and even then publicity was limited. However after the 2009 Imperial Birthday Ball, Tiaras came back into fashion and appeared more on the red carpet albeit those of discreet design. It seemed all the splendour of a bygone era was never fully to return. Until the Christmas Ball of 2010, when the Crown Prince Imperial unveiled the D'Pont Du Lac Sapphires, a spectacular set of historic jewelry that was to put magnificent standards back on the A-list. The Prince did not however count on Lady Arcwhite stealing the show with the Arcwhite Tiara, initiating what we have humorously dubbed the "Tiara Duel" and thus ushering in a no-holds-barred for displaying historic family treasures and new indulgences of unparalleled grandeur. 

We have yet to see a proper show-down in 2013 but events this year have been far more politically serious and even politically motivated, playing the opinion of the media and the public. Things have also been far more austere since the Serbieski Power Plant Bombing, the theft of the Swanobian Emeralds and the assassination of Empress Crystobel, all seemingly politically motivated acts of terrorism. 

However, we will in the midst of this, still display for your viewing pleasure the greatest Tiara Duels since the last major event which took place in 2012 all the way back to the first.

It seems that because the bug bit over Christmas that it has become the main battlefield for our duels. The last great event took place in 2012 and saw no more than eight major pieces of jewellery. All of them competed for grandeur in size, valuable stones and historic provenance. Some were brand new but showed off the wearers wealth and status equally to the historic pieces. From the top left we see Duchess Di Giorgio in her Family Tiara, the Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna wearing the spectacular Ruskian Pink Diamond Tiara, The Shahbanou of Perlistan with massive Perlistani Diamonds, The Crown Princess Imperial wearing the huge D'Pont Du Lac Emerald Parure, the Countess of Dysart enlarged her family Amethyst Tirara as she didn't like the "pronged"effect, the Queen of Hispania wore her historic Tiara from the Hispanian Crown Jewels, Empress Crystobel in her favourite rubies and finally the Princess Youssopoff in a brand new massive sparkler. Which do you thing wins out? 

At the 2012 Imperial Birthday Ball only two tiaras really came out to battle and again we see the heavyweights in Lady Arcwhite vs the Queen of Hispania. 

The Crown Rubies of Hispania are rarely seen for the very fact that the tiara's size is very impractical in the contemporary context. Lady Arcwhite however has mostly new jewels, specifically designed to impress. Of the two, which do you think won out? 

Earlier 2012, Lady Arcwhite wearing her Brown Diamonds, found herself matched by Queen Gloria who wore her antique Franconian Diadem on a State Visit to Normandia. It is like Queen Gloria knew the rules and came out to play, especially since it was her country being visited. Who won this one? 

The Christmas Ball 2011 again saw the Tiara flashes blazing. As usual the players included Lady Arcwhite in her now famous large Diamond Tiara. From the top center the other contenders include, Princess Beatrice of Hanoveria in emeralds, the Crown Princess Imperial who owns the most spectacular jewellery collection in the world but doesn't like to flaunt it, again the Queen of Hispania wearing pink topaz just to balance out Lady Arcwhite, the Grand Duchess of Hanoveria in her massive fringe tiara and finally the now Queen of Syldavia wearing the huge Von Bismarck Tiara. Who do you think deserves the prize? 

January 2011 saw the Official International Royal Family Photo. This event was going down in history and the main players were going to be seen in some big shooters. 

Lady Arcwhite, again, in her brown diamonds this time...

Grand Duchess Xenia's Ruskian jewellery allows for some traditionally large historic tiaras like this Aquamarine Kokoshnik. 

The Crown Princess Imperial chose a historic sapphire piece, which just also happens to be huge, for this historic photo.

Finally, Empress Crystobel, who loves rubies and historical pieces and huge ones at that, went with one of her favourites. Who do you think deserves the top spot in the historic photo? 

It all began over Christmas, yes the now famous Ball of 2010. As we know, the Crown Prince Imperial planned to impress and not even the presence of the Grand Duchess Xenia in the Ruskian Pink Diamond was going to affect it but alas the Prince was upstaged by Lady Arcwhite. Which Tiara do you think deserves the accolades? 

Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna in the large Pink Diamond Tiara? 

The historic D'Pont Du Lac Sapphire Parure as worn by the Crown Princess Imperial... 

...or the Tiara that started it all, The Arcwhite Icicle Tiara???

If we had to choose an overall, all-time winner it would be this tiara and this particular moment that started it all. If nothing else, Lady Arcwhite seems to have opened the heavens and it has been raining diamond stars ever since. We hope you enjoy it.