What is a Tiara
I’m Elisabetta Sebastio, I’m an italian jewelry designer specialize in making bespoke hair accessories.
If you say tiaras and chances are you’re thinking of queens and princesses. For centuries, these head ornaments were worn by royalty to represent their authority and status. From ancient times to the modern day, tiaras have been an indispensable part of royal attire.
We often use the words tiara and crown interchangeably but there are very clear distinctions between the two. Let’s take a look at what makes a crown a crown and a tiara a tiara.
So, what is a Tiara?
A tiara is a type of crown but has several distinct features. One of the main points to note is that tiaras are only worn by females. Unlike a crown, a tiara is semicircular and is worn on the upper part of the head (generally a few centimeters above the forehead), so as to have the focus on the front.
There are tiaras of all sizes, some delicate and ethereal, others massive and filled with precious stones.
Wearing a tiara does not automatically mean being a queen. In fact nowadays, tiaras are commonly worn by winners of beauty contests and by girls for various events like gala, and first of all, by brides in the days of their wedding,
This is an example of bridal tiaras
This is an handmade floral tiaras with mother of pearl and silver flowers, as you can see it has the typical semi circular shape that characterized tiaras
“The Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara”
Most commonly associated with Princess Diana, the tiara was made for Queen Mary in the early 1900s before being passed to Queen Elizabeth. She gave it to Princess Diana as a wedding gift, later it was also worn by Kate Middleton.
Another type of bridal tiara with mother of pearl flowers and brass leaves
…there’s no better way to complete the princess look!
The Diamond Bandeau Tiara
Meghan Markle wore the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau on her wedding day. The Diamond Bandeau Tiara was made for Queen Mary to accommodate the centre brooch. It was placed in the Queen’s vault in 1953 and has also been seen on Princess Margaret, Harry’s late great aunt.
The differences between Tiara and Crown
the tiara is often confused with the crown, so let’s see quickly the main differences between these two types of head ornaments:
- A crown is circular (complete circle) while a tiara is semicircular and covers only half of the head.
- A tiara is typically worn by women whereas crowns can be worn by both men and women.
- A crown is a representation of power, authority and royal status instead a Tiara can be worn by brides and beauty pageant winners.
- Crowns are often more colorful and elaborate than tiaras.
What’s a Crown?
Remember when Freddie Mercury dressed in royal robes with a crown on his head? That was a crown, not a tiara.
A crown can be worn by both men and women. It has a complete circular base and, once worn, encircles the entire head. Crowns are decorated on all sides, both from the back and from the front.
Crowns are often larger than tiaras and stand taller on the head. They typically contain priceless precious gemstones which are set in a precious metal, commonly gold.
These days, while tiaras are more common among ordinary people, crowns are still often reserved for royalty or eccentric celebrities.,
Apart from the features mentioned above, there is no standard design for crowns.
The crowns are often modified to adapt to its context, they differ depending on the country and time, the fashion and the wearer.
One of the most famous crowns is the Imperial State Crown of the United Kingdom which symbolizes the sovereignty of the ruler. This regal headpiece contains some of the world’s most famous jewels, including the 105 carat Kohi-noor diamond. It holds approximately 2800 diamonds, 273 pearls and about 33 sapphires, rubies and emeralds.
Go to the following article to find out the Difference between the tiara and the diadem
I’m Elisabetta Sebastio, I specialize in making bespoke hair accessories.
if you want to know more and want to take a look click here: Wedding hair accessories