Focus on... Kent Jewels: The Aquamarine Tiara

It isn't known for certain how this beautiful aquamarine tiara ended in the Kent collection.

The Kent Aquamarine Tiara

The Aquamarine Tiara was created in 1908 by the French jeweller Georges Fouquet. The original tiara was in the form of translucent enamel a jour bandeau incorporating five ovals. In the centre of each oval was a flower motif consisting of a single large Siberian aquamarine, each aquamarine surrounded by six natural pearls.

The Duchess of Kent wearing the Aquamarine Tiara in its current form

The choice of aquamarine in the tiara was not accidental; Fouquet was known for his love for the stone and was even nicknamed “the father of aquamarines” because of that. In 1910, he presented the diadem at the Brussels Exhibition. 

The Aquamarine Tiara in its original form

The new version of the tiara is without the bandeau setting. The ovals were removed but the flower-setting within remain: they are now arranged within an openwork surrounds, not unlike a button-tiara setting. The Duchess of Kent was pictured wearing this tiara on just a couple of occasions so it is not even certain the tiara does in fact belong to her (it might have been just a loan). 

It is also a mystery why would anyone want to change the original bandeau form – which was really beautiful judging by the pictures – to a button-like tiara form. I mean, really, first the Cambridge Sapphire Tiara, then this one!

If you are interested in Kent Jewels, you are in luck because we have been covering Kent Jewels the whole week. Why not check out the list of Kent Jewels already covered here (scroll to the end of the post)?