Regal Revival: 10 Glittering Tiaras and the Fascinating Stories Behind Them
Demand for these sparkling novelties has increased in recent years among contemporary brides and collectors
From the world’s most-photographed royals and headline-grabbing auctions to must-see TV like Bridgerton and The Gilded Age, tiaras continue to fascinate audiences with their glamorous histories, symbolism, and magnificent compositions of diamonds and gems.
So let that be an invitation to top off your New Year’s Eve look with a tiara—you are likely not the only one considering it. As Rebecca Selva, chief creative officer at Fred Leighton, once told the New York Times, “I think that there is tremendous interest in tiaras because both in the bridal arena and in the way we dress to go out, people feel free to express their creativity and individual style.”
And demand for these sparkling novelties has only increased. At present, “We’re seeing tiaras move from the formal ballroom into modern wardrobes,” says Justin Daughters, managing director at Berganza, a prestigious antique and vintage jewelry specialist in London. “It’s styling that allows them to live beyond tradition.”
Over the last 15 years or so, some tiaras have fetched millions of dollars at auction. Those high hammer prices are often directly connected to a history-rich provenance or a compelling celebrity/royal/aristocrat association. “People today are drawn to jewels with a story,” adds Daughters. “A tiara is a wearable fragment of history—it’s not just about carats or sparkle.”
Below is a look at some of the world’s most fascinating and remarkable tiaras, including several antique pieces that found new homes this year, and the forecast for 2026.
1. Lady Glenconner’s Antique Diamond Star Tiara
Just this month, this circa 1880 piece owned by a close friend of both Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret sold for about $171,000 at a Bonhams London sale. The tiara features eight diamond stars that can be temporarily removed and worn individually as brooches. Many tiaras from this era feature a similar convertible element so that the tiara can be worn multiple ways.
2. Early 20th Century Natural Pearl and Diamond Tiara
Defined by its geometric Greek key motif and a droplet-shaped natural pearl centerpiece, this glittering tiara from November’s Phillips Geneva sale sold for about $28,000 (the absence of royal provenance made it a relative bargain!).
3. The Airlie Tiara
In October, this 19th century tiara, which belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth’s lady-in-waiting, Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie, sold for $251,000 at the London-based auction house Lyon & Turnbull.
4. Third Countess of Stradbroke Tiara
A highlight of November’s Magnificent Jewels sale hosted by Christie’s Geneva, this circa 1880 Burmese ruby-studded stunner sold for $715,000. An exemplar of Victorian romance and extravagance, the tiara belonged to Helena Violet Alice, Third Countess of Stradbroke (1874–1949) and made a memorable appearance at the 1902 coronation of Edward VII. Its back sections are detachable, allowing it to be worn as both a headpiece and a necklace.
5. Circa 1860 Diamond Tiara
In November, the Royal & Noble Jewels sale hosted by Sotheby’s Geneva presented six diamond tiaras. A relative bargain that sold for around $32,000, this whimsical creation by Rozet & Fischmeister, one of Vienna’s most venerable jewelers, combines glittering floral, foliate, and wheat motifs for a masterful display of volume and texture.
“Every tiara carries centuries of history,” says Daughters. “They are living stories in diamonds, pearls, and platinum. A tiara is a crown only once—after that, it becomes a legacy.”
6. Henckel von Donnersmarck Tiara
Bragging rights for the most expensive tiara sold at auction go to this circa 1900 masterpiece, once owned by Princess Katharina Henckel von Donnersmarck of Germany. Offered by Sotheby’s Geneva in 2011, and sold for about $12.5 million, it features more than 500 carats of Colombian emeralds and is believed to have originated from Empress Eugénie of France.
7. Mike Todd Diamond Tiara
Gifted to Elizabeth Taylor by her third husband, Mike Todd, this circa 1880 creation was featured in a Christie’s New York sale of the legendary actress’s jewels in 2011, and went for about $4.22 million. Taylor was photographed wearing the tiara, which features old mine-cut diamonds and latticework motifs, at the Academy Awards in 1957.
8. Murat Tiara
This early 20th-century Chaumet design was created in 1920 for the marriage of Prince Alexandre Murat, a descendant of Napoleon’s sister, to Yvonne Gillois. Presented at a Sotheby’s Geneva sale in 2012 and sold for about $3.87 million, the tiara incorporates natural pearls amid foliate scrolls set with diamonds in multiple cuts and shapes.
9. Duchess of Roxburghe Tiara
An Art Deco design by Cartier from 1935, this tiara blends geometric precision with aristocratic legacy—and 130 to 150 carats worth of diamonds. A wedding gift from the Duke of Roxburghe to his bride, Mary Evelyn Hungerford Crewe-Milnes, the piece was sold after her death in 2014 for about $2.87 million at a Sotheby’s Geneva sale.
10. Pearl and Diamond Tiara
Rounding out the list is a circa 1878 tiara by famous British jeweler Garrard & Co. that sold at Christie’s London for $1.92 million in 2011. Like other tiaras from this period, it offers multiple options for wear: Several different pearl-and-diamond elements are detachable and convert to form a series of brooches.
Will the regal revival continue in 2026?
Daughters says his firm has noted a growing interest in antique tiaras among contemporary brides and collectors.
“We expect to see a rise in convertible and wearable tiaras—pieces that move fluidly between necklace, diadem, and brooch,” he says. “Modern buyers want versatility without sacrificing heritage. Designs that blend antique stones with contemporary silhouettes will define 2026.”
So make sure you’re following all the top auction houses for your chance to acquire an antique tiara of your own. But if you can’t wait until the next big Christie’s or Sotheby’s event, Berganza has three readily available tiaras to help you make a grand entrance in the New Year.
