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Health & Fitness

Sapphire, Diamond & Pearl Tiara

Happy Tiara Tuesday!  This week we're bringing out the fabulous French Sapphire, Diamond, and Pearl Tiara!  This tiara is a stunning example of Bapst's (the French Jewelers) craftsmanship, using elements from Gothic architecture (such as the scrolls and sapphire spikes) to create a structurally elegant tiara!

This tiara belonged to Queen Marie-Amélie, wife of Louise Philippe.  They met as they were both fleeing the French Revolution, and three years later they married in 1809.  After Napoleon Bonaparte's fall from power in 1814 they returned to France and in August 1830 Louise Philippe ascended to the throne as King of France.  This tiara was made for Queen Marie-Amélie after her husband ascended to the throne of France.

Queen Marie-Amélie was the niece of Marie Antoinette and, by being a passive but dutiful Queen, she managed to avoid any of the negative stigma that could have come from association with Marie Antoinette.  She and Louise Philippe had ten children during their marriage, and lived a modest (for royal standards) and happy life until King Louise Philippe's abdication in 1948, when he was exiled to England.

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The Sapphire, Diamond, and Pearl Tiara is part of a stunning parure made for Queen Marie-Amélie, and was a part of her personal jewel collection.  Just in the tiara there are 13 sapphires, over 50 round pearls, and over 370 diamonds!  How exquisite!  Because the tiara was a part of Marie-Amélie's personal collection, it was passed down through her family instead of remaining with the crown jewels, and remains in it's original form (as opposed to being altered like most of the French Crown Jewels).  This parure is now property of and on exhibit in the Louvre Museum and considered part of the French Crown Jewels.

Hope everyone had a great Labor Day Weekend!  Thanks for reading, and have a fantastic Tiara Tuesday!

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