Leafy Ruby and Diamond Tiara

Diamond, pearl and ruby tiara on a silver frame. It has 7 elements which look like some kind of spiky leaf, maple or cannabis, studded with diamonds and with rubies at the tips, middle and bottom. In between the diamond leaves are straight wires with a round ruby at the end and a round diamond in the middle. In between the leafy elements are shapes that look like a small knife with a hilt. They are diamond-studded with round rubies on the tips and a pearl at the bottom.

I've come across this tiara many times during my tiara questing and every time I see it I do a double-take. Are those...? Nah, couldn't be! But...maybe? I feel like Fry from Futurama every time I see it.

image of Philip Fry from Futurama squinting at something

There are some tiaras out there that look like something even though they aren't. But that impression is what sticks in my mind and I just can not unsee it.

The Fire and Ice Tiara is created from cultured freshwater baroque pearls, white gold and diamonds. The front portion of the tiara is a ring of jagged white gold peaks covered in small diamonds. Behind this row is a taller row of 6 irregularly-shaped baroque pearls.

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Geoffrey Rowlandson's Fire and Ice tiara? Big honking teeth!

Tiara on a metal frame with 5 large oval loops visible. Loops are outlined in white enamel, with a small round green gem at the bottom which comes to a point. On the left side of each loop are 2 gold wires with a leaf shape on the end which is outlined with green enamel. Within each loop is a large unfaceted pink tourmaline, framed on each side with a diamond scroll and with a small diamond swirl at the bottom. On top of each oval loop is another small round green gem topped by an unfaceted teardrop-shaped pink tourmaline. The tiara is inside a case which opens on both ends and is a light brown velvet or suede.

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The green leaves on the delightfully chonky pink tourmaline tiara? Look at them! Those are clearly jalapeño slices!

So, the description from the antiques site this tiara was sold on says that this piece

"...seems to be dedicated to autumn – because it is composed of fine leaves on which diamonds shimmer like dew drops. In between are deep red rubies. So one is tempted to think of the red foliage of the chestnut trees in October, or of the red five-leaf maple.

Maple leaves.

Image of Marcia Brady giving side-eye and saying Sure, Jan

I'll be totally blunt with you guys, the minute I saw that tiara I could only see one thing.

Those Victorians could get freaky and wild. I'm sure it really was meant to represent perfectly innocent ... maple ... leaves. But it wouldn't have surprised me to find that it was meant to be what I think it looks like! (I even double-checked with Best Son, thinking I might have just been being a ridiculous older person. Which, I think jury's still out on that but he did agree that these leaves had a ... weedy quality.) I mean, just saying but there are tiaras out there with a similar design that look way less ... herbal. Like this one!

Diamond tiara with 5 floral motifs interspersed with smaller floral elements.

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Anyway! Let me tell you a little bit about this tiara.

This Belle Époque tiara was created around 1890. The antique site states the maker is unknown as there are no marks or stamps on the tiara itself although the case it came in is stamped with a name and address (Harman & Co., 177 New Bond Street, London) and it looks like it was made to fit the tiara. So, maybe the maker is actually known. It is set with 59 round and oval natural rubies, 79 old mine cut and old European cut diamonds, 161 rose cut diamonds and 12 natural pearls. It came to the antique store without a frame so they created a new one out of silver. It was on sale for 34980 euros which today works out to about 40,000 USD.

Ruby, diamond and pearl tiara in its case which appears to be of red leather on the outside and lined with cream velvet and satin. Above the tiara is a small ruby and diamond chain piece that converts it to a necklace.

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It converts into a necklace and that chain portion in the case is how that is achieved. The necklace length is 40 cm, or about 15 3/4" inches.

Ruby, diamond and pearl tiara being worn as a necklace.

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Here's what it looks like being worn as a necklace.

So what do YOU think?

image of a white rabbit popping out of his rabbit hole, looking around, and going back in. His rabbit hole is surrounded by grass and some carrots in the ground.

Belle Époque - What was the Belle Époque, anyway? Wikipedia's got you on this one!
10 Plants That You Might Mistake for Marijuana - Yep, number 1 is the maple!
How Many Leaves Does a Marijuana Plant Have? - I thought the number of leaves would clear up just what was being represented here but apparently cannabis plants are tricksy and can have anywhere from 1-13!
Victorian Cannabis Use - If you ask me to associate a drug with the Victorian era, it would NOT be weed. It would be opium. But cannabis was used during this time in a (questionable) medical sense.
The Role Of Cannabis In The Victorian Age Medical Revival - According to this article it was an Irish doctor practicing in India who observed the local use of hashish as a folk treatment for various ailments and brought its use to England.
Cannabis Britannica: The rise and demise of a Victorian wonder-drug - So this is pretty cool. Back in 2013 Gresham College had a series of lectures, one of which was on this topic. This is a half hour video lecture and there's also some supplemental information available.
Benjamin’s Expert Guide to Vintage Diamond Cuts and Shapes - There are lots of different diamond cuts in the tiara. This explains the differences between them.

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