Peridot Tiaras for August

Gold tiara with scrolling lotus flowers of textured gold with red and green enamel decoration, with graduated circular-cut peridots and centered with an oval-shaped ruby.

Let's take a look at some tiaras featuring the August birthstone, peridot!

We're starting off with this lovely golden Egyptian Revival tiara. Made in the early 20th century, it features red and green enamelling, peridots and a single ruby. It can also be worn as a choker but you'd have to have a tiny neck as the circumference is only 36 cm (14 inches)!

It sold in 2018 for £16,000 which, according to the Bank of England's Inflation Calculator, would be £21,501.27 (about $28,962.64 USD) today. There were no notes on the buyer but, whoever it is, they are keeping this tiara on the down low. I could find no photos other than the one above.

Tiara with a bottom row of zig-zag diamond chevron shapes. Above are alternating lotus elements with teardrop peridots. The lotus elements have a central marquis-cut peridot, a diamond petal on either side and a bottom half-circle gem that is either a peridot, aquamarine, amethyst or pink tourmaline. The frame is platinum and 18K gold.

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Apparently peridots lend themselves well to the lotus theme! This modern tiara was created in 2023 by Kayla Rimmon of Aril Jewels for a yearly design competition held by the Goldsmith’s Craft & Design Council. The tiara's frame is platinum and 18-karat gold and it has peridots, aquamarines, amethysts, pink tourmalines and 259 white diamonds.

According to an article about the tiara which I'll link below in the rabbit hole,

In ancient Egyptian times, the lotus flower, which closes and sinks underwater at night only to rise and open again at dawn, symbolized the sun, creation, and rebirth.

Also, the Egyptians called peridot “the gem of the sun,” believing it symbolized hope, rebirth, and life.

“The design celebrates peridot’s symbolism and connection with ancient Egypt,” said Rimmon of the harmonious pairing.

I have to laugh here because the article also says that the tiara converts into a necklace "...giving the wearer a modern-day option for less formal occasions." You know, less formal but still appropriate to be rockin' 259 diamonds and other sundry jewels. Sometimes I wish I lived that kind of life!

tiara designed as a graduated line of cushion-shaped peridot and pearl clusters to the pearl berries with gold filigrée vines and leaves, brooch en suite with three detachable pear-shaped drops, mounted in gold

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OK, we're moving away from lotuses! This peridot and seed pearl demi-parure consists of one tiara and one brooch. It was sold by Christies in 2007 for £6600 (that would be £11,486.48 or $15,472.48 USD today). It was made around 1830 and there is a note that one of the tiara gems has been replaced by a paste stone. The tiara is 20 cm (about 8 inches) wide and the brooch is 9 cm (about 3.5 inches) high.

Tiara with 14K white gold and sterling silver frame. The tiara comes up to a point. Inside is a small squared silver plaque positioned on its point with a large round cabochon peridot. Above the peridot is a small round diamond.

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Here's another modern tiara. This seller on eBay has quite a few handcrafted tiaras for sale. If you have a few thousand dollars burning a hole in your pocket and a strong need for a tiara, check out the source link. She seems to be a legit seller! This 14K white gold and sterling silver tiara has a huge 10 carat cabochon peridot (and a small accent diamond). I don't know - I kind of think this looks like it could belong in some 70s sci fi movie.

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This tiara with a huge honking peridot and danger noodle friends was featured in an earlier tiara post, Haute joaillerie tiaras by Lydia Courteille.

Diamond and peridot tiara. There are diamond foliate scrolls. Within each scroll is a very large octagonal peridot.

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And speaking of huge honking peridots, we're going to finish up this post with the Habsburg Peridot Tiara. Made in the 1820s by Köchert, court jeweler to the Habsburgs, it was part of a large parure consisting of a tiara, a pair of earrings, a devant de corsage, two brooches and a necklace. The necklace's pear-shaped drops could be removed and placed on top of the tiara, if you didn't think it was enough on its own. It's kind of hard to get a grasp of how big the stones are just from the pictures of the tiara alone, so here's a photo of Archduchess Isabella wearing it

Black and white photo of Archduchess Isabella wearing the peridot tiara.

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Look at how huge they are! I wonder how heavy that tiara was. The Royal Watcher blog has a nice write up on the parure with a lot more pictures, which I'll link in the rabbit hole. The set was auctioned off a few times over the years before ultimately being bought in 2001 at a Sotheby's auction for $400,000 by jeweler Fred Leighton. The jewels have since been loaned out to celebrities for events. There are several photos of Joan Rivers wearing the necklace and earrings and they are equally MASSIVE.

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.

Egyptian Revival Jewelry - a history of the Egyptian Revival expressed in jewelry with lots of great pictures of non-tiara jewels.
Goldsmith's Craft and Design Council - non-profit organization in the UK formed over 100 years ago to "to encourage, stimulate and promote the pursuit of excellence in craftsmanship and design amongst all those in the United Kingdom who work within silversmithing, goldsmithing, jewellery and the allied crafts."
Piece of the Week: The Lotus Tiara - Article about the Lotus Tiara made by Aril Jewels.
Habsburg Peridot Parure - post from The Royal Watcher blog with lots of pictures and history.
Fred Leighton - Seller of vintage jewels.
Peridot Gemstone - all about peridot from the Gemological Institute of America.

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