Today marks the 105th Anniversary of the Death of Empress Auguste Viktoria of Germany, who died on this day in 1921! The last Kaiserin of Germany, the Empress possessed a plethora of important jewels, which included this magnificent Aquamarine and Diamond Tiara!
Prussian Diamond Scroll Tiara | Aquamarine Tiara | Prussian Clover Coronet | Emerald Laurel Wreath Tiara | Ruby Parure | Prussian Aquamarine Earrings | Prussian Sapphire and Pearl Brooch
The spectacular Diamond Kokoshnik-style Tiara was created by the workshop of the Gebr Kreuter, Hanau, for the Court Jeweller Koch and delivered right ahead of Christmas in 1909.
The elegant Kokoshnik consists of several rows of foliage and scroll work, from diamonds you can see underneath, the base is a latticework. The diadem was made of twelve diamond-studded leaf branches, each made of three elongated leaves form an ornament, the leaves are reminiscent of tendril leaves with berries made of diamonds, between 5 drop-shaped large aquamarines or pearls.
Empress Auguste Viktoria notably wore the Tiara set with Aquamarines, along with Queen Louise’s Aquamarine Earrings, an Aquamarine and Diamond Necklace, and Corsage Brooch for a series of family portraits taken in 1911.
The Aquamarine and Diamond Tiara, along with the same Aquamarine and Diamond jewels, were also worn by Empress Augusta Victoria for a portrait as the patroness of the German Red Cross.
Two years later, Empress Auguste Viktoria wore the Aquamarine and Diamond Tiara again for an Official Portrait, taken short before the outbreak of the First World War. As personal property, the Tiara was kept with the Royal Family when they went into exile but never publicly seen.
By the 1980s, the Tiara must have been disassembled as one of the elements was worn as a brooch, with a pearl pendant, by Princess Nina von Prussia, née Countess von Reventlow, the daughter-in-law of Empress Auguste Viktoria’s grandson, the then Prince of Prussia. Queen Louise’s Aquamarine Earrings were auctioned in 1993, but the fate of the other Aquamarines is not known.
More recently, Princess Nina von Prussia also wore the Diamond and Pearl Brooch for an event in 2005, and let’s hope we will continue to see the legacy of the grand tiara for years to come!
