It is the ‘year of the tiara’, but what’s a girl (or guy) to do if they don’t have an heirloom laying about?
Tiaras and jewelled headpieces are all the rage on the red carpet, at society weddings and in film and television shows. As the trend starts to trickle down, Felix Bischof goes in search of his own.
We are only two months into it, but many signs point to a revival of sorts. In January, Hamnet actor Paul Mescal appeared on the cover of GQ with a Cartier bandeau-style headpiece — a white diamond-dusted treasure borrowed from the brand’s archives. Fresh from her Golden Globes win, Teyana Taylor sped from Los Angeles for Paris to attend the Schiaparelli haute couture show, to which she wore a tiara designed by the house’s creative director, Daniel Roseberry. In London, West End girl Lily Allen celebrated her latest album wearing a tiara made by jeweller Jennifer Behr in collaboration with British Vogue’s contributing editor Julia Hobbs. And Alexander Skarsgård wore a tiara from the same collection to host Saturday Night Live.
Teyana Taylor at the Schiaparelli Haute Couture show in Paris, in January 2026.
An iridescent addition to occasion dressing, as well as the new red carpet IT accessory, tiaras are a favourite for big-moment, once-in-a-lifetime events. Think weddings (see Violet Lindesay-Bethune, Viscountess Garnock, who wore her family’s Rutland tiara to her highly-publicised wedding) or a grand ball. Every year, footage of young women and men dancing at the Queen Charlotte’s Ball and Le Bal Des Débutantes circulates on social media. Vienna has a whole ball season. It kicks off in November. Tiaras encouraged. Programmes such as Bridgerton have played a part in the tiara’s renaissance, too: Susannah Lovis reported a 300% spike in searches for tiaras when the second season aired. Whatever the reason, the trend is being answered by heritage jewellers in London, Paris and beyond. While new, price on application pieces (if you have to ask…) are being tinkered with in master ateliers, tiaras from centuries past — each with their own story to tell — regularly go under the hammer at specialist dealers and auction houses. (It is worth noting that antique and vintage pieces are often more affordable in proportion to their quality.) One thing that is clear: all tiaras are a big investment (unless you go down the costume jewellery route and who are we to judge?).
Sadly, I don’t have an heirloom gem coming my way anytime soon, so one question loomed over me: where to buy a tiara in 2026?
Quest established, I first headed to London’s Pall Mall, the address of Humphrey Butler. Established in 2020 by a one-time auction house specialist, today the brand specialises in important estate and contemporary jewellery. There were three tiaras in stock when I enquired, including a late 19th-century diamond-set model with quatrefoil and bow-like figure-of-eight motifs (left). ‘Look for versatility,’ says resident expert Robert Leigh-Pemberton. He first noticed a renewed interest in antique tiaras a couple of years ago, and points to the wearability of models that can be converted into other pieces of jewellery. ‘Magnificent as [a tiara] may be, and no matter one's lifestyle, it is never going to be worn as often as one might hope if it can't be converted. Necklaces are the most common, but I have seen sets of earrings, bracelets and brooches formed by some 19th century models.’
The 12th Duke And Duchess Of Devonshire — then the Marquess of Hartington and Miss Amanda Heywood-Lonsdale — at their wedding. Amanda wore the Cavendish's Devonshire Tiara.
Within walking distance of Humphrey Butler, there are more antique tiaras to be found at Bentley & Skinner. Jewellers by Royal Appointment, I am told that Bentley & Skinner have been selling diamond tiaras since 1880. Famous pieces include the Devonshire Tiara, a 1893 masterpiece that resides at Chatsworth House. Here, on Piccadilly, the selection includes Edwardian, Victorian and Belle Époque tiaras. My eye was drawn to a ribbon and bow motif style made by the brand in platinum and set with white diamonds framing a central old European cut diamond of 1.16-carats. Interestingly, Bentley & Skinner offers a hire service: for 1% of the retail value plus VAT, a tiara can be mine for 24 hours.
‘We have noted an increased uptick in interest for tiaras offered in our sales,’ Henry Bailey, the head of the jewellery department at auction house Christie’s, tells me. ‘Tiaras continue to capture and excite the imagination at our exhibitions of both seasoned collectors and one-off visitors, especially if they are associated with a story and rich provenance. Often, it is the stories behind the tiaras, as well as their craftsmanship and beauty, that captivate and resonate most strongly with collectors and the public alike.’ Past star lots include a late 19th-century ruby and diamond tiara worn by the 3rd Countess of Stradbroke at the coronation of Edward VII and sold on the open market for the first time, by the auction house, last year (right).
On the website of London antique and vintage jewellery expert Hancocks, I come across two late-Victorian tiaras. One is set with pearls, and both are frosted in white diamonds. They absolutely warrant a visit to the St James’s townhouse.
A contemporary tiara is my second option, and the best ones can be sourced in Paris. London jeweller De Beers recently opened a new boutique, its largest global flagship, on the Rue de la Paix in Paris. To mark the occasion, the diamond specialists launched Vibrations, a new, high jewellery line. The Echo Necklace was the write-home-about-it showpiece — a transformable design that can be worn six ways, including as a tiara.
The Diorexquis headband by Dior Joaillerie was unveiled last year as part of a larger high jewellery collection.
At Dior, Victoire de Castellane, the creative director of Dior Joaillerie, has also had tiaras on her mind. An all-white, floral theme tiara detailed with white diamonds, white cultured pearls and white mother-of-pearl is part of her Diorexquis high jewellery collection, first unveiled last year. Belle Dior, the collection de Castellane presented earlier this year, includes an astrological-inspired tiara, topped with stars, moons and the sun, all realised in pink gold with diamonds, spessartite garnets, yellow sapphires and black opal on onyx doublets (below). It’s a playful reading of the trend.
While in Paris, it would be amiss to not visit Chaumet, on Place Vendôme. This is arguably tiara research ground zero. The heritage brand has a long history of crowning heads. ‘Chaumet became the leading house for acquiring tiaras in the 19th century,’ says the maison’s 13th head of workshop, Benoît Verhulle. ‘During this period, Marie-Etienne Nitot was appointed the Emperor's jeweller. Influenced by Empress Joséphine, an increasing number of court members aspired to emulate her style, which propelled the tiara to its zenith of popularity throughout those years.’
Chaumet's Envol design can be worn four ways — including, most importantly, as a tiara.
Notable, museum-worthy creations include the Wheat-ear Tiara, an 1811 confection finished for Empress Marie-Louise, and a part of the French crown jewels, and the 1930s Baroque Pearl Tiara, topped with a treasure-chest of important natural pearls. And Chaumet creates gems of equal stature to this day. This January, they presented the Envol high jewellery tiara, a contemporary take on a famous 1910 design that belonged to Gertrude Payne Whitney (the founder of New York’s Whitney Museum). Cast in blue tones, the Envol can be worn four different ways — including as a handheld mask.
Chaumet continues to offer a bespoke service, too, and employees use many of the same processes as their predecessors. ‘We incorporate new techniques such as scanning to precisely capture the shape of our clients' heads [too],’ says Verhulle, ‘ and create a 3D print of their head, and craft the tiara exactly to their measurements.’
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