"It's such a modern thing," Sara Prentice, creative director at the House of Garrard, told Vogue. Once bought, Margaret couldnt wait to wear it.. Following Margaret's royal wedding in 1960, the Poltimore tiara made another memorable appearance in a 1962 photograph. The tiara was made in the 1870s by crown jeweler Garrard for Lady Poltimore and can be transformed into a fringe-style necklace and 11 brooches. But the image remained ingrained in minds everywhereso much so that The Crown included a scene about it in season three. The tiara gets its name from its original owner: Florence Bampfylde, Lady Poltimore. Taken by her husband, the famed photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones, the photo was only released to the public in 2006, four years after Margarets death. Check out pics and videos here. The large scrolls can be worn as brooches, and the clusters can also form a necklace. View this post on Instagram .css-1du65oy{color:#323232;display:block;font-family:NewParis,Georgia,Times,serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0.3125rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;-webkit-font-smoothing:auto;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-1du65oy:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-1du65oy{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1du65oy{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1du65oy{font-size:1.3125rem;line-height:1.2;}}The Spencer-Churchill Necklace Is Finally on Sale, The Bulgari Serpenti & the Art of Seduction, How to Start Collecting Native American Jewelry, Get the Celestial Earrings Florence Pugh Wore. Princess Diana received a bracelet as a 21st-birthday gift in 1951. Hinged lid opens to interior compartment for hiding your secret treasures PICK UP IN PIERREFONDS Eleven years later, the portrait was removed from public view. All rights reserved. The necklace is comprising of 67 graduated round-cut diamonds, mounted in platinum. Prentice surmises that such a piece took around six months to make. Princess Margaret did wear the tiara as a fringe necklace often in public, both before and after her 1960 wedding. Equal parts coquettish and cheeky, it cemented the princesss status as the royal familys forever wild child. There is no way of knowing whether any other royals have ever worn the Poltimore tiara because it is such an unusual addition to the collection. When worn, the tiara almost appears to float. When the Queens uncle, the former King Edward VIII, went into exile after abdicating the throne and marrying Wallis Simpson, he took the coronet he had worn to his own investiture with him. Princess Margaret on her wedding day in May 1960, wearing the Poltimore Tiara. Our group will examine all of her Tiaras, as well as her extensive jewelry collection, in the wake of her death. Experts now believe that the piece could be worth up to 3 million. The Poltimore Tiara, with diamond scrolls evoking flora, flowers, and nature, is the epitome of Victorian-era jewelry. It is made up of 61 diamond bars and is still often worn by the Queen. The tiara gets its name from its original owner: Florence Bampfylde, Lady Poltimore. Therefore, only the cloth would sink into her head, while the spectacular jewels remained in full view. While the royals have been known to buy jewellery - Queen Mary, Margarets grandmother, famously bought the emerald tiara that once belonged to Grand Duchess Vladimir of Russia - it was very unusual to not wear a family heirloom for a wedding day. The Story Behind Kim Kardashians Engagement Ring, Top 10 Featured Jewelry Auctions in February 2019, Top 10 Featured Auctions in September 2020, Introducing Season 3 of Divorce & Other Things You Can Handle, Top 10 Featured Auctions From November 2019. What happened to the Poltimore Tiara after her death is still a mystery. What Does Harry and Meghans Eviction From Frogmore Cottage Mean for Their Future in the U.K.? Margaret Bampfylde, Baroness Poltimore, ne Beaumont; inherited from . Of course, later in life it would become most synonymous with that famous image of her in the bathtub, wearing nothing but the Poltimore, which was taken by her husband and formed a storyline in the most recent series of The Crown. It is famous for being in the personal collection of Princess Margaret Of The United Kingdom Source: The Court Jeweller I've always had a soft spot for Princess Margaretpartly for the same reason .css-gegin5{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#9a0500;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-gegin5:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}President Johnson so enjoyed her (those limericks! Enter your name and email address below to subscribe to our weekly newsletter! Gucci Handbags 101: A Guide to Shopping Their Iconic Bags, From the Jackie to the Bamboo 1947, Just One Thing: How a Single Brooch Can Be Worn Many Wonderous Ways. While King George often purchased items from jewelry houses such as Cartier for his family members, he had the royal jeweler, Garrard, create this piece. It hasnt been seen since. Who own Margarets tiara? Margaret never changed the design of her bracelet, despite its failure to keep up with fashion trends. The Princess Margaret first wore this impressive piece as the 'Poltimore Tiara', Jewellery and Faberge, from the Collection of H.R.H The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. Traditionally, the crowns of monarchs include 2 arches while the investiture coronet has just one, signifying that while the Prince of Wales outranks other royals but not the monarch. It became the most-associated tiara with Princess Margaret, says Prentice. With the official trailer which came out in mid-October (watch below), we know that the costumes for this coming season are as spectacular as any weve seen. Were saluting her birthday by featuring her Poltimore Tiara. Princess Margaret is thought to have given one of her two children the engagement ring. Rather than borrowing one of the many diadems available to her in the royal collection, as is traditional for royal brides, Margaret instead purchased a new one. On June 13, 2006, Christies auctioned off an estate with paintings, furniture, and other items, as well as Princess Margarets tiara. Worthy, Inc. operates from 45 W 45th St, 4th Floor New York, NY 10036, Princess bought this tiara for herself for her wedding. Princess Margaret wore the tiara as a fringe necklace frequently, and it now has a value of 39,300. Ad Choices, Actor Graham McTavish Planned a Scottish Castle Wedding for His Bride, Garance Dor, Phil Ohs Best Street Style Photos From the Fall 2023 Shows in Paris, 70 Incredible Forgotten Photos From Vintage Oscar Nights. She mustve loved it to do that.. Once introduced by Lord Snowdon, HRH visited the jewelers workshops and galleries, helped launch new collections, promoted their jewelry among the Windsors, and commissioned new works, sometimes offering her own gemstones. The framework is comprised of both silver and gold metals, with brown. While the images shock value had much to do with, yes, the bathtub setting, its iconic status was achieved by the addition of the tiara: grand, glistening and, quite frankly, gargantuan. It made me appreciate the Princess even more, this sense of royal jewelry taste that dared to spread beyond the boundaries of diamond tiaras and three strands of pearls. It was passed down through her family, and eventually landed in the hands of her grandson, the Fourth Baron Poltimore, who sold it to Princess Margaret at auction in 1959 for 5,500, or around $7,500 today. For those wondering, investiture is a centuries-old ceremony where the king or queens eldest child is formally acknowledged as the Prince of Wales (next in line for the throne). The diamond scrolls evoke flora and nature. Christies sold the tiara for 926,400 pounds (now worth around $1.1 million), raising funds for the Princesss childrens estate tax obligations. 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Despite having access to the crown jewels (the Duchess of Cambridge, for example, wears tiaras lent to her by the Queen) the then 29-year-old Margaret wanted something she could call her own. The Queen wore her newest tiara, the Burmese Ruby Tiara, for the performance. She paired it with other diamond and ruby jewels, including the Ruby Floret Earrings (most recently seen on the Countess of Wessex ), the Baring Ruby Necklace, and the Diamond and Ruby Art Deco Bracelet. Margaret died in 2002, and by 2006, her two children were facing a massive estate tax bill. Her remaining possessions were auctioned off alongside her estate on June 13, 2006, as part of Christies auction. She was then a glamorous party girl married to a hip photographer and design aficionado. Made in 1870 by the House of Garrard in London, it's the epitome of Victorian-era jewelry style: The diamond scrolls evoke flora, flowers, and nature. I remember at the time there was a lot of worry as to whether anyone would come.". But Margaret's taste in jewelry went far beyond the Politmore, and her reputation as the rebel princess extended to her jewelry box. . There is some dramatic family history around the coronet Prince Charles wore to his investiture that were sure the series will dive into. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Rehearsal Dinners, Bridal Showers & Parties, Flower Girl Dresses and Ring Bearer Outfits, Joyce writes articles for The Knot Worldwide, specializing in celebrity wedding features and pieces on wedding trends and etiquette, Joyce conducts interviews with real couples about how th. Sold by public auction on 29th January 1959 for 5,500 as 'a highly important tiara' belonging to the Right Honourable Lord Poltimore, who was the fourth Baron Poltimore (1882-1965). The Princess wore the tiara in its form as a splendid fringe necklace on several occasions before her actual marriage and also as a necklace and brooches on many State and official fonctions throughout the rest of her life. The Poltimore Tiara - Margaret's headpiece of choice - was purchased by her from the grandson of the original owner, the 4th Baron Poltimore, who sold it to her at auction in 1959 for 5,500. I love to design and create beautiful and fabulous jewelry! In her 1969 portrait, taken by Anthony Buckley, the queen wears two pieces that we still often see her wearing today: the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara and a matching necklace and earrings set that is set with diamonds and large aquamarines. The tiara was auctioned off for over $1 million in 1959. One of the unique features of the Poltimore tiara was that it was versatile. The tiara, which cost 926,400, was the most expensive tiara in the world. As the only sister of Queen Elizabeth II, she attended countless glittering events from the 1940s until her death in 2002. It's not known whether other royals have ever worn the Poltimore tiara, but it seems rather unlikely given its unusual entrance into the royal family's collection. This is the Poltimore Tiara which we saw the Princess wear at her wedding. For Sale on 1stDibs - Haute-joaillerie diamond necklace riviera style with a diamond pendant. What I love about this piece is that it was used for formal and informal occasions, says Daphne Lingon, head of jewelry at Christies USA. It is unclear whether the tiara is still in the hands of its owner or has been worn. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. One of Margaret's favorite pieces was her Poltimore tiara, which, though in size and shape and splendor every inch a royal-worthy jewel, still holds some of Princess Margarets independent spirit. The diadem has a rich history. It's thought that Princess Margaret bought it at an auction in early 1959, and she wore it as a necklace before wearing it as a tiara for the first time on her wedding day. About Worthy Its Christies listing describes it as a graduated line of cushion-shaped and old-cut diamond clusters alternating with diamond-set scroll motifs, each surmounted by old-cut diamond terminals, to the collet-set diamond line, mounted in silver and gold..