I suspect that the size of the aquamarine drops dictated, to a certain degree, the style of the remodelled tiara.

Queen Ena wearing her original tiara.


Vincent Meylan in Bvlgari. Treasures of Rome noted that the firm made the new tiara in 1935 as the original was designed to be worn with a voluminous hairstyle. By making the aquamarine drops removable a more versatile tiara resulted.

I think that other tiaras with loops/circles existed independently of the Vladimir tiara. Cartier has acknowledged that some of its creations were based on the Vladimir tiara, but I doubt if any competent designer, goldsmith and gem setter would need to physically examine the Vladimir tiara to create a similar jewel.

I am intrigued as to which of the following came first. The diamond and pearl tiara of Grand Duchess Marie, Duchess of Edinburgh or the Vladimir?



Does anyone know when this tiara was made? If it was part of the jewellery given to her by her father when she married, then her tiara, which is arguably grander in style than the Vladimir, may pre-date the Vladimir.

Stefano Papi in The Jewels of the Romanovs notes that the Vladimir tiara was probably made by Bolin around the time of Maria Pavlovna's wedding in 1874.

Maria Pavlovna married in August 1874.

Grand Duchess Marie married in January 1874. So, if her tiara with the circles was part of her wedding gifts, then it pre-dates the Vladimir.

I have come across numerous other loop/circle tiara. For most I know nothing about when the individual jewels were made.

Grand Duchess Marie's daughter, Queen Marie of Romania had one.





It is similar in design to one worn by Princess Muna of Jordan



We recently discussed one worn by Lady Anne Glenconner.



Lady Rose Baring has also worn one when accompanying QEII to the Opening of Parliament.

Lady Rose Baring




The Countess of Antrim has also worn one

Countess of Antrim at the 1911 Coronation.


At the Opening of Parliament in 1924


Other tiaras I have noticed are a variation on the theme.

A not very elegant or successful version



Another variation



But back to the original question posed by Sam. I suspect that primarily it was the size and shape of the aquamarines which dictated that one of two or three styles would be suitable. But whether the suggestion for a tiara based on diamond circles came from the Infanta, her husband, the jewellers or even Queen Ena is something I can only guess about.