The most common use of diadems, crowns and tiaras is as an adornment of the bride’s charming hairstyle and a necessary attribute of the wedding ceremony. Knowing the difference between them will help to avoid confusion when choosing accessories for special occasions, beauty contests, photo shoots and themed parties.

What is a tiara jewelry?

The name «tiara» comes from the Persian language, where it means the high headdress of Persian priests in the form of a truncated cone with a flat top, decorated with gold plates in the form of leaves, flowers and the sun. It was worn by emperors and kings for solemn ceremonies.

In Christian terminology, a tiara is a papal crown, consisting of three diadems superimposed on each other. It was first mentioned in the 19th century. Since then, it has undergone several changes.

Today it is a women’s headdress — an ornament of a semicircular shape of stripes, decorated with precious metals and stones. It is worn on the head or forehead.

By tradition, women’s tiaras were worn exclusively by representatives of royal families.

Nowadays, married ladies wear tiaras, crowns and tiaras for officialial events. This decoration is combined exclusively with evening dresses. The British Royal Family has the largest collection of tiaras and tiaras in the world, many of which are family heirlooms.

The most famous tiaras in the world:

• Cartier Haloin which the Duchess of Cambridge Catherine was at the wedding with Prince William.
• Vladimirskaya. Originally belonged to the Grand Duke of Russia Vladimir. Now it belongs to Queen Elizabeth II. Her set includes two different types of stones: pearls and emeralds.
• Cambridge Knot Lover. It was worn by Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana and the Duchess of Cambridge.
• Queen Mary Fringed Tiara. Jewelry created on the basis of a traditional Russian kokoshnik. It was worn by Queen Elizabeth II at her wedding. Also can be used as a necklace.
• Poltimore. Decorated with bunches of old brilliant cut diamonds set with dazzling diamonds and twisted platinum spirals. The peculiarity of this magnificent tiara is that it transforms into a necklace and eleven stunning brooches.
• Brazilian aquamarine tiara. Created in 1957 as part of a set of necklace and earrings that Queen Elizabeth received in 1953. Its centerpiece since 1971 has been a magnificent Brazilian aquamarine of the highest quality.
• Maxim. Royal tiara set with 655 diamonds and 33 Kashmir sapphires. It was worn by Queen Letizia, Duchess Camilla and Princess Kate Middleton.

What is a jewelry diadem?

Translated from ancient Greek, the word “diadem” means “to bind”, from Latin it is a decorative bandage made of precious metal, which symbolizes the sovereignty of the state.

For the first time in the form it looks like today, the diadem first appeared in Ancient Greece, where it was a symbol of the high status of the owner and his triumphant achievements. In ancient times, only men wore it. Then such an accessory was worn by the Roman emperors and Greek gods, such as Zeus and Hera. Subsequently, the decoration began to be used at weddings by girls from wealthy families.

Some historians claim that all other jewelry, including crowns and tiaras, are varieties of diadems:

• gang — this is a headband located on the forehead and around the head;
• egret — a small «highlight» in the hair, it is worn either in the middle or on the side. It often uses feathers or floral designs in metal, diamonds, or other sparkling stones;
• hen house — a noble decoration that looks like a halo over your head. It does not close, but is fastened with ropes, elastic bands or with the help of hair.
• coronet — a small closed crown that is worn on the head.

The most famous tiaras in the world:

• Sparks Arcot. In 1930, the second Duke of Westminster, Hugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor, commissioned a French jeweler from the Lacloche workshop to place two stones that had previously decorated earrings in an extremely ornate tiara that also contained 1,400 smaller diamonds. It was separated by an equally impressive large brilliant-cut stone. It has been designed in such a way that you can take pear cut diamonds out of it and wear them like a no less spectacular brooch.
• Nur-ul-Ain. Tiara, which was created by the famous jeweler Harry Winston from platinum and smaller diamonds — 324 pink, yellow and colorless diamonds. The largest of them is the most valuable bright pink Noor-ul-Ain diamond weighing 60 carats, while others weigh from 14 to 19 carats.

What is the difference between a diadem and a wedding tiara?

This piece of jewelry originated from items that used to really serve as symbols of power. Then they could afford to make them to order from the masters of jewelry and have only the most high-ranking people. These ornaments were made of silver and gold, they were decorated with precious stones.

Modern models are made from simpler and more inexpensive materials. They use imitations of precious stones (zircons, cubic zirconias, artificial pearls), rhinestone patterns, interlacing of metal elements.

When comparing a tiara and a royal diadem, it can be seen that the difference between them lies in the style of execution.

The tiara has a lighter construction and is usually the same throughout its length. The rim can be completely closed or semi-closed. She looks very elegant and romantic. In the Middle Ages, it was a heavy accessory. It was used as an item that hid the edges of the wig and was worn directly on the forehead. Modern tiara — light and elegant, but still a little more massive than a diadem — this is one of the varieties of crowns that symbolizes power. Previously, only women and girls of high society could afford such an ornament on their heads in a shape resembling a crown. What distinguishes a diadem from a tiara is that it rests on the hair, and not on the head itself. The front of this jewelry looks like a crown. She has a wide center with tapered edges or a pointed top.

The difference between a modern tiara and a diadem

The main difference between a tiara and a diadem is in the decor. A jewelry tiara always has a more complex design. It uses precious and semi-precious stones. Most often, this jewelry is made in the form of a crown, which is often ordered for winners of beauty contests and brides.

The tiara has a simpler appearance. It looks like a hoop. The product is made in a rounded shape with the same width and diameter around the entire circumference, which gives it elegance.

According to the rules of etiquette, the tiara or diadem should not be too far on the back of the head so that it does not look like it is slipping off. In this case, a good guide is a maximum distance of 3 cm from the hairline.

Mini tiaras on the crest are used to fix a high knot at the crown or at the back of the head.

With a round face, an elongated design is recommended, with an oval face, a thin product is usually a more harmonious solution.

Good fixation of the hair is just as important as the right hairstyle: most tiaras have loops at the ends, with which they can be attached to the hair either with hairpins or thin elastic bands.

You already know how a diadem differs from a tiara, where and how to wear it correctly, and what to consider when choosing this jewelry. Choose this accessory in our catalog (silver jewelry store Silvers) and order with delivery in Ukraine.