We’ve talked a lot about European royalty, so today, let’s take a look at Asian royalty.
The year 2024 started with joyous news as Prince Mateen of Brunei, often dubbed “Asia’s most handsome prince,” celebrated a lavish 10-day wedding beginning on January 7th. The new princess, Anisha, is three years younger than Mateen.
Her grandfather was a close advisor to the Sultan of Brunei and the founder of Royal Brunei Airlines. She and Mateen grew up together, and recently, her “stunning beauty” has sparked much discussion online.
You may not be very familiar with Brunei. Although its territory is small, even slightly smaller than Shanghai, it boasts rich oil and natural gas resources, resulting in high GDP per capita and happiness index.
The royal family is also incredibly wealthy. Prince Mateen is the fourth son of the King of Brunei, known for his good looks and fashion sense. He has 3.15 million followers on social media and is a multi-sport elite “academic achiever.”
The wedding venue was the royal Istana Nurul Iman Palace, certified by Guinness World Records as the “world’s largest residential palace.” Built at a cost of $1.4 billion, its interior is adorned with gold and glamour. Let’s take a look at some images from the wedding.
During the 10-day wedding celebration, the seventh day’s public wedding ceremony garnered significant attention. It began with a ceremony at the Istana Nurul Iman Palace, followed by the newlyweds riding in a Rolls-Royce for a parade through the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan. Afterward, they returned to the palace for a Western-style reception.
At the wedding, the bride and groom’s attire was predominantly pure white. The editor’s eyes were immediately drawn to the bride’s jewelry – a diamond tiara, diamond earrings, a diamond necklace, a diamond bracelet, and a diamond ring, each piece dazzling. The editor’s favorite was the princess’s diamond tiara, designed and crafted by Singapore jeweler Flower Diamond, featuring over 132 carats of diamonds in total!
This tiara is made of platinum with delicate, lace-like openwork decorations. It’s set with a total of 832 natural diamonds, and the entire piece took eight months to create.
In recent years, the editor has noticed that tiaras have become even more eye-catching than “pigeon egg” diamonds at weddings. Not just for royalty, more and more people are choosing to “crown their love” with tiaras at weddings. A tiara is not only a wearable piece of jewelry but also an heirloom collectible. Let’s take a look at some of the most famous tiaras in history that have made their mark.
In Greek mythology, crowns were sacred symbols. Wearing a crown woven from laurel leaves symbolized “breaking free from all constraints and running towards true love.” In European royal weddings, “crowning for love” is an essential part of the ceremony, making these dazzling tiaras extraordinarily meaningful.
Queen Elizabeth II
Heirloom wedding tiara
The wedding of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip was the “wedding of the century” that captivated all of Europe in the 20th century. Naturally, the fringe diamond tiara worn by the Queen became a focal point of public interest.
This tiara was originally a diamond necklace, a wedding gift from Queen Victoria to Queen Mary, which Queen Mary later had converted into a tiara. Since Elizabeth II wore it at her wedding in 1947, it has become the exclusive tiara for Windsor dynasty descendants’ weddings. Both Princess Anne, Elizabeth II’s daughter, and Princess Beatrice, her granddaughter, wore this tiara at their weddings.
Princess Diana chose not to wear a royal tiara for her wedding
Instead opting for a family heirloom
Many royal brides-to-be borrow a tiara from the Queen or Queen Consort before their wedding to make a dazzling entrance. However, Princess Diana did not do this. When marrying into the British royal family, she chose her own family heirloom – the Spencer Tiara.
Although not as elaborate as royal tiaras, it still shone brilliantly atop Diana’s head. After officially becoming a princess, Diana had the opportunity to wear more precious royal jewels, but she always favored the Spencer Tiara. Consequently, this tiara had a high appearance rate at various public events she attended.
This is how a fashionable tiara looked 100 years ago
The sun symbolized the past glory of the French Bourbon dynasty, and incorporating the sun theme into a wedding tiara was an ingenious idea. In 1906, when Art Deco was still in its infancy, the sun tiara created by Chaumet Paris for Marie Augusta was considered quite avant-garde: centered around a yellow diamond over 13 carats, with diamond “rays” radiating outwards, this design was highly popular among celebrities at the time.
In 1914, the sun tiara design was again chosen by Russian Princess Youssoupoff as her wedding tiara.
Of course, tiaras are no longer exclusive to royalty. Many celebrities like to wear tiaras at their weddings. Since many girls have a “princess dream,” how should one choose a wedding tiara? The editor has some tips for you!
Light and minimalist styles are more suitable for modern people
Modern couples prefer to have their weddings in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, so choosing a tiara that is simple and lightweight is ideal. In today’s world of creativity, minimalist jewelry is not monotonous. Even simple lines and common floral or plant themes can be reinvented in countless new ways.
Boucheron once created a tiara inspired by dandelions, exuding an ethereal quality. Each teardrop-shaped diamond is supported by titanium wires. Although the design is simple, it becomes increasingly dazzling and beautiful with every movement, easily complementing any outfit.
Avant le Frisson headpiece
Meaningful designs add extra value
Diamond tiaras inherently embody people’s beautiful wishes for love and legacy. If you want to imbue your tiara with even more meaning, choosing a design theme with significance can be a bonus!
For example, Chaumet Paris introduced a diamond tiara in their new Liens collection in 2023. At first glance, it looks very simple, but upon closer inspection, you’ll find that this piece is inspired by the “X” symbol, representing the connection between people. The intersection of two lines expresses the essence of destiny, while a brilliant diamond adorning the intersection point makes the overall design even more exquisite.
You see, with the addition of a beautiful meaning, even the simplest tiara becomes uniquely significant.
“Multi-functional” designs are more wearable
Tiaras are not everyday jewelry for modern people. If you’re concerned about having too few occasions to wear a tiara, a convertible tiara might appeal to you! From antique royal tiaras to today’s new designs, many pieces have this “hidden skill.” You just need to open the hidden clasp, separate the tiara from its base, rotate it 180 degrees, and the tiara instantly becomes a necklace.
For tiara “enthusiasts” who never worry about how to wear a tiara and prefer one tiara that can become two, the diamond and sapphire tiara from Chaumet Paris’s Architectures collection might be perfect. Look closely, and you’ll see this piece has two layers. The outer diamond tiara and the inner sapphire tiara can be worn separately, meaning one tiara has three ways to wear it – truly creative!
Floating Landscapes chapter diamond and sapphire tiara
Tiaras have always been a very special category in jewelry. However, the editor believes that wearing a tiara feels very different from other types of jewelry. The moment you put on a tiara, it’s as if you’re instantly empowered with a certain strength. Do you agree?
Brunei’s Royal Wedding Dazzles: Princess Adorned with 132-Carat Diamond Tiara – How Extraordinary Is This Crown?
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