Vintage Silver Tiara with Moonstone, Geneva, c. 1940

Wearing a tiara—at a ball, a wedding, or the opera—is a special treat. For no other piece of jewellery is so far removed from the everyday, so extraordinary—and so reliably sets its wearer apart from those around her. A tiara is not a crown. Although closely related, unlike a crown, it does not signify aristocratic rank. Its purpose is simply to adorn its wearer: it ennobles through beauty. Toward the end of the 19th century, the tiara increasingly became jewellery for the bride as well. This is because diamond-set jewellery was reserved for married women and was a popular wedding gift: on her way to the altar, the bride could then wear her new tiara for the very first time. The tiara presented here was created around 1940. Its design is bold and lively, clearly influenced by the international late Art Déco style. Its light, white color scheme is typical of Art Deco, while the broad, curved surfaces reflect the fashion of the late 1930s and 1940s. At its center, the design features a large, shimmering moonstone. Curved surfaces, polished and richly set with sparkling rhinestones, surround it like flower petals. The entire tiara is crafted from silver. Five original design drawings for the tiara have been preserved. Set against a dark background and highlighted in white, they depict variations of the final design that was executed. The direction of the arches and the design of the central section vary slightly, yet the resemblance to the finished piece of jewellery is always evident. Furthermore, all drawings are signed “Henry Capt – Geneve,” so we can assume that the tiara was also created by Capt—most likely a descendant of the famous early 19th-century Geneva watchmaker of the same name. We discovered the tiara in Geneva. It is a striking piece of jewellery that leaves a lasting impression even though “only” set with a moonstone and rhinestones in silver.

Estimate:$8,961.21

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