Queen alexandra kokoshnik tiara

The most famous kokoshnik-style fringe tiara in the world today is the Queen Alexandra Kokoshnik Tiara, given as a silver wedding gift in 1888 by 365 peeresses of the Realm. It was made by Garrard in 61 platinum bars pavé-set with 488 diamonds. Inherited by Queen Mary in 1925 and by Queen Elizabeth in 1953, it has been one of the most used by The Queen.

A diamond Kokoshnik tiara, formed of sixty-one graduated bars rising to the centre and pave-set with 488 brilliants.

The tiara: Queen Alexandra's Kokoshnik Tiara. The history: For Queen Alexandra's silver wedding anniversary of 1888, a royal committee (made up of 364 aristocratic ladies named 'The Ladies of Society') raised money to have this kokoshnik-style tiara made. It is made up of 61 diamond bars. The current wearer: Queen Elizabeth II.

Above: Tiara in the form of a Russian kokoshnik, dating to the early 19th century. It originally belonged to Empress Elizaveta Alekseevna, the wife of Tsar Alexander I. Image via Pinterest. Below: Photograph of Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna wearing the tiara, 1910s. Image via Wikimedia Commons. CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGES.

There are so many reasons to love Queen Alexandra's Kokoshnik. It's an utterly classic tiara from a design perspective. It's a literal wall of diamonds. It has a fascinating, Romanov-related backstory. Let's take a deep

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