The Vladimir Sapphire Kokoshnik Tiara
The Vladimir Sapphire Kokoshnik Tiara is a masterwork of the Russian Imperial era, representing the peak of the Romanov dynasty’s fascination with large, saturated gemstones. While the better-known Vladimir Tiara (now in the British Royal Collection) features swinging pearls and emeralds, this sapphire version was a distinct, architecturally rigid diadem that embodied the formidable presence of its original owner, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna (the Elder).
Imperial Provenance and French Jewelry House Commission
The tiara belonged to the extensive collection of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, wife of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich. Known as the "Queen of St. Petersburg Society," the Grand Duchess maintained a rival court to the Tsar’s, and her jewelry collection was considered the most magnificent in Russia.
In 1909, the Grand Duchess commissioned the Parisian jewelry house to create a new diadem utilizing her massive personal collection of sapphires. The resulting piece was designed around:
- The Centerpiece: A colossal 137-carat cushion-cut sapphire.
- The Accents: Six substantial sapphire cabochons surrounded by a dense lattice of diamonds and platinum.
- The Silhouette: Unlike the "fringe" spikes of typical kokoshniks, this piece featured a stylized, solid wall of light, with the sapphires acting as deep blue windows within the diamond framework.
A Revolutionary Escape
Following the 1917 Revolution, the Grand Duchess was one of the few Romanovs to manage a successful (albeit clandestine) extraction of her treasures. While she fled to the Caucasus, her jewelry remained in a hidden safe at the Vladimir Palace. In a legendary operation, her son, Grand Duke Boris, and the British diplomat (and suspected intelligence agent) Albert Stopford snuck into the palace disguised as laborers. They retrieved the jewels including the Sapphire Kokoshnik and smuggled them to London in a pair of Gladstone bags.
The Romanian Succession and Exile
After the Grand Duchess’s death in 1920, her children liquidated portions of her collection to support their lives in exile. The Sapphire Kokoshnik was purchased by the Grand Duchess's niece, Queen Marie of Romania.
- Queen Marie’s Signature: The tiara became a definitive part of Marie’s iconic image; she wore it for her 1922 coronation and in numerous official portraits.
- The Wedding of Princess Ileana: In 1931, Queen Marie gifted the tiara to her daughter, Princess Ileana, for her marriage to Archduke Anton of Austria.
- The Flight to America: Following World War II and the communist takeover of Romania, Princess Ileana fled to the United States. In 1950, struggling with the financial burdens of exile, she sold the tiara back to French Jewelry House in New York.
Current Status: A Lost Masterpiece
The ultimate fate of the Vladimir Sapphire Kokoshnik Tiara is one of the great mysteries of jewelry history. After its purchase by French Jewelry House in 1950, the piece was never seen in public again. It is widely believed by historians and corroborated by ledger records that the house dismantled the tiara shortly after its acquisition. The extraordinary 137-carat center sapphire and the surrounding cabochons were likely recut or repurposed into modern jewelry.
Today, while replicas exist, the original Romanov masterpiece survives only in the monochrome archives of the Fersman inventory and the regal portraits of the Romanian royal family.
