Jewelry gawking has its favorite occasions like the Oscars and the Golden Globes, but it really doesn't get any better than that rarest of gems - a royal wedding. This weekend, we got a crown jewel of a soiree as Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria wed the lowly commoner, Daniel Westling.
Not since Charles and Di has there been a wedding so anticipated among royal watchers, but unlike that ill-fated pairing this one's a real love story.
In Stockholm Cathedral, 1,200 royal guests and dignitaries watched the nuptials, along with 500,000 people who lined the streets, and an estimated 500 million TV viewers from around the world. Yet the princess only had eyes for her groom, Daniel Westling - her former personal trainer turned prince charming.
Victoria wore the historic Cameo Tiara for her trip down the aisle (see Jewelry.com for more on this storied gem). It's certainly not the blingiest bauble on the block but it suits the occasion and looks lovely on her.
Her mom, Queen Silvia, on the other hand? Well, a picture says a thousand words. Wowza!
Here are more of my favorite tiara triumphs. No one summarizes the provenance of each jewel better than blogger, Mad Hattery, so I'll refer you to their excellent Tiara-pedia for all the specifics.
Victoria's sister Madeleine may be smarting from her recent engagement break-up, but she can dry her tears knowing she can put these on when she's feeling blue.
Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg:
Queen Sonja of Norway:
Queen Sofia of Spain:
Crown Princess Maxima of the Netherlands:
Crown Princess Letizia of Asturias:
Crown Princess Mette-Merit of Norway:
Princess Margaret Louise of Norway:
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark:
Princess Elena of Spain:
Crown Princess Mathilde of Brabant (Belgium)