This tiara adorned with coral beads embodies the legacy of an era that marked the history of jewelry: the Second Empire.

Worn in majesty by all the crowned heads of Europe in the second half of the nineteenth century, the diadem had become the trophy element of any official adornment of queens and princesses. The very object of a frantic race to rivalry.

But in this permanent competition of half crowns, Empress Eugénie wanted to hold her place. She took special care of the brilliance of her diadems. In order to satisfy her, the main French jewelry houses worked on the elaboration of the tiaras, always more sophisticated.

Yet Empress Eugénie was increasingly indifferent to the masterpieces presented to her. Terribly tired of her entire collection, she now wanted to make a diadem of a new kind. Striking symbol of the modernity of her style.

Empress Eugénie henceforth wished to assert her position in the light of her own tastes. Create a “Eugénie” style that is both timeless and innovative, allowing her to achieve her own vision at the service of one and same ambition : the influence of the Empire.

She made thus a radical decision by dismantling several of her jewels, such as the Viette’s diadem or the famous Greek one made with classicism of good aloi. The jewellers of the great French houses were obviously distraught, doubting that an umpteenth version of a Greek or Russian inspiration tiara would find grace in the sight of the Empress.

However the Bapst house had just recruited, against all expectations, a young woman from a family of industrialists. Only female presence in this very masculine universe, Oriane possessed a singular and modern vision of jewelry. In her mind, it was obvious that modernity had to go through the simplification of materials as well as ornamentations.

The rest is this way: The Tiara and the Empress, Part 2