A tiara without gems that disappeared for decades

While many tiaras feature massive gemstones, there are a few exceptions that have no jewels in them at all. The Napoleonic Cut Steel Tiara remains a favourite despite a lack of gems. 

The Napoleonic Cut Steel Tiara originally belonged to Queen Hortense of Holland, the step-daughter of Emperor Napoleon. 

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This tiara features a steel cut feather plume as the central element with leaves and acorns with a yellow gold frame. The finely cut and highly polished steel sparkles like any other tiara. 

Cut steel was incredibly popular in Europe the 1810s; it was popularised by Napoleon’s second wife, Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria, and it was a more affordable option. 

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This tiara is at the heart of an unsolved mystery, though. 

Art historian Göran Alm worked for the House of Bernadotte and in 1976, he stumbled across this tiara in unmarked storage in the Royal Palace in Stockholm. It is not known who put the tiara in storage, or why it was separated from the other royal jewels.

He immediately showed it to Queen Silvia who had the piece very carefully restored. 

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The Swedish queen first wore the Napoleonic Cut Steel Tiara in 1979 when she was on a State Visit to Austria. 

Crown Princess Victoria now frequently wears this unique but impressive tiara.