The Poltimore Tiara was originally created by Garrards in 1870 for Lady Poltimore, the wife of the second Baron Poltimore. The tiara was acquired by Princess Margaret prior to the official announcement of her engagement to Antony Armstrong-Jones, and she can be seen wearing it prior to the wedding in the form of a necklace. When the tiara was purchased in 1959 for £5,500.
The tiara is an all-diamond affair set in gold and silver in which clusters of cushion-shaped and old-cut diamonds are set amongst scroll motifs topped with diamonds. The tiara is a convertible piece, breaking down into a necklace and a set of 11 brooches.
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| Left: Close up of the back of the tiara Center: The Politmore tiara as a necklace, and 11 brooches Right: Princess Margaret wearing the tiara as a necklace |
The tiara made its grand debut at Margaret's wedding in 1960. Margaret continued to wear the tiara in its various forms on many state occasions after her wedding day. The children of the late Princess, Viscount Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto, sold the tiara and other items at an auction at Christie's in 2006, to help pay the inheritance tax due on her estate. The tiara was sold for $ 1,704,576 (£926,400), far more than its original estimated $360,000. |
| The tiara at the auction in 2006 |
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