The Empress Eugenie Tiara

This tiara was a present from Emperor Napoleon III of France to Countess Eugenie de Montijo upon their marriage in 1853.  The crown jewlers Gabriel Lemonnier and Francois Kramer created a new parure from the pearls that had been used by Empress Marie Louise and Marie Therese.  So....here is the magic question...what exactly is a Parure? Well, I am glad you asked.....a parure is an entire wardrobe, or suite, of matching jewelry.  Now I know what you are thinking....well then I have a parure...I have a set of earrings, a ring and a charm bracelet that looks exactly alike. Sorry..no dice kids......A parure is normally reserved for royalty and the wealthy.  Their idea of a matching suite would include the earrings, the ring and the charm bracelet but it also might include a necklace, a tiara, a diadem, a bandeau, a pair of bracelets, pins and a brooch.
After the fall of the Empire, the tiara was returned to the state as they were considered crown jewels.  Eugenie spent her remaining  years in England.  During the Third Republic of France (they've had five if you are counting), the crown jewels were put on display in 1878 and 1884, and finally, are you ready for this....sold at an auction in 1887! The thinking was we are republic now why do we need to keep things that remind us of our royal origins. Also, you don't want to keep items that may rally the remaining royalists to put another Frenchmen on the throne. Only the French!

But all was not lost, and the tiara soon returned to royal hands. In 1890, Prince Albert, the 9th Prince of Thurn and Taxis purchased the tiara on the occassion of his wedding to Archduchess Margarethe Klementine of Austria, whom he married on July 15, 1890.  The tiara was worn by Countess Gloria of Schönburg-Glauchau in 1980 at her wedding to Prince Johannes, the 11th Prince of Thurn and Taxis.  If you are a royal watcher, than you have surely heard of Princess Gloria....in the 80's she was known as Princess TNT.  Maybe it was the of Gloria dressed as Marilyn Monroe wearing the tiara that changed some minds in France. In the early 90's, the tiara was purchased by the Friends of the Louvre Museum.....and there the tiara remains to this day.