Barbara Hutton's Emerald Tiara

Creation:  This tiara was made in 1947 by Lucien Lachassagne of Cartier and can be worn as a necklace.  The emeralds used in this tiara were just some of the many emeralds that belonged to Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna.  They were part of a necklace which was a wedding gift from her father-in-law, Emperor Alexander II of Russia.  In 1920, the emeralds were inherited by her son, Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich, who sold them to Cartier.  They were sold, as part of a new necklace, to Edith Rockefeller McCormick and were bought back by Cartier after her death in 1932.  Barbara Hutton bought the emeralds from Cartier in 1936 and first wore them in a ring, necklace and earrings before having them used in the tiara.

Barbara Hutton

Barbara Hutton

Materials:  emeralds and diamonds set in gold

Provenance:

1. Barbara Hutton 
2. Van Cleef & Arpels; bought in 1965, they removed the emeralds to be sold individually and redesigned the piece as a pearl necklace that was sold to Brooke Astor

Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna's Necklace

Barbara Hutton's Necklace

Edith Rockefeller McCormick's Necklace

Questions: 

• Were some of the emeralds from the tiara used in Elizabeth Taylor's emerald necklace?

Brooke Astor's Necklace

Elizabeth Taylor's Necklace

Links:

• Royal Magazin - Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna's Emeralds 
• Sotheby's - Barbara Hutton 
• Sotheby's - An 18 Karat Gold, Cultured Pearl and Diamond Necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels and Cartier

Photos:  Cartier/Sotheby's