Empress Joséphine’s Amethyst Tiara

Description:
The current amethyst demi-parure consists of a tiara, necklace, pendant, brooch and earrings.  The set consists of large deep purple amethysts set in gold and surrounded by diamonds set in silver.

History:
The Amethyst demi-parure is part of the Bernadotte Family Foundation and the amethysts date to the first French Empire. They were originally the property of Empress Joséphine, who gave them to Princess Augusta Amalia of Bavaria when she married Joséphine’s son, Eugene, Duke of Leuchtenberg. The daughter of Eugene and Augusta, Josephine of Leuchtenberg, married Crown Prince Oscar of Sweden and later became Queen Josefina of Sweden.

Josephine brought her collection of jewels with her upon her marriage (these include the Swedish sapphire parure, the emeralds that are now a part of the Norwegian jewel collection, and the amethysts). The original amethyst demi-parure consisted of a necklace, pendant earrings, two bracelets, a brooch, and a corsage ornament. Queen Silvia later had the necklace mounted on a tiara frame and the 2 bracelets combined with the corsage ornament to create a necklace. This resulted in the Swedish amethyst tiara, necklace, pendant, brooch and earrings.  

Provenance:

• Empress Joséphine
• Princess Augusta Amalia of Bavaria
• Joséphine of Leuchtenberg, later Queen Josefina of Sweden
• Bernadotte Family Foundation

Notable Appearances:

• Queen Silvia (1984 Nobel Prize award ceremony)
• Queen Silvia (2004 Danish royal wedding)
• Crown Princess Victoria (2000 Nobel banquet)
• Crown Princess Victoria (2002 wedding of Princess Martha-Louise)
• Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld  (2010 Swedish royal wedding)
• Princess Madeleine (2012 Nobel banquet)

Also worn by:

• Queen Louise (as a necklace)
• Princess Christina (as a necklace)
• Princess Margaretha (as a necklace and as a tiara)