Princess Charlene wore a beautiful, diamond Lorenz Bäumer tiara for the evening events after her spectacular wedding in Monaco to Prince Albert II.[youtube width="620" height="344"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is169_mhgjQ[/youtube]] We are slowly getting an insight into the style of Princess Charlene and what jewels she favours. The 'Diamond Foam' tiara or aigrette in her hair, looks very natural and she wears it more like a hair band than a perching-on-the-head tiara. An aigrette, as it is known in French, refers to a head ornament that unlike a tiara, does not sit on the head like a crown. In fact a tiara, that Napoleon popularised by allowing non-royalty to wear, is a crown that doesn't form a full circle around the head. And while we are on the subject of tiaras, 'halo' tiaras like Kate Middleton, wore are those that sit higher on the head creating the effect of a halo. When I was in Paris, I took advantage of popping by Lorenz Båumer's showroom and had a chat with him. Lorenz himself met Charlene and spent time working on the design to create a tiara that really suited her. I learnt that the tiara was selected by Charlene from a competition between some of the Place Vendôme jewellers. She liked the more informal style of Lorenz's designs. Bäumer submitted three designs and the final one was refined to become not one, but several different jewels. It can be worn as Charlene showed us, in the hair or as smaller hair clip or even over the shoulder as single or a double clip. Lorenz Baumer told me that the asymetric design was inspired by Charlene's love of the sea and the spray of diamonds represent foam on the crest of a wave. It is a clean, modern design that at first glance could be a more classic 'wheat sheaf' style tiara. The effect of a spray of sea water is created by setting different cuts of diamonds into white gold rods. The cuts of diamonds used including baguette, pear and round. By using a variety of cuts Lorenz plays with light and creates new and unexpected effects, changing with each move, just as a wave is in constant motion and throwing off light in different directions. The tips of the white gold rods are set with 11 pear-cut diamonds, the largest weighing eight carats. Wearing this spectacular jewel confirms that yes, Charlene does like jewellery, but very much her way. So no traditional parures or mother-in-law's brooches for her, but distinctive pieces worn on their own. She wears the jewellery, rather than the other way around. And when she does wear a jewel, she tends to go for one statement piece and really lets it shine. The style of the jewels is very personal and she favours white gold or platinum and diamonds. Looking at her other jewellery we can deduce that she has a very personal take on jewellery. While this tiara and her new Van Cleef & Arpels necklace - a gift from her husband - have a contemporary feel to them, jewel that she wore down the aisle looked vintage. How she wore this hairpiece is what made it different as it was nestled behind her ears with no other jewels to distract. Charlene wears the Lorenz Baumer Diamond Foam tiara in a very natural rather than stately way. She wears it nestled amongst her hair, and the diamonds peep through flattering her blonde hair. She appears to be wearing no other jewels - besides her Repossi engagement ring which makes the tiara really sing out. With jewels such as these expect Charlene to become a muse for jewellers - but she will be the one calling the shots.
