The Westminster Blue Enamel Kokoshnik

The Westminster Blue Enamel Kokoshnik is a Chaumet creation from 1910, specially made for the Duchess of Westminster. Inspired by Russia's iconic headwear, the Kokoshnik, the designer created a distinctive arched tiara shape using the popular technique of the period, "Plique-à-jour."
A year later, during King George V's coronation ceremony in London, the Duke of Westminster requested Joseph Chaumet to create this Tiara for his wife, with a magnificent style and new design elements, for a price of 375 pounds.
The Kokoshnik, which means "cock's comb" in Russian, was first introduced in the 16th century and became an important accessory for women in the Russian court and aristocracy. To fashion the arched crown contour, Joseph Chuamet used the Kokoshnik as inspiration, replacing the fabric texture with precious metal bases and presenting a brighter color tone using blue plique-à-jour.
The complex design of this royal jewelry demonstrates the decorative style of the "Belle Époque" period. The blue enamel surface boasts intricate "forget-me-not" flower patterns, adorned with pillow-cut and old European-cut diamonds. In the early 20th century, platinum began to replace gold and silver in jewelry design. In this work, platinum was used for the diamond settings, providing greater stability and lightweight to wear.
The Westminster Blue Enamel Kokoshnik was featured in Christie's Geneva auction in November 2015 and was sold for 667,000 Swiss francs.

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