Some jewellery tells a story. Other pieces feel like the beginning of one.
This bespoke tiara was created for someone seeking something entirely unique, not traditional, not expected, but deeply personal. Ethereal without being whimsical. Luxurious, yet grounded in craftsmanship. It is a handmade wedding tiara designed to echo the romance and imagination of fantasy worlds, while remaining timeless and wearable.
Designing in a Digital Age
Every bespoke design begins with a spark of imagination, but in the studio, the design process has evolved. This custom silver and white gold tiara started with digital sketches in CAD (Computer Aided Design), created on an iPad, a modern tool that allows for greater accuracy and visualisation.
Designing digitally lets me develop more detailed and refined concepts. I can explore delicate forms, see proportions in real time, and even show clients how a piece will look on a hand or on the head. It gives me a deeper connection between the imagined and the real, especially crucial when creating sculptural pieces like this one.
With this design, I wanted to evoke nature and movement, a luxury wedding crown that feels alive, with each element chosen for both its beauty and symbolism.
Craftsmanship: Tradition in Every Detail
Once the design was finalised, the process of making began. This handmade tiara was meticulously crafted in my Malta-based studio using traditional goldsmith techniques passed down through generations.
I began by melting silver and white gold, drawing them into fine wires by hand. This technique forms the base of our Maltese filigree, a process that requires patience, precision, and years of training. The tiara’s structure was shaped from a ribbon of white gold, curved to sit comfortably on the head. Along its length, I placed hand-twisted filigree leaves, echoing natural forms and adding an intricate, lace-like texture.
At its centre, a vibrant blossom rises, inspired by the Kaħwiela, or Maltese Crown Anemone. First the shape was cut out of hand-rolled sheet, and then the inner petals were removed with a handsaw in a process called piercing.
Layered with gradient blue enamel, each petal was hand-fired, one layer at a time, creating a luminous depth of colour.
Only then could the elements of the tiara be united – the head piece, the filigree and the stone settings.
Inside the blossom is the tiara’s focal point: an oval-cut alexandrite gemstone, prized for its colour-shifting magic — from sea-blue to violet, depending on the light. Around it, Swarovski crystals shimmer like morning dew, and violet amethysts add harmony and balance.
Every element of this custom fantasy tiara was crafted by hand — not mass produced, but made with intention and soul.
A Star Moment in Monte Carlo
The tiara’s story didn’t end in the studio. It travelled with me to the Luxury Jewellery Show in Monte Carlo, where it took centre stage amongst some of the world’s most exquisite pieces. Set under the lights of the Riviera, its soft shimmer of alexandrite, white gold, silver, and enamel turned more than a few heads.
One particularly unforgettable moment came when London Knight, one of the world’s most recognisable supermodels, paused at my stand. Drawn in by the tiara’s ethereal presence, she smiled and asked, “May I try it on?”
Of course, we said yes.
Watching her wear it — elegant, radiant, perfectly at ease — was pure magic. A quiet hush fell as the cameras came out, and suddenly, the tiara wasn’t just a piece of jewellery. It became a moment. A memory. A photograph we’ll treasure.
It was a fitting debut for a tiara born of imagination, craftsmanship, and the timeless pull of fantasy.
A Crown for a New Kind of Story
This isn’t a tiara in the traditional sense. It wasn’t made for royalty — it was made for someone who dreams boldly, who connects to symbolism, nature, and meaning. A bespoke wedding crown designed not just to adorn, but to tell a story.
Styled to be worn on a wedding day, for a handfasting ceremony, or as a statement of self-expression, this one-of-a-kind piece was built to be treasured. It is a blend of elegance, heritage, and fantasy — a wearable heirloom in the making.
My thanks to both stunning models – Shwin in Malta and LondonKnight in Monte Carlo.
