Cartier’s Astor Tiara Goes on the Auction Block for the First Time

By Annie Davidson Watson | May 06, 2025

In June, Bonhams will unveil a glamorous masterpiece tied to British political history: the Cartier turquoise and diamond tiara commissioned for Nancy Astor, the first woman to take a seat in Parliament.

The tiara represents not only the apex of Cartier’s early-20th-century design ingenuity but also the American-born Astor’s grandeur and legacy. It is expected to achieve between $330,000 and $470,000 in Bonhams’ June 5 London Jewels sale.

Lady Astor wore the tiara to the 1931 London premiere of City Lights, which she attended along with the movie’s star and director, Charlie Chaplin, and playwright George Bernard Shaw. Made of platinum, with a 3 ct. center diamond and approximately 11 cts. t.w. old brilliant- and single-cut diamonds, the tiara has not been seen on the market since its original purchase by Astor’s husband, Waldorf, circa 1930.

cartier astor — *The Cartier Astor tiara in its original case*

The headpiece exemplifies the era’s bold synthesis of Eastern and Western aesthetics: Its fluted turquoise plumes, diamond stems, and fan-shape panels are a nod to Egyptian, Indian, and Persian motifs, exquisitely carved and arranged by Cartier at the height of the maison’s creative prowess.

“With impeccable provenance and a compelling marriage of Western and Eastern influences in the design, the tiara is exceptionally rare,” said Bonhams’ global head of jewelry, Jean Ghika, in a statement. “We feel honored to have the opportunity to present it for sale for the first time in nearly a century.”

Astor, born in Virginia in 1879, moved to England in 1905. She was a society hostess who championed temperance, education, and women’s rights from the grand halls of Cliveden (her home) to Westminster. In 1919, she won the seat in the House of Commons formerly held by her husband, who had been elevated to the House of Lords. She served in Parliament until 1945, and died in 1964.

(Photos courtesy of Bonhams)

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