Most of the tiara's in the Dutch collection are from the late 19th century. In that time women used hairpieces with their own long hair so there was padding, but under the toplayer of hair so the tiara did not cut into their head.
Some of the more modern tiara's have frames others were made to be worn on the forhead. Maxima has allready added a frame to the saphire tiara so she might alter a few of the others in a similar way if wearing them without it is uncomfortable.
--Previous Message-- : Many thanks John R. Having a rigid metal band : on the head can no doubt be uncomfortable - : if not painful. I have read that Queen : Beatrix did not like wearing some tiaras : because they gave her a headache. There have : been similar rumours that Diana, Princess of : Wales, and Empress Farah also suffered from : headaches when wearing a tiara. I hope that : modern jewellers have been able (or will : find a way) to incorporate a discreet : silicone (or other) layer beneath the tiara : frames to relieve pressure points. : : : --Previous Message-- : You are quite right. It seems most Dutch : Royal : tiaras rest directly on the head (even if an : extra wire frame exists). I have only seen : Beatrix with a padded (extra) base of the : Diamond and Pearl Tiara. : : It depends on the weight of the tiara, the : size and shape, the hairdo but ultimately : the preference of the wearer I suppose. And : a good hairstyle can cover the frame with or : without padding. But I think even a very : heavy contraption as the Wedding Gift Tiara : or the House Diamond Tiara have not been : worn with a - at least visible - padded : frame. : : : --Previous Message-- : I have noticed in a number of photographs of : Queen Maxima that there is no padding around : the frames of her tiaras. Because of their : hairstyles it is very difficult to tell if : previous Queens also wore tiaras without : padding on the frames, although in some : photographs of Queen Wilhelmina it would : appear that there is none. : Would anyone have any insights regarding : this. : : : : :