Pavé-set turquoise jewellery came into fashion in the mid-nineteenth Century. This was surely due in part to Queen Victoria's preference for this stone. Among her journal writings can be found an entry in which she discusses her satisfaction with her husband Albert's re-designing of her jewellery. She writes: "Wore for the 1st time my new Turquoise Parure, all designed and arranged according to my precious Albert's directives & excellent taste. All the turquoises come from St. Petersburg....". Two such parures were made for the Queen in 1843 and 1859. The latter was created by the famed jeweller Garrard.

Turquoise is considered to be one of the oldest stones known to jewellery design. Mined in the Sinai Penninsula, it was incorporated into ornaments in the Old and Middle Kingdoms of ancient Egypt. They referred to the stone as "majkat". Other sources are Iran, Turkestan, Tibet and the United States. Those from Iran with their sky-blue colour are often referred to as "robin's egg blue". The etymology of turquoise is not known for certain. Most probably, as the stone was marketed to Europe via Turkey, the name derived from the French, "turquoise". This was adapted from "tourques" or "Turkey stone".

The present tiara in all likelihood dates to the mid-19th Century. At that time, Queen Victoria's tastes were spreading in Europe. Additionally, a penchant for Naturalism reigned in France, elucidating the maple leaf and acorn design.