Feature: Miss Universe crowns through the years

The evolution of the Miss Universe crown

ARMI KUUSELA  -1952

 1952: the Romanoff crown that once belonged to the Russian czar and contained 1,529 flawless diamonds with a combined weight of 300 karats. At the time it was insured for half-a-million dollars.

CHRISTIANNE MARTEL - 1953

1953: the Metallic Bronze crown. Simple yet unique design.

 

MIRIAM STEVENSON - 1955  / AKIKO KOJIMA - 1959

1954-1959: The first official Miss Universe crown. Made of approximately 1,000 Oriental cultured and black pearls set in solid gold and platinum frame.

MARLENE SCHMIDT - 1961  /  NORMA NOLAN - 1962

1960-1961: The first Rhinestone crown (designed to commemorate the 10th Anniversary 

of the pageant)

LINDA BEMENT - 1960

1960: Linda Bement was crowned with the old design (left) but would later wear 

a newer design (right).

IEDA MARIA VARGAS - 1968  /  GLORIA DIAZ - 1969

1962-1969: The rhinestone crown designed with the symbol of the Miss Universe Organization on top (a woman stands holding a scepter) which has become a legendary icon of the pageant.

MARISOL MALARET - 1970  /  BARBARA PALACIOS - 1986  /  DENISE QUIÑONES - 2001

1970-2001: The classic Miss Universe crown designed by Sarah Coventry. Pageant fans dub it as the "chandelier crown".

OXANA FEDOROVA - 2002  / JUSTINE PASEK - 2002  /  RIYO MORI - 2007

2002-2007: The Mikimoto crown, reportedly valued at $250,000. The intricate design depicts the ancient symbol of the phoenix rising, which signifies status, power and the vision of great beauty. The crown contains diamonds and cultured pearls.

DAYANA MENDOZA - 2008

2008: When the pageant was held in Vietnam, the Vietnamese company CAO Fine Jewelry created a special crown for the winner. The crown, valued at $120 thousand dollars, is made of 18K white and yellow gold. It is comprised of over 1,000 precious stones; including 555 white diamonds (30 carats), 375 cognac diamonds (14 carats), 10 smoky quartz crystals (20 carats) and 19 morganite gemstones (60 carats). The colors of the jewels chosen for the crown have great significance. The yellow luster of the gold represents the prosperous thriving economy in Vietnam. White, light pink and cognac are the main hues in the crown which represent inspiration and feeling. Each piece of the crown was designed to represent an important attribute of the Miss Universe Pageant. The curves of inlaid precious stones represent the strong development and potential of each country. The image of the crane (Lac Bird) symbolizes Vietnamese spirit and culture. The image of the heart represents unified breath, rhythm and vision, which are powerful internal forces that stress faith, hope and unity.

STEFANIA FERNANDEZ - 2009

2009 to present: The Peace crown. Since 2009, Diamond Nexus Labs has been crafting the Miss Universe crown and tiara. The crown is set with 1,371 gemstones, weighing a total of 416.09 carats (83.22 g). It contains 544.31 grams of 14k and 18k white gold as well as platinum. The crown features synthetic rubies to represent Miss Universe's HIV/AIDS education and awareness platform. Diamond Nexus Labs is the first ever eco-friendly Official Jeweler of Miss Universe and was selected as part of NBC Universal's "Green is Universal" initiative.