Observations about Current Crowns and Coronets

Considerations

• Weight. Lighter is better than heavier. Those with very open coronets (wires rather than solid), aluminum, and leather recommended those materials. Also, metalwork that is raised, rather than solid, is both strong and lighter weight than a solid piece.
• Dull points. Don't want to cut your hand while pushing the crown back into place.
• Regal. It should look like what it is - crown, ducal coronet, baronial coronet -- not casual.
• Sturdy. Don't want pieces falling off, or that need fussing with. Many stones are relatively fragile. Little wires and pins get bent, break, or fall out.

Lining and Padding

Most current coronets have some padding on the inside, to keep the metal from contacting the head, and to allow the coronet to be sized to one's head. For a personal coronet, the coronet's metal band can be made a specific size and then padding can be permanently affixed. For a ceremonial coronet or crown, such as the Crown of Caid or the coronet of a Territorial Baron, the padding needs to be changed for each new wearer. Here are some of the padding options currently (Nov. 2010) in use in Caid.

Attachment in many cases is glue or double-stick tape. That attachement method is removed by pulling it off and scraping off the residue.

• weather stripping. It is plastic, easily purchased, inexpensive, fairly thin but has some give, and comes with one sticky side to allow it to be pressed onto the metal band to affix it. It is removed by pulling it off and scraping off the residue.
• close-cell foam. It is plastic, in the kit of every hard-suit fighter, thicker than weather stripping, has some give. Looks modern when glimpsed above rim.
• leather. It was available historically, comes in various thicknesses (though still thin), absorbs some perspiration,and has a little bit of give. It was affixed to coronets in one of two ways: glued directly to the metal band (see above), or riveted to the bottom edge of the metal band, and curled upwards. The latter is a relatively permanent choice, but depending on the stiffness of the leather, provides some additional "give" because it is rolled up. Looks fine when glimpsed above rim.
• felt. It was available historically, comes in various thicknesses (though still thin), can absorb perspiration, and has a little bit of give. It tends to not slide when placed on a coif or veil. It was affixed to coronets with glue or double-stick tape.
• stuffed roll It was available historically, can be made in various thicknesses, can absorb perspiration, and has as much give as desired. Filling can be whatever is desired - at least one was filled with felt, but quilt stuffing or fleece is also possible. Some were affixed directly to coronets with glue or double-stick tape, others were sewed to an attached liner (the rolled up leather in one case, a glued piece of fabric in another).
  • velvet. Looks spiffy when glimpsed above rim.
  • linen. It tends to not slide when placed on a coif or veil. Looks fine when glimpsed above rim.
  • velcro. One coronet had the fuzzy velcro half stuck to the metal of the coronet, and the prickly velcro half attached to the stuffed roll. Advantage is that the roll is easily removed and replaced, but the velcro is never seen.

Historical Plaque Crowns

Let us call the shape of a square topped with a half-circle a "tombstone" shape. It is the most common shape for these crowns.

• Crown of the Holy Roman Empire - 8 plaques, all shaped like a tombstone. Four are larger, four are lower. Covered with jewels, alternating with enamelled pictures, it appears to be hinged between sections. Two strips of iron, riveted with golden rivets to the plates, hold the crown together and give it its octagonal shape. The front plaque is topped by a cross, and a bridge joins that cross to the plaque in the rear. All plaques are flat (the crown does not flare outwards). It is worn with a red cap of maintenance. It dates from the reign of Otto I (912–973). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Crown_of_the_Holy_Roman_Empire
• Crown of Hungary - Crown of St. Stephen, received the crown from the Pope in the year 1000. The surviving crown dates from later in that century. It is not made of plaques, but construction could be simulated with plaques. The lower part is a Byzantine crown, from the 1070s with enamel medallions alternating with large stones. The top edge has 2 tombstone shapes (front and back). At the sides are two smaller halfcircle shapes, and between the front tombstone and the halfcircle, the upper edge has triangle, 3/4-circle, triangle. The edge shapes are enamelled, and topped with colored pearls. The back of the crown does not have the edge shapes, just a series of pearls on pins. There is a row of pearls around the base of the crown, and around the top before one gets to the edge shapes. There are 4 dangles on each side, each ending in a triple of stones. The Latin crown portion is a cross over the crown of the head. There is a replica in the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum in Atlanta. http://home.hu.inter.net/~jekely/crown.htm