The Miss Universe fever is on because the coronation evening of the distinguished magnificence pageant’s 71st version attracts close to.
The Miss Universe 2022 will happen on the New Orleans Morial Conference Heart in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, on January 14, 2023 (January 15, Sunday, within the Philippines).
The latest preliminaries gave viewers a glimpse of the 84 contending magnificence queens from everywhere in the world.
Filipinos, in fact, are rooting and praying for the nation’s wager Celeste Cortesi to take residence the coveted crown.
A victory by Celeste would give the Philippines its fifth Miss Universe title.
Whatever the consequence, what is definite is that one among the many stunning contestants may have the Miss Universe crown on her head for the world to see.
The crown is hers alone to maintain and put on all through her one-year reign earlier than relinquishing the throne to her successor.
Since its inception, the Miss Universe crown has been the last word image of the pageant’s unwaning sheen.
It has a wealthy and colourful historical past because the pageant itself.
Here is a take a look at the crown’s evolution over time, and the way its modifications mirror the occasions and milestones of the Miss Universe pageant and the group behind it.
Handed down from royalty
The primary Miss Universe pageant held in 1952 in Lengthy Seashore, California U.S.A. noticed the participation of 30 candidates from all over the world.
Armi Kuusela from Finland gained the competitors to change into the pageant’s inaugural titleholder.
She wore the Romanov Imperial Nuptial Crown initially owned by the Russian monarchy.
An estimated 1,535 glittering diamonds adorned the crown carrying a staggering $500,000 insurance coverage.
Trivia: Armi Kuusela selected to relinquish her Miss Universe title in 1953 to marry Virgilio Hilario, a Filipino businessman and hotelier, whom she met throughout a visit to Baguio.
“Uncommon” crown
Taking the place of the “Romanov Imperial Nuptial Crown” the following 12 months was the “Steel Bronze Crown.”
Christiane Martel from France wore the crown after the Miss Universe pageant in 1953.
Dubbed the “uncommon” crown, the headpiece was unremarkable within the eyes of some pageant observers for its lack of rhinestones or crystals.
The crown’s much less glamorous look was a departure from the Romanov Imperial Nuptial Crown used from the earlier 12 months.
For sure, the Steel Bronze Crown’s reign because the official Miss Universe headpiece was short-lived.
Again to glam
The Miss Universe pageant paraded a brand new crown for its 1954 version.
That includes a star-shaped design, the crown was adorned with 1,000 black and cultured pearls to go together with platinum and gold supplies.
The Star of the Universe crown had an estimated worth of $500,000, weighed 1.25 kilos, and was first worn by Miss USA Miriam Stevenson.
The dazzling crown was used till the Miss Universe pageant in 1960.
The Tenth-anniversary crown
The Miss Universe pageant launched a brand new crown to mark its Tenth-anniversary milestone.
The Rhinestone Crown was designed with a star icon to go together with its massive rhinestone gem.
German magnificence queen Marlene Schmidt donned the crown after profitable Miss Universe in 1961.
Norma Nolan from Argentina would put on the crown the next 12 months.
Made by Sarah Coventry
Celebrated jewellery model Sarah Coventry would reinvent the pageant’s crown in 1963.
A feminine determine with a scepter was the distinct function of the rhinestone-adorned headpiece referred to as The Queen’s Crown.
Brazilian Ieda Maria Vargas was the primary Miss Universe titlist to put on the crown in 1963.
In 1969, Gloria Diaz donned The Queen’s Crown when she made historical past as the primary Miss Universe wager from the Philippines.
The Girl Crown
Modifications had been made to The Queen’s Crown in 1973.
Some referred to as the modified crown The Girl Crown whereas others referred to it as The Chandelier Crown.
The headpiece was first worn by Margie Moran from the Philippines throughout the Miss Universe 1973 held in Athens, Greece.
The Girl Crown served because the official Miss Universe crown till 2001, with Denise Quinones from Puerto Rico being the final titleholder to put on the dazzling headpiece.
Crown sponsorship period
In 2002, the Miss Universe organizer opened its door to crown sponsorship.
The Mikimoto Firm from Japan was the primary jewellery sponsor of the Miss Universe pageant.
The Japanese model, out to impress, decked the crown with 500 items of 30-carat colorless diamonds and 120 South Sea and Akoya pearls.
Depicting a rising phoenix, the Mikimoto Crown symbolized energy, standing, and sweetness.
The primary to put on the crown was Oxana Fedorova from Russia in 2002. She was dethroned after 119 days and was changed by Panama wager Justine Pasek.
Riyo Mori from Japan was the final to don the crown in 2007.
Skeptics theorized that Mikimoto and the Miss Universe head honchos conspired to make sure Riyo’s victory as a solution to finish their partnership on a excessive word.
Nevertheless, no proof or proof proved this hypothesis, which to today has remained simply that, a rumour.
Made in Vietnam
Subsequent to sponsor the Miss Universe crown was the CAO High-quality Jewellery from Vietnam.
The gorgeous crown was adorned with 18-carat white and yellow gold and over 1,000 treasured stones starting from white diamonds, cognac diamonds, morganite gem stones, and smoky quartz crystals.
The crown had an estimated worth of $120,000 and was made to characterize Vietnam’s tradition and thriving financial system.
Venezuela’s Dayana Mendoza was bestowed the crown as winner of Miss Universe 2008.
Nevertheless, Dayana insisted on carrying the Mikimoto crown as an alternative throughout the Miss Universe 2009 pageant when she relinquished her throne to fellow Venezuelan Stefanía Fernández.
ECO-FRIENDLY CROWN
Glamorous and eco-friendly? The Peace Crown unveiled in 2009 mixed each these parts consistent with the occasions.
The crown created by Diamond Nexus Labs was fitted with artificial stone supplies and rubies on the heart.
Adorned with 1,371 gem stones and 14k and 18k white gold and platinum, the much less glittery Peace Crown was not ignored and stood out by itself beside its glitzy predecessors.
Miss Universe 2009 Stefania Fernandez of Venezuela was the primary to don this crown.
The Peace Crown was used within the pageant till 2013.
This regal, towering crown was the identical crown worn by Pia Wurtzbach from the Philippines throughout her reign as Miss Universe 2015.
Mikimoto Crown makes a comeback
The Mikimoto Crown reemerged in 2017 with South African wager Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters donning the headpiece after profitable the pageant.
Succeeding Demi the next 12 months was Catriona Grey from the Philippines.
Talking of Catriona, a bit of the crown fell off in the midst of her homecoming parade in Cubao, Quezon Metropolis, on February 24, 2019.
Catriona mentioned in a video on Fb days after the parade, “Guys, I’ve a confession, the Mikimoto has seen higher days because of my dancing.
“I’m so sorry. One of many issues I really like most concerning the parade is that they’d have this shifting parade.
“A shifting band, they’ve drums and it makes me need to dance, so find yourself dancing though I’m not an excellent dancer.”
As for the damaged crown, Catriona assured, “Don’t be concerned! It’s going to be fastened very quickly.”
Costliest pageant crown
Taking up Mikimoto in 2019 was the Lebanese jewellery model Mouawad.
The crown featured a golden canary diamond and has a staggering worth of $5 million.
Dubbed the “Energy of Unity,” the crown symbolizes ambition, range, neighborhood, and magnificence.
Zozibini Tunzi from South Africa was the primary Miss Universe titleholder to put on it in 2019, adopted by Mexico’s Andrea Meza in 2020.
The Energy of Unity crown is presently within the possession of Miss Universe 2021 titleholder Harnaaz Sandhu from India.
Second-generation Mouawad crown
The 12 months 2022 dawned a brand new period for the distinguished world pageant with the entry of the JKN International Group led by Thai transgender lady billionaire Anne Jakrajutatip as its new proprietor.
A brand new crown named Drive for Good—made nonetheless by Mouawad—was unveiled in Bangkok, Thailand, on December 19, 2022.
The crown depicts the longer term and the limitless potential of girls from the world over.
The Drive for Good crown options 48 carats of white diamonds, 110 carats of blue sapphires, and a forty five.14-carat royal blue sapphire on the heart, and has a price of $6 million.
Who would be the first Miss Universe titleholder to put on this new crown? We are going to quickly discover out.
