Kendrick Lamar Collaborates With Tiffany & Co. To Create The ‘Crown Of Thorns’

The crown which we saw Kendrick Lamar wear during the Louis Vuitton Spring 2023 menswear show was a custom creation from Tiffany & Co., which he wore again during his during his headlining performance at Glastonbury.

The collaboration with visionary artist Kendrick Lamar who, together with his long-time creative collaborator and pgLang co-founder Dave Free, commissioned the jeweler to create a custom-made titanium and pavé diamond crown. 

Lamar and Free first approached the design team at Tiffany & Co. in 2021 with their idea for a headpiece inspired by the “Crown of Thorns.” Arguably one of the most widely recognized symbols of religious iconography, the “Crown of Thorns” is a metaphor for artistic prowess, humility, and perseverance. For Lamar, this one-of-a-kind design by Tiffany & Co. is a nod of respect to the prolific artists who came before him, as well as a powerful statement of Lamar’s influence and contributions to music and culture.

Lamar and Free had a clear vision and intention for the crown’s design. In addition to referencing the “Crown of Thorns,” the artists were also inspired by Jean Schlumberger’s iconic Thorns brooch that the legendary designer created in 1947, prior to joining Tiffany & Co. in 1956. The Thorns brooch, which features thorny projections handcrafted from 18k yellow gold that encircle a 47-carat sapphire, is currently on display at the House’s Vision & Virtuosity exhibition in London, now through August 19.

Lamar and Free were drawn to a cobblestone micro-pavé setting featuring diamonds of various sizes, each set tightly together to maximize brilliance, giving a naturalistic quality to the piece. Each diamond was set by hand and the prongs were also handcrafted. Typically, the prongs are cast in place, however, with this piece, artisans secured each diamond in place then cut the metal and folded it over the top to create the prongs—a process that is typically reserved for high jewelry. Tiffany & Co. has proudly handcrafted specialty headpieces since the late19th century.

• Craftsmanship hours: 10 months and over 1,300 hours from start to finish. Four of Tiffany’s artisans worked to bring the design to life.
• Weight and materials: The crown weighs approximately 200 grams. The high-polished titanium design was cast from 14 individual components that were assembled into one final piece.
• Workshop location: Northern Italy
• Number of diamonds: Over 8,000 diamonds of over 137 total carats.
• Number of thorns: 50 total thorns combing straight, thick, thin and rose-inspired thorns.

“Kendrick Lamar represents the artistry, risk-taking creativity and relentless innovation that has also defined Tiffany & Co. for nearly two centuries,” says Alexandre Arnault, Executive Vice President, Product and Communication, Tiffany & Co. “We are proud and incredibly excited to work with a visionary like Kendrick in realizing his vision for the crown.”

Credit: Getty & Louis Vuitton

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