The Crown of Gondor on the head of a King.
A heraldic device of the Winged Crown.
The Winged Crown of Gondor was the ceremonial Crown and headgear of the Kings of Gondor, and the highest symbol of authority in the Westlands since the War of the Last Alliance. It was titled also the White Crown and the Silver Crown, and in its beginning the Crown of Nûmenor, for it was an emblem of the Monarchs of the House of Andúnië, descendants of those of Númenor and in turn of the Lords of both Elves and Men. An extraordinarily sacred object, it was reserved for the coronation ceremonies of the Kings from the coming of Elendil the Tall to the fall of the dynasty of Kings under Eärnur. It was originally worn in conjunction with the Elendilmir, which was the chief symbol of Royal authority in Arnor, but after the sundering of the realm of Elendil, the two ceremonial pieces of headgear were separated, and the Silver Crown remained in Gondor alone. Henceforth, its chief uses, aside from the solemn coronation of Kings, were in state ceremonies such as the Yestarë and Eruhantalë, and in meetings of the Crown Council of the South Kingdom.
The Crown was, in form, designed after the fashion of a Númenorean helm, and was said to be that that Elendil brought over the sea from the Isle of the Star. It is more likely to be that of Isildur Elendilion his son and heir, for Elendil and his effects were destroyed in his duel with Sauron alongside Gil-galad. The Crown was, however, heavily embellished, for it was raised in height, and enameled with white, hence its name. A silver circlet lay as its headband, and on the circlet were seven gems of adamant, or some other chrystal. Its defining features, however, were a great, flame-like jewel at its peak in place of a monde, and two affixed wings of wrought pearl and silver, designed after those of a gull or albatross; these were an emblem of the mariner's legacy of the Kings of Gondor, and in addition to the height and ornaments of the Crown, made it far heavier than any neck but that of a high-Númenorean monarch of ancient lineage could support. No Steward touched the White Crown, while it lay on the breast of a King long-dead, but one who did would surely find its weight a burden.
As stated previously, the Crown began its life as the plain helm of Isildur, for the Helm of Anárion that was to be used in its place was crushed by a missile from Barad-dûr, cast in the siege of that Tower. For long years in Stoneland, the Crown remained rather bare and unadorned, but in the days of Atanatar II Alcarin it was bejeweled and wrought anew. Fair and bright was the Winged Crown for two millennia over the Third Age, and when Eärnur left the throne vacant after his tragic duel with the Ringwraiths in Minas Morgul, it remained in the hallows of Rath Dinen, amidst the tombs of the Kings. This was its fate, until the return to power of Aragorn II of the North, who reclaimed his rightful throne as Heir of Elendil, and was crowned, by the holy hand of Gandalf, at the dawn of the Fourth Age and waning of the Third. It was at this time combined with the Elendilmir, and the combined crowns formed a double-crown, of sorts, representing rule in both the North and the South. It remained so for King Elessar Telcontar, and his son Eldarion, and all their heirs following, until Gondor waned at last amidst the Great Floods, and split asunder as the Fourth Age came to an end.