The Pahlavis were the last royal dynasty to rule Iran before the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi ushered in a new era of modernisation with his third wife, Empress Farah, who became a powerful symbol of this shift. Known as ‘The Jackie Kennedy of Iran’, she embraced Western fashion and ideals and used the crown jewels to showcase the supposed progress and dazzling wealth of the newly christened Imperial State of Iran
Her first piece of imperial jewellery was her wedding tiara.
The tiara itself was a modern creation from Harry Winston but it was named after the historic central gem, the Noor ul Ain.
The name Noor-ul-Ain, which means “Light of the Eye,” is an approximately 60ct stone that is considered the largest oval rose-pink diamond in the world.
Reportedly, the Noor-ul-Ain was cut from the 300ct faceted stone (known historically as the Darya-i Nur) in 1934 . The original Darya-i Nur was said to have been in the possession of the first Mogul emperor of India. In 1739, Nadir Shah of Persia invaded India and sacked the capital of Delhi. The treasure of over 1,000 years of Indian history, including the Darya-i Nur, was then brought to Persia.
The Noor ul Ain is mounted in platinum surrounded by 324 yellow, pink, blue, and colorless diamonds above a border of undulating baguettes. Among the many additional treasures in this tiara are a 10-ct yellow pear-shaped diamond directly above the Noor ul Ain, and a cushion-cut pink diamond of approximately 19ct on the left top of the tiara
As the Shah proceeded with his White Revolution, Farah’s role in Iran as the Empress was first limited to traditional ceremonial roles, but that would later change. She would become involved in government affairs that interested her and soon be the patron of 24 organisations with the themes of health, education and culture. Her importance and role were solidified when her husband, the Shah, named her regent if he were to die before their son reached his 21st birthday.
The Noor ul Ain tiara made its most dazzling appearance at the legendary 1979 banquet held at Persepolis. Empress Farah and her husband had invited royalty, heads of state, and other dignitaries from around the globe to Tehran to commemorate the 2,500th anniversary of Cyrus the Great. The festivities culminated in a lavish affair, dubbed “The Shah’s Ultimate Party.”
As the couple welcomed guests at the banquet’s entrance, Farah stood resplendent in a gold gown, adorned with the Noor ul Ain tiara.
Here, Prince Michael of Greece describes that even the magnificent Romanov gems of the Greek Emerald Parure could not compete with the Noor ul Ain tiara
However, the Islamic Revolution of 1979 forced Empress Farah and the royal family into exile. She maintains that she left the jewels behind as she considered them the property of the Iranian people. Since the 1990s, the Noor ul Ain tiara and the rest of the crown jewels have been on public display at the National Jewels Treasury within Iran’s Central Bank.