National Jewelry Museum

Museums

National Jewelry Museum

The unparalleled “National Jewels Treasury” is a collection of some of the world’s most precious jewels, amassed over the course of centuries.

Each piece of these jewels reflects a part of the tumultuous history of the great nation of Iran and showcases the artistic taste and creativity of its people. They evoke memories of the bitter and sweet moments of defeats and victories, as well as the pride, ostentation, and authoritative rule of past rulers.

This treasury, on one hand, reflects the ancient and tumultuous culture and history of the Iranian nation, narrating the adventurous stories of past generations. On the other hand, it tells the tale of the silent tears of oppressed and suffering people, the outcome of the pride and ostentation of the powerful and the tyrants of bygone eras.
Our purpose in presenting these jewels is to foster a deeper understanding of Iran’s culture and history, and to reflect on the fate of tyrants and hoarders of the past. With this aim, the collection entrusted to us is placed before you for observation and judgment.
The significance of the jewels in the National Jewels Treasury is not limited to their economic value. They also reflect the taste and skill of Iranian craftsmen and artists throughout various historical periods and, as a historical and artistic heritage, represent the refined arts of our vast country.
Throughout history, these jewels and rarities have served as ornaments and adornments for rulers and sovereigns, often symbolizing the splendor and grandeur of the court. At the same time, they have also represented a source of power and a reserve for the state treasury.

Precise information regarding the quality and quantity of the National Jewels prior to the Safavid era is not available, and it can be said that the documented history of Iranian jewels begins with the Safavid rulers. The process of collecting and assembling the current collection can be briefly summarized as follows:
Before the Safavid era, some jewels were already kept in the royal treasury. According to accounts by foreign travelers—such as Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, Chardin, the Shirley brothers, Warnecke, and others—the Safavid rulers, around the 16th to 17th centuries (907–1148 AH), began systematically collecting precious gems and jewels. Safavid government experts even purchased jewels from markets in India, the Ottoman Empire, and European countries such as France and Italy, bringing them to Isfahan, the capital of their empire.
Therefore, at the end of the reign of Shah Sultan Hossein and with the invasion of Iran by Mahmud Afghan, the royal treasuries were plundered and dispersed by the Afghan invaders. A portion of these treasures, which Mahmud Afghan had transferred to Ashraf Afghan, was later seized by Nader (Nader Shah) after he entered Isfahan alongside Shah Tahmasp II, thus preventing their removal from Iran.

Later, Nader sent several letters to the Mughal court in India to reclaim the portion of the Iranian jewels that had been taken there, but his requests were rejected. Following his military campaign in India in 1158 AH (1745 CE), Mohammad Shah of India surrendered large amounts of cash, jewels, and weapons to Nader. However, part of the treasures and wealth that Nader had obtained from India never reached Iran, as some of it was lost on the way back.

After returning to Iran, Nader distributed a considerable portion of the jewels and precious items as gifts to the emirs, governors, and rulers of neighboring countries. He also donated a number of valuable and bejeweled objects to the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (peace be upon him) and divided part of the remaining treasures among his army.

In 1160 AH (1747 CE), following Nader Shah’s assassination, Ahmad Beg Abdali, one of Nader’s Afghan commanders, plundered the royal treasury. Among the jewels taken from Iran—and never returned—was the famous diamond known as the Koh-i-Noor (“Mountain of Light”). This diamond first came into the possession of Ahmad Shah Durrani and later Ranjit Singh of Punjab. After Ranjit Singh’s defeat by the British, the Koh-i-Noor fell into the hands of the British East India Company and was eventually presented to Queen Victoria in 1266 AH / 1849 CE.

From that time until the Qajar era, the remaining treasures underwent little change. During the Qajar period, the collection of jewels was gathered and consolidated, and several of them were mounted on the Kiani Crown, the Naderi Throne, the Jeweled Globe, and the Peacock Throne (also known as the Sun Throne).

Two other gems were gradually added to the collection: turquoise, a precious Iranian stone extracted from the Neyshabur mines, and pearls, which were harvested from the Persian Gulf.

According to the law enacted on November 16, 1937 (25 Aban 1316 SH), a major portion of the jewels was transferred to the Bank Melli Iran. They were then considered part of the backing for the national currency and later served as collateral for the government’s debt securities to the bank in support of the currency.
The current Jewelry Treasury was constructed in 1955 (1334 SH) and officially inaugurated in 1960 (1339 SH) with the establishment of the Central Bank of Iran. Since then, it has been entrusted to and remains under the protection of the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

During the glorious Islamic Revolution of Iran and the imposed war, this priceless and unique treasure was preserved through the dedication and commitment of the loyal and revolutionary staff of the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Now before you lies a treasury of precious jewels and gemstones, formed and transformed through the turbulent course of time. It is hoped that, in beholding this collection, we remember that in the divine order, crowns and diadems belong only in museums — a solemn reminder of a painful and blood-stained history that must never, under any circumstances, be repeated.

How much is this collection worth?

Much can be said about this precious collection, but there is one question that cannot be answered definitively:

How much is this collection worth?

No one knows the answer to this question, because this collection contains gems that have no equal anywhere in the world. The only possible answer is that the Iranian National Jewels are so unique, both artistically and historically, that even the most expert appraisers and evaluators in the world have been unable to determine their true or approximate value.

Treasures and Some Famous Pieces

The jewels and pieces in the National Jewelry Treasury are categorized into 36 cabinets. The contents of these cabinets are highly diverse and primarily include various decorative jewelry, different types of crowns and half-crowns, jeweled headpieces (Jiqah), vases, food covers, hookahs, mirrors, enamel jugs, candlesticks, turquoise items, swords, daggers, shields, clocks, inkwells, snuff boxes, ruby- and garnet-adorned objects, rifles, canes, medals, thrones, pins and brooches, pearls, and more.

Below are some of the famous pieces, accompanied by images and brief descriptions of each.

Darya-ye Noor Diamond (Sea of Light Diamond)

This diamond may hold the highest rank among the jewels of Iran’s National Treasury. This famous diamond and the Koh-i-Noor diamond, due to the similarity in their names, have often been regarded as a pair, even though they have no similarities in cut or color. Both gems originally belonged to Nader Shah, but the Koh-i-Noor diamond was taken to Afghanistan by Ahmad Shah Durrani after Nader Shah’s death. Later, it passed to Shah Shuja, and following his defeat, it was captured by an Indian commander known as Sher Punjab. The gem eventually came into the possession of the East India Company and was subsequently sent to the British court as a gift to Queen Victoria. Today, this diamond is set in the crown of Queen Elizabeth, the mother of the current queen of England.

The Darya-ye Noor diamond, after the assassination of Nader Shah, passed to his grandson, Shahrokh Mirza. It later came into the possession of Amir Alam Khan Khezimeh and subsequently to Lotf Ali Khan Zand. When Lotf Ali Khan was defeated by Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, the diamond was transferred to the Qajar treasury.

Naser al-Din Shah believed that this gem was one of the jewels from Cyrus the Great’s crown. He held a great fondness for this precious stone, at times adorning his hat with it and at other times wearing it on his chest. He even established a special office for the custody of the Darya-ye Noor and entrusted this important honor to the nobles and dignitaries of the country.

The Darya-ye Noor later became part of a state museum and is now one of the highlights of the National Jewels Treasury. It weighs 182 carats and has a pink color, one of the rarest hues for a diamond.

In 1965 (1344 SH), during an examination of the National Jewels by Canadian experts, a very interesting detail about this gem was discovered:

Tavernier, the famous French traveler and gemologist, mentioned a 242-carat pink diamond in his book, noting that he saw it in the East in 1642 CE. He also included a diagram and measurements of the diamond, referring to it as the Grand Table Diamante (the Large Table Diamond).

The color and shape of this diamond caught the attention of the Canadian experts, who concluded that the Darya-ye Noor and Nur al-Ain were originally a single diamond that was later split into two pieces. The larger piece became known as Darya-ye Noor, while the smaller piece, weighing 60 carats, is called Nur al-Ain and is currently set in the center of Tiara No. 2, located in Treasury Chest 26.

Pahlavi Crown

The crown used by Reza Shah and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was crafted from gold and silver and adorned with exquisite diamonds, large emeralds, sapphires, and pearls. The cap of the crown is covered with red velvet, and atop its dome sits a cabochon emerald set in a claw mount.

The crown features four stepped crenellations on each side, inspired by the crowns of Sassanid emperors. At the center, beneath the front crenellation, is a golden sun with diamond-studded rays and a large yellow diamond at its center. Behind this crenellation is a base-mounted jqqeh in the eslimi design, and behind that, a plume of ostrich feathers.

The number of gemstones set on the crown is as follows: 3,380 diamonds weighing 1,144 carats, 5 emeralds totaling 199 carats, 2 sapphires weighing 19 carats, and 368 pearls. The combined weight of the gold, gemstones, and velvet amounts to 444 mesghal, approximately 2.8 kilograms.

Previously, the Kiani Crown was used in coronations during the Qajar era. However, Reza Shah preferred not to use it for his own coronation. Therefore, in 1304 SH (1925 CE), a team of Iranian jewelers under the supervision of Serajeddin Javaheri—a renowned Caucasian jeweler who had migrated from Russia to Iran and was also the jeweler of the Emir of Bukhara—crafted a new crown using selected gemstones. This crown was subsequently used by Reza Shah and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in their coronation ceremonies.

Naderi Jiqah

The Naderi Jiqah is adorned with diamonds and emeralds, featuring a large, beautifully colored cabochon emerald set at its center. Beneath the jiqah, three pendants of vivid emeralds hang gracefully. The upper part of the jiqah consists of seven segments, with two garlands of diamond-studded leaves and flowers on each side. From the tips of the segments, two high-quality Saidi emerald pendants are suspended. Above the central emerald sits a diamond-encrusted crescent, while at the bottom on either side, miniature representations of a banner, drum, cannon tube, and spear are attached to the band. The fabric of the banner is divided into three rows of rubies, diamonds, and light emeralds. The entire jiqah is decorated with fine and large, high-quality diamonds. Reza Shah Pahlavi occasionally wore this jiqah. Its weight is 33 mithqals and 16 nokods.
(Produced in Iran, 12th century AH)

Kiani Crown

The Fath-Ali Shah Crown, also known as the Kiani Crown, is adorned with diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and pearls. It was crafted during the reign of Fath-Ali Shah and was used by the Qajar monarchs. This crown is notable as the first crown made in this style since the Sassanian era.

(Made in Iran, 1212 AH / early 19th century CE)

Jeweled Globe

This globe (ornamental sphere) was crafted in 1291 AH (1874–1875 CE) by order of Naser al-Din Shah, executed by a group of Iranian jewelers led by Ebrahim Masihi, using jewels from the treasury. The pure gold used in the globe weighs 34 kilograms, and the weight of the embedded gemstones totals 3,656 grams. The globe is adorned with 51,366 individual gemstones.

Identifying the countries amid the sparkling jewels is challenging, as the jeweler’s skill in craftsmanship seems to have outweighed strict adherence to cartographic accuracy. The seas are represented with emeralds, and the landmasses with rubies. Southeast Asia, Iran, and England are highlighted with diamonds; India with light-colored rubies; and Central and South Africa with sapphires. The equator and other geographic lines are also marked with diamonds. The diameter of the globe is approximately two feet (66 centimeters), and it rests on a base entirely made of gold and adorned with gemstones.

Peacock Throne (Takhte Tavous / Takht-e Khorshid)

By order of Fath-Ali Shah in 1216 AH (1801–1802 CE), a grand and magnificent throne was constructed under the supervision of Nezam al-Dowleh, Mohammad Hossein Khan Sadr Esfahani, the governor of Isfahan, using the jewels and gold from the royal treasury. Originally named Takht-e Khorshid (Throne of the Sun) due to the jeweled sun motif at its top, it retained this name for several years.

After Fath-Ali Shah married Taj al-Dowleh (nicknamed Tavous Khanum), the throne became popularly known as Takht-e Tavous (Peacock Throne) in her honor. Some Iranians mistakenly believed this throne was the same as the famed Peacock Throne of India. However, by comparing descriptions by the French traveler Jean-Baptiste Tavernier with the existing throne, and consulting Naser al-Din Shah, it was confirmed that this throne had indeed been made by Fath-Ali Shah and named after his wife.

Years later, during Naser al-Din Shah’s reign, who paid special attention to royal jewels and treasures, the throne underwent repairs and minor modifications. Inscriptions recording the restoration, written in beautiful Nasta’liq script on a gold background with lapis lazuli enamel, were added around the throne in separate couplets. These inscriptions are now installed in sequence, reflecting the later restoration.

The throne remained in the Golestan Palace Hall until 1360 SH (1981–1982 CE) when it was transferred to the National Jewels Treasury of the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran, ensuring its preservation alongside other treasury jewels, in accordance with the 1316 SH law.