Empress's Crown
Empress's Crown | |
---|---|
White gold, silver | |
Cap | Green velvet |
Notable stones | Pearl, diamond, emerald, ruby, spinel |
The Empress's Crown (Persian: تاج شهبانو) is part of the coronation regalia used by the third Shahbanu (Empress) of Iran (Persia), Farah Pahlavi. The crown is part of the Iranian National Jewels, and is currently on display at the Treasury of National Jewels in Tehran.
This crown is historically significant in the Iranian tradition. The two
Background
Following in the footsteps of policies initiated under the White Revolution that directed the further emancipation of Iranian women, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi determined to make a symbolic gesture by crowning his consort, Empress Farah, during his own elaborate coronation ceremony in October 1967. Until that date, the wives of Persian monarchs had never been crowned since the Muslim conquest of Persia, so it was therefore necessary to design a new crown for the occasion. That honor was bestowed upon the French jewelers, Van Cleef & Arpels.[2]
In accordance with tradition, the gems used were selected from loose stones already in the Imperial treasury. Since it was against the law for items from the treasury to leave Iran, Van Cleef & Arpels were obliged to send a team of jewelers to Tehran in order to construct the crown,[3] a process which occupied them for six months.
Composition
The frame of the crown is made of
In her memoir, the former Empress extolls the beauty of the crown but notes that it was also quite heavy, weighing nearly two kilograms.[3]
References
- ISBN 9781139463720.
- ^ "Iran Chamber Society: Iranian National -Royal- Jewels". Iranchamber.com. Retrieved 2015-08-15.
- ^ a b Pahlavi, Farah. An Enduring Love: My Life with the Shah: A Memoir. 2004