The National Jewelry Museum

The National Jewelry Museum of Iran serves as the backbone of Iran’s banknotes. The museum houses hundreds of pieces of jewelry, from Kiani crowns and Nadery throne to Peacock Throne and jeweled swords belonging to Fath-Ali Shah and Naser al-Din Shah Qajar. It is considered the most valuable museum in Iran and even Asia, with its artifacts yet to be priced. The Pahlavi Crown, commissioned by Reza Shah Pahlavi and worn during his coronation and by his successor Mohammad Reza Shah, is displayed here, along with the Crown of Farah Pahlavi, worn on the day of her coronation, and the Seven Emeralds Tiara, a favorite of Farah Diba, used in many official ceremonies and various occasions. The elaborate jewels worn by Farah, placed on her shoulders during the coronation, are all on display in this museum. The “Sea of Light” diamond, the world’s most valuable diamond, is also housed here. This well-cut diamond has international fame and tells a part of contemporary history. The “Globe of Jewels,” a famous insignia of Naser al-Din Shah, and the Peacock Throne are among the most unique and spectacular objects in this museum. The Kiani Crown, a special crown for the Qajar kings, was built in Iran by the order of Fath-Ali Shah in 1212 AH. It is adorned with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and pearls. Interestingly, the use of crowns in this manner was not customary after the Sassanid period and before the Qajar era; kings used a different form of headgear. The Kiani Crown is the first crown made in the style of the crowns of this dynasty after the Sassanid period. Later, it was also used by other Qajar kings. Today, this crown is kept in the National Jewelry Museum or the National Jewels Treasury at the Central Bank, located on Ferdowsi Street.