The Most Viewed Images of Fawzia’s Stunning, One-of-a-Kind Custom Jewelry—While People Couldn’t Afford Food, She Ordered Jewels

According to the History and Culture section of Saed News, Fawzia Fuad, born on November 5, 1921, in Egypt, was the first wife of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. She studied in Switzerland, became fluent in English and French, and married Mohammad Reza Pahlavi at the age of 17, later becoming Iran’s first lady. Her father was King Fuad of Egypt, and her mother was Queen Nazli. She had one brother, King Farouk I, and three sisters named Faiza, Faika, and Fathia.

The young princess, famed at the time for her stunning beauty, married Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s crown prince, on March 16, 1939. Their lavish wedding at Abdeen Palace in Cairo, much like Fawzia’s mother’s marriage, was largely a political union, designed to strengthen ties between Egypt and Iran.

A year before the wedding, Van Cleef & Arpels was commissioned to design a jewelry set for the bride. The set included a double-strand necklace, earrings, a ring, and a tiara crafted from platinum and diamonds, inspired by the Art Deco style. The tiara alone featured 54 pear-shaped diamonds totaling 92 carats, along with 530 baguette-cut diamonds weighing 72 carats. After Mohammad Reza Shah ascended the throne, Fawzia frequently wore this tiara at major ceremonies.

The set was used not only on her wedding day but also at numerous formal events and celebrations throughout her time as queen.