Marvellous Depths: The Sumptuous Iranian Heritage of Hassanzadeh Jewellery

Recently, I had the pleasure of wearing a beautiful suite of Colombian emerald jewels by Iranian brand Hassanzadeh Jewellery. The delicious weight of that 30-carat emerald around my neck whisked me back to two important moments in my life… walking the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival in 2022. During both glittering occasions, I was adorned with diamonds by Hassanzadeh Jewellery, which really boosted my confidence in front of all those flashbulbs! Now, I’d like to share the story behind the brand and spotlight some of its most spectacular pieces of high and fine jewellery, including its Tales of Diamonds collection…

In September, I was given a first look at a suite from the Hassanzadeh Jewellery’s Emerald Treasury collection ahead of an event the brand was participating in. For me, the necklace is an especially clever creation, as it finds the perfect balance between contemporary design and the company’s traditional Iranian cultural heritage. In fact, the brand has nearly a century of history and can trace its roots to Sheikh Haj Hossein Hassanzadeh, who started producing Iranian gold jewellery in the late 1920s. He passed his business onto his sons, who built the company into something far larger, with a head office in Tehran, the capital of Iran, and a subsidiary office in London. Today, Hassanzadeh Jewellery is led by Managing Director, Kaveh Hassanzadeh, who drives his team to create high and fine jewellery collections inspired by nature’s beauty, geometric shapes and gardens in bloom. 

Our pieces embody the delicate elegance and vibrant colours found in nature’s bounty. Kaveh Hassanzadeh, Managing Director, Hassanzadeh Jewellery.

Personally, I think that elegance and understated glamour are the threads that unite Hassanzadeh jewels. During my time in Venice and Cannes, I really felt like the pieces I was generously loaned for both occasions had a sense of opulence, without veering into gauche territory. Nothing articulates this better than the Tales of Diamonds High Jewellery collection, which “showcases our brand’s unique designs and goldsmithing techniques,” according to Kaveh. If an individual owned all the pieces in this collection, they would be in possession of the quintessential, lifelong jewellery collection, including a sleek choker, a versatile cocktail ring and two pairs of statement earrings, one chandelier and the other shoulder-skimming. 

There are two specific pieces I wish to mention here: the Diamond Extraordinaire necklace and the Ancient World earrings. The former really taps into the brand’s Iranian heritage with lovely scrolling lines of diamonds and multitudes of fancy shapes that wrap around the neck and fall in a cascade down the chest. The piece concludes with round and emerald-cut diamonds of 8.87 carats. Next, the Ancient World earrings offer a “flavour of Arabia nights,” according to the brand and serve as a reminder that “diamonds can be classy and contemporary in every era”. What’s clever about these earrings is the use of 8.82 carats of round brilliant-cut diamonds in illusion-style layouts to appear like much larger marquise- and pear-shaped diamonds. This is a technique the brand uses in its engagement rings too. Kaveh says: “The irregular gem arrangement of our engagement rings is a strategy that makes the perfect luxurious ring while making it more affordable to our customers at the same time.”

There are more high jewellery collections to explore, including the Emerald Treasury collection I mentioned earlier, but also the Diamond Joys collection. I particularly like the Diamond Rock ring in this range, which has an unconventional shape formed from marquise and round-brilliant-cut diamonds on almost every possible surface. The total weight of diamonds here is 7.71 carats. If you are more drawn towards coloured stones, the Pink Sensation and Sapphire Glam collections are also deserving of your attention, especially the Regal Amethyst choker with 2.44 carats of round-cut diamonds and a 41.88-carat amethyst, the Lotus Bloom bracelet with 4.11 carats of diamonds and a 5.30-carat morganite, and the Ocean Drop earrings with 2.16 carats of round-cut diamonds, 2.52 carats of sapphire and turquoise accents. 

It’s easy to get lost down a Hassanzadeh high jewellery rabbit hole, but there are plenty of fine jewellery highlights too. Kaveh tells me that the brand’s best-selling design is the Sapphire Flower ring with a quartet of pear-shaped sapphires paired with marquise and round brilliant-cut diamonds. I also appreciate the abstract nature of many of its diamond rings, often with tendrils that fan out across the finger. A good example is the Diamond Branch ring with illusion-set marquise, baguette, pear and round-cut diamonds at just under one carat in total weight. 

Perhaps the best of Hassanzadeh Jewellery is yet to come, though! Kaveh tells me: “We have a new collection that is set to be released for the brand’s 100th anniversary, which is inspired by the Persepolis – a historical site in Iran built at around 518 BC by Darius the First. It used to serve as the ceremonial and courtly centre of the Achaemenid Empire.” Jewellery as an art form can really ground us to the past and shine a light on cultures different to our own, so I am excited to see this new collection. If you have a penchant for architectural jewellery, there are some pieces in the brand’s current portfolio to highlight, like the Blue Blossom necklace with 8.86 carats of round-cut diamonds and 16.59 carats of oval-shaped sapphires and the Emerald Fascination necklace with a pear-cut Colombian emerald of 3.58-carats and 10.02 carats of round diamonds. They are elegant and feminine for sure, but also give a subtle nod to structure, ordered lines and geometric shapes. Perfect for drawing admiring second glances!

I think it is worth noting that this is far from the extent of Hassanzadeh’s treasures. On its website, you can discover a beautiful array of coloured gemstones, fancy yellow diamonds, opals, and pearls, so there really is something for every palate. Plus, the brand is on a mission to grow its presence, so I predict we will be seeing its team at many more events moving forward. “At the heart of our future plans is the desire to show that luxury can be both timeless and practical,” Kaveh explains. “As we grow, you can expect us to continue pushing boundaries while blending sophistication and functionality in a way that speaks to our global audience.” I will be observing from afar, waiting to see what wonders emerge next!