For the grand state banquet of Persepolis, on the 14th October, HIM The Shahbanou of Iran wore a magnificent golden dress and matching long coat, embroidered with silver. Made by Iranian couturiers, the design of the dress and the coat was the same as one the Empress had wore the year before, but in white. The Empress wore the blue sash of the Nishan-i-Aryamehr, the Order of the Light of the Aryans. Her hairdo, by Alexandre de Paris, was designed for a perfect display of the tiara.

Two details of the Shahbanou’s dress at the grand state banquet held on the 14th October 1971, her 33rd birthday.

The Empress of Iran wore some absolutely fantastic jewels during the grand state banquet. She chose the Noor-ol-Ain Tiara, created for by Harry Winston, on the occasion of her wedding to HIM The Shah of Iran. Her Majesty wore a simple necklace composed by several rows of diamonds and also a superb pair of earrings, composed by very large diamonds.

The centrepiece of this amazing tiara is the Noor-ol-Ain diamond, which is one of the largest pink diamonds in the world. The diamond may have been brought from India, along with the Sea of Light diamond. The diamond is set in platinum, and is surrounded by pink, clear and yellow diamonds. The Noor-ol-Ain is a brilliant cut, almost tear shaped diamond of approximately 60 carats; the other diamonds range from 14 to 19 carats each.

The Noor-ol-Ain Tiara, worn by Her Imperial Majesty on the grand state banquet of Persepolis, also her 33rd birthday.

Pasargadae, two days before. On the 12th October, for the opening of the celebrations of the 2500th anniversary of the Empire, Empress Farah had impressed everyone for her impeccable choice of outfit, inspired as it was by the ancient dresses of the wives of Persian monarchs. Her dress, designed, woven and cut in Iran, was of white silk embroidered in gold and silver with several motifs. The small coat was especially rich in its embroidery, as was the lower part of the skirt. Her Majesty wore the blue sash of the Order of the Light of the Aryans.

Alexandre de Paris, was responsible for dressing the Empress’ hair and displaying what was said to be Her Majesty’s favourite tiara, the Seven Emeralds Tiara, also made for her by Harry Winston on the occasion of her wedding to the Shah of Iran. The lower band contains diamonds which are shaped like a heart and is made of platinum. There are two rows of yellow, pink and clear diamonds on top of it. There are seven large emeralds framed by diamonds on very top of the tiara.

The gems used in this tiara are a combination of the old and new. The brilliant-cut diamonds were probably re-cut in the 19th century from loose Indian diamonds which were in the treasury. The emeralds are probably from South America, though they were cut sometime before Nader Shah's campaign in India. The diamonds surrounding the emeralds are probably also from South Africa. The largest emerald, located in the centre of the top row, is 65 carats and the smallest ones on the ends of the row are 10 carats each. The two largest diamonds are approximately 15 carats each.

The Seven Emeralds Tiara, worn by the Shahbanou on the opening of the celebrations, in Pasargadae.

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