Iran, formerly Persia, holds a singular place in the global gem narrative on two grounds. The country has produced the most famous turquoise in the trade for at least 2,000 years, from the historic Nishapur deposits, and it is the home of the Iranian Treasury of National Jewels, one of the most significant accumulations of historic gemstones and royal jewellery anywhere in the world. The country's contemporary commercial gem trade is constrained by international sanctions and political circumstances, but its historical and cultural weight in the gem world remains exceptional.

Nishapur turquoise

The Nishapur deposits in the Khorasan region, near the city of Mashhad in north-eastern Iran, have been worked for turquoise since at least the Achaemenid period and remain the source of the finest material in the trade. Persian turquoise from Nishapur is characterised by its even sky-blue colour, low matrix content and good hardness, the standard against which other turquoise sources are measured. The trade name "Persian turquoise" became a generic descriptor for top-grade material from any source, and laboratories distinguish actual Iranian Nishapur material from material from Sleeping Beauty mine in Arizona, the Hubei province deposits in China, the Sinai material and other sources by trace-element and inclusion fingerprinting.

Other gem species

Beyond turquoise, Iran has historically produced lapis lazuli (although the most famous lapis comes from Afghanistan to the east), garnet, agate and emerald in small quantities. The country sits at the centre of the wider Asian gem-trading network that has connected Central Asia, the Middle East and South Asia for millennia, and the historic role of Persian merchants in the gem trade extended well beyond the country's borders.

The Treasury of National Jewels

The collection now held as the Treasury of National Jewels, in the basement of the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Tehran, contains some of the world's most extraordinary historical gemstones. The collection includes the Daria-i-Noor, one of the largest pink diamonds in the world at approximately 182 carats; the Nur-ul-Ain tiara set with another major pink diamond; the Pahlavi Crown made for the 1926 coronation of Reza Shah; the spectacular Globe of Jewels, a sphere covered in 51,000 stones; the Peacock Throne, although that name is contested in attribution; and many further pieces from successive Persian and Iranian dynasties. The collection is open to public view at scheduled times and is one of the most significant holdings of historical jewellery anywhere.

The 1979 nationalisation and its consequences

Following the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the royal jewel collections of the Pahlavi dynasty were nationalised. The pieces remained in the country and form the core of the Treasury of National Jewels, used as backing for the national currency. The political circumstances of the revolution and subsequent sanctions regimes have meant that no new pieces from the collection have entered the international market in the modern era, and the collection has effectively been removed from the world auction circuit since 1979.

Iranian enamel and craft

Iran's craft tradition extends well beyond the royal collection. The Mina-kari enamelling tradition, associated with Isfahan, produces vivid blue and red enamel work on copper, silver and gold that has been a recognisable Persian craft for centuries. Iranian goldsmithing, silver filigree and gem cutting have continued through the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, although exports are constrained by sanctions and the country's broader political situation.

Hallmarking and consumer protection

The country operates an Iranian Standard hallmarking system administered by the Standards Organisation, with the 18-karat lion mark among the recognised standards. Domestic gold sales are subject to formal hallmarking requirements, and Iran has its own laboratories for gemmological identification supporting the domestic market.

Trade and the contemporary situation

The contemporary international trade in Iranian gem material is limited by sanctions, primarily US sanctions that affect Iranian-origin commerce broadly. Material that left the country before sanctions, particularly Persian turquoise in old jewellery and estate pieces, continues to circulate, and the historical reputation of Persian gem material remains a factor in the global market. Direct new commerce is constrained, and dealers handling Iranian-origin material need to be aware of the relevant sanctions framework.