Jewellery Obsessed: In Conversation with International Model Farnoush Hamidian

There's a tradition among many of the most illustrious high jewellery brands to call upon models to wear their latest creations at launch events and showcases. I have always appreciated this touch, as it means I can see pieces worn on real bodies and make new connections at the same time. When I visited Chopard at the Cannes Film Festival years back, I met one such model – Iranian-born Farnoush Hamidian – who clearly took great joy in wearing the jewels she was draped in. We instantly connected over our shared artistic passions, and kept in touch over the years. We became pretty much jewellery sisters, so I decided to ask Farnoush to share her love for all things precious with you. I like to think of this as the first of many articles dedicated to women who are obsessed with jewellery as much as I am (or you if you are reading this). 

What first struck me about Farnoush is the link between her genuine love of jewellery and her Iranian heritage. She was raised in an environment where jewellery is more than an adornment, it's a carrier of sentiment, memories, love and affection. Upon meeting her, I knew that she was the ideal candidate to kickstart a new series of articles about women who adore jewels, exploring where their interest comes from, how they select their pieces, and how they wear them to express themselves. When I found out that Farnoush and I share the same birthday – April 25th – it felt like the stars had aligned perfectly.  

After our last lunch at the Armani Cafe in Dubai last year, we promised to catch up in Paris to discuss all things jewellery and in January we said cheers to 2025 with a few hours of discussing our jewellery preferences. Our conversation touched on many subjects, including no-oil Colombian emeralds, the pitfalls of being a fine jewellery owner in the modern world, family history, legendary designers and the allure of unique, one-off pieces. The highlights of this debut 'My Life in Jewellery' interview are shared below… 

Katerina Perez: It is rarer than you might think to meet a woman who is obsessed with jewellery like yourself. Where does this passion stem from?

Farnoush Hamidian: I think it is actually quite typical as a Persian woman. Culturally, you are born with it because regardless of wealth, when a baby is born, everybody brings a piece of gold jewellery as a traditional gift. For a wedding gift, someone may give you gold coins, although this tradition has nothing to do with a personal love of jewellery. Growing up, wearing jewellery is a sign of being feminine in Persian culture, and also historically a sign of wealth and status as an asset. However, I saw my mother, who always loved colour and beautiful things and the jewellery she was wearing. For example, the wedding ring my father gave her didn't [focus on a] white diamond; she had a ruby with marquise diamonds next to each other to create a flower. I grew up seeing how happy my mother was every time she saw jewellery, wore jewellery or bought jewellery. Essentially, we all fell in love with it and developed a fascination for the story behind each stone, what it means, and what energy it has. Jewellery, for me, is spiritual, sentimental, cultural and feminine… it's everything. 

KP: How does having jewellery on make you feel? 

FH: I feel feminine. I love beauty in every shape and form. Why should we have to be ashamed of wearing something beautiful? I understand that in the modern world, especially in Europe, it is very difficult to wear jewellery for security reasons. I have learned this the hard way. Everything has a place, so nowadays I am a bit more cautious about what to wear and where I wear pieces. 

KP: Do you believe in less is more?

FH: I don't think less is more necessarily, I think it really depends on an individual's personality and what he or she appreciates. A person shouldn't be limited to what society thinks because, at the end of the day, you're living your life, and you need to be able to have the basic freedom of enjoying luxury. 

KP: How would you describe your personal jewellery style and what draws you in when searching for new pieces?  

FH: That's very difficult because throughout the years my tastes have changed and evolved. For example, I didn't know about designer jewellery before I moved to Europe. I was always focused on traditional jewellery and coloured stones. Now, I say bravely and bluntly that French jewellery design is the most important in the world. The Art Deco era, for me, is beyond wonderful. Or Indian [inspired] jewellery like the Boucheron Histoire de Style New Maharajahs collection.

KP: Is there a particular French jeweller who inspires you?

FH: Yes, Suzanne Belperron (1900-1983). She worked for the Herz and Boivin jewellery houses before she married Jean Belperron in the 1920s. She was only 19 when she was employed as a designer by Jeanne Boivin, the widow of René Boivin. I think what is interesting for me is how the price, preciousness, and value of a piece of jewellery are not always based solely on the value of the stone itself. When it comes to designer jewellery, it often has nothing to do with it. For Suzanne Belperron, and now with Cartier and Boucheron, we see all these brands using rock crystal, but it is used so insanely and incredibly that it's not a matter of the stone, but how it's made, the techniques, and the time. Technique itself can be precious regardless of what kind of stone is used. A good example of this is the Boucheron Or Bleu collection, inspired by the movement of water, and the Iceberg rock crystal necklace that required more than 2,000 hours of work. 

KP: Do you think that the meaning of ‘precious’ is changing in fine and high jewellery?

FH: Yes, the meaning of precious is changing. Some gemstones, like quartzes, were considered ‘semi-precious’ stones for a long time. But nature is not endless, resources get exhausted, and now, to finding good rock crystal and rose quartz takes much more time. It is becoming precious. Personally, I don’t differentiate between semi-precious and precious at all. If someone wants to choose a stone, they shouldn’t think, ‘I will take the diamond because everybody thinks it’s more expensive’. No, it should be very personal, like art. I always go for the jewellery that I like, not what I am told to like.

KP: Does being a model bring you closer to jewellery? How has this changed your thoughts on jewellery as an art form? 

FH: I get the pleasure of seeing more jewellery. I also experience wearing jewellery, which feels amazing. It makes me want them more, but I can't have all I want! For example, there was a necklace I saw for the first time in 2012 before Bvlgari started mass-marketing the Serpenti collection. I was with my father at a store in Geneva, looking at a large Serpenti necklace in the window. I stood in front of it, trying to align my height with the glass so I could 'see' myself wearing it. I told my dad, 'One day, I am going to wear this'. After Covid, I had the pleasure of doing an editorial for Vogue in a gorgeous Serpenti. Now, though, I don't think I want it; it's not as special anymore because so many people have it. And like many women out there I don't want what everybody has. 

I love how forthright Farnoush is about her passion for jewellery as a sentimental, beautiful conveyer of originality and truth. Although she's clearly tempted by beautiful jewels in her work as a model, she maintains a real sense of authenticity when building her personal collection. Techniques, time and temptation are some of the words I took away from our conversation, which will no doubt be the first of many as we bond over a shared jewellery obsession.