For Tanya Farah, fine jewellery is far more than luxury and aesthetics. The New York-based designer of Persian American heritage crafts pieces that tell powerful stories about women, reflecting their strength, resilience, and beauty, while blending artistry with emotion, symbolism, empowerment, and emancipation.
Tanya Farah, an award-winning New York-based fine jewellery designer with a Persian American heritage, holds a doctorate in organisational psychology. Tanya began her career advising Fortune 500 companies, helping pave paths to success for women in the corporate world.
However, the pull of art was irresistible and in 2000, she shifted gears in her career and launched Tanya Farah Fine Jewelry, a brand designed to empower women through the strong storytelling in fine jewellery reflecting their journeys, memories, and dreams. She feels that jewellery is more than just adornment … it’s a celebration of multifaceted stories of women. Each piece is imbued with Tanya’s belief in the power of jewellery to reflect and enhance personal narratives, creating heirlooms meant to be cherished for generations.
The First Step
Her background in psychology helped shape this approach, and it taught her to look beyond the surface and to listen deeply to people’s stories. “I realised jewellery could become a medium of healing and connection—an object that holds emotion and memory in a physical form. My creativity comes from that place: it’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about storytelling and creating pieces that speak to the soul.”
What began as curiosity and passion quickly became something much deeper and turned into a life purpose. Tanya began by crafting jewellery for her family and friends, as well as for herself. “Everyone loved the pieces I designed, so it blossomed naturally. The turning point was when I saw how people connected to my work, how they felt seen and understood through it. That was when I knew this was not just a hobby, but it was my calling.”
Her Persian heritage and her journey across cultures play a central role in designing her pieces. “Symbols of protection, growth, love, and resilience are woven into my work because they reflect my own story and the stories of the women who came before me. Female empowerment has always been a central theme that runs through much of my work. I enjoy telling stories about women and using symbols that evoke the strength, vulnerability, and beauty of women.”
Symbolic Jewels
Her best-selling Tree of Life collection honours Eve, the first woman, as the bearer of knowledge. The Butterfly collection, launched in 2024, mirrors the constant evolution and growth of women as they transform into stronger versions of themselves, while the Egg collection celebrates motherhood with elegant charms that attach to any chain.
Interestingly, the Vote for Women collection recreates the Edwardian penny that British suffragettes would hand engrave “vote for women” on to spread the word as they fought for the right to vote.
Her latest Queen Bee collection reflects environmental responsibility, echoing how women often lead sustainable living at home.
Looking back at her early pieces, Tanya reflects, “From the very beginning, it was the emotion carried within the pieces that moved me. My early designs, The Tree of Life, Jasmine Bloom and Modern Etruscan felt alive—almost like they whispered stories of love, memory, and heritage. That essence has stayed with me and remains the core of my design philosophy today: every jewel should feel deeply personal, like a talisman that connects you to your own narrative.”
Stepping into the future
Tanya will soon celebrate her 25th anniversary with a destination shopping experience at Bergdorf Goodman from 30 September to 27 October. Select pieces from the designer’s entire oeuvre will be on display, along with new creations crafted specifically for this show. The jewellery focuses on stacking and layering of 18-karat gold satin-finish designs featuring symbols from nature and female empowerment messaging. Starting at $2,000, Tanya Farah prices range all the way up to over $100,000, offering a wide variety of styles for various budgets.
“I have always dreamed of showing my jewellery at Bergdorf Goodman, which is an esteemed jewellery destination,” says Tanya. “I love to celebrate women with my designs. My Persian American roots have been distilled in my soul with a very meaningful admiration for women. As I design, the beauty of feminine energy is very much alive within me. I think about the feeling I want to express and ensure the maximum sparkle of every stone. I concentrate on the emotion I want the woman who wears my jewellery to feel when she wears it.”
Looking ahead, Tanya is excited to explore themes of transformation. “I’m exploring themes of transformation—how we (especially women) evolve, shed, and rebloom. You’ll see new textures, unexpected gemstone pairings, and a focus on movement within the designs. It’s about capturing that ever-shifting rhythm of life.”