A Guilded Narrative
Words Mandi Keighran
Photography © Chaumet
and creative studio director Olga Corsini in Paris. Photos: Chaumet
For nearly 250 years Chaumet has been renowned for its poetic interpretations of nature wrought from precious metals and stones, and for its role as jeweller to emperors, empresses and icons of style. When the French maison unveiled Chaumet & Nature at M7 in Doha in 2024, it was its first major exhibition in the Middle East, with more than 100 pieces tracing the house’s enduring fascination with flora and fauna. The exhibition also set the stage for a new dialogue between Paris and Doha – the Chaumet Tiara Project.
This open call invited creatives across the Middle East and North Africa to reinterpret the tiara, the most emblematic symbol of Chaumet’s history, through the lens of their own cultural heritage. Since 1780, Chaumet has made more than 2,000 tiaras for monarchies and aristocratic families. The competition attracted more than 80 submissions, from which 11 finalists were selected to attend a masterclass at M7 in Doha led by Olga Corsini, Chaumet’s creative studio director.
Three finalists – Qatari artist and jewellery designer Aisha Alattiya, Jordanian architect and fashion designer Zahia Albakri and Qatari artist-calligrapher Alanoud Al Ghamdi – were then flown to Paris to work directly with the artisans at Chaumet’s Place Vendôme headquarters. The finalists worked closely with Corsini and Benoît Verhulle, head of the Chaumet workshop, to refine their designs and incorporate signature elements of the maison, such as transformability – where parts of a piece of jewellery can be detached and worn separately. Following this experience Alattiya was crowned the winner. Her tiara has now been handcrafted in Chaumet’s atelier and will be unveiled at M7 on 26 October.
“Seeing how a concept rooted in Qatar’s nature and culture could resonate with the legacy of a renowned brand such as Chaumet has given me the confidence to continue exploring different narratives with whatever I design”
“Chaumet holds a treasured heritage in the art of tiara-making, and having my design brought to life by their master artisans – custodians of a centuries-long tradition – represents a remarkable milestone in my journey as an emerging jewellery designer,” says Alattiya. “I’m proud to share Qatar’s history on the global stage through this creation.”
Her winning design, the Houbara Haven Tiara, draws on both personal memory – stories told by her father and family – and national tradition. Exploring ideas of resilience and beauty, the tiara is inspired by the desert-dwelling houbara bird, which is deeply connected to the ancient Qatari tradition of falconry. The small bird is taking refuge from a hunting falcon in the branches of an awsaj tree, a motif commonly found in traditional embroidery.
Another important source of inspiration is Qatar’s rich history of pearl diving – a particularly fitting reference given that the winning tiara is commissioned by Alfardan Jewellery, a Qatari company renowned for its work with pearls originating from the Gulf. In Alattiya’s tiara, the slender branches of the awsaj tree are adorned with pearl-like blossoms. “Maison Chaumet’s design is inspired by nature in all its forms,” explains Alattiya. “I shifted the lens to Qatar.”
For Alattiya, the experience of winning the Chaumet Tiara Project has been a turning point in her journey as an artist and jeweller, and has given her the confidence to establish her own brand, with support and mentorship from M7.
