For Dubai-based designer Mariyeh Ghelichkhani, jewellery is not an object; it is a living archive of life itself. Each creation carries memory, movement, and emotion, shaped by heritage, nature, travel, and an intimate, lifelong relationship with gemstones. Mariyeh’s work stands apart for the depth of its storytelling and its reverence for stones as vessels of meaning rather than mere adornment.
Mariyeh Ghelichkhani
Mariyeh’s love of jewellery was shaped at an early age by her father, Abi Ghelichkhani, a celebrated Tehran-based jeweller and silversmith. At his boutique, Carat, Abi developed a distinctive silver-making style that blended antique European influences with Eastern aesthetics, with every piece crafted in-house. Renowned for his technical finesse and originality, he introduced forms and finishes entirely new to Iran’s rich silver tradition long before gaining international recognition for his work. Before that acclaim, Abi ran a jewellery showroom and workshop, a true world of wonder for young Mariyeh. She remembers the space vividly: the scent of molten gold, the rhythm of tools striking metal, and the quiet concentration of master artisans at work. “I would do my homework there,” she recalls, “absorbing everything, the wax carvers, the gem setters, the stories behind each jewel.” As she grew older, Mariyeh began helping to manage the store, gaining firsthand experience in both design and business. Yet it was only after her father’s passing that she truly stepped into her own creative identity. Loss became transformation, and inheritance became evolution. Her jewellery today carries this lineage forward, not through imitation, but through a deeply personal reimagining of craft, symbolism, and soul.
Annahita (the ancient Persian goddess of water, wisdom, and fertility), celebrating strength and solidarity among women. 18k yellow gold brooch-pendant set with Persian turquoise, cabochon tourmalines, sapphires, and brilliant diamonds
Central to Mariyeh’s philosophy is an intense, almost instinctive love of gemstones. She insists on sourcing stones in person, believing that touch, intuition, and human connection cannot be replaced. This approach allows her to discover rare gems, such as opals, vibrant emeralds, electric Paraíba tourmalines, and exceptional diamonds, often before they reach the wider market. More importantly, it allows her to listen to what each stone wants to become. For Mariyeh, gems are not interchangeable. They hold energy, history, and emotion. Responsibly mined stones with clear provenance matter deeply to her, not only for ethical reasons but also because longevity, both material and emotional, is essential. Each stone must justify its place in the story.
Floral Tango, with freshwater pearls, diamonds, sapphires, 18k rose gold
Nature is the emotional and symbolic backbone of Mariyeh’s work. The Tree of Life emerges as a recurring archetype, with its roots anchored in the earth and its branches reaching towards the heavens. Found across Persian mythology and many ancient cultures, it speaks to resilience, renewal, and spiritual harmony. In her jewellery, this symbolism is translated through stones: tourmalines representing life force and emotional depth, sapphires evoking clarity and wisdom, diamonds reflecting endurance and inner strength, and pearls symbolising purity and the cyclical rhythm of existence.
Tree of Life, 18k rose gold brooch-pendant set with a 13ct tourmaline, pastel coloured sapphires, diamonds and pearls
Animal motifs deepen this meditation on transformation. The Serpent’s Embrace ring explores rebirth and evolution, as the serpent, an ancient symbol of renewal, gradually softens into a rosebud, merging power with vulnerability. The Arabian Horned Viper ring, diamond-set and sculptural, honours one of the desert’s most striking creatures. Rather than fear, it expresses quiet strength, protection, and adaptability, an ode to survival in an unforgiving landscape.
Serpent’s Embrace Ring, 18k rose gold, pear-shaped morganite framed by diamonds, vivid rubies and tsavorites
Floral inspirations, particularly orchids, bring another dimension to Mariyeh’s work. Their natural asymmetry and sensual movement inspire compositions that celebrate femininity without fragility. Pearls and coloured gemstones drift across these designs in deliberate irregularity, echoing petals caught mid-motion and affirming Mariyeh’s belief that imperfection is the truest form of beauty.
Aqua ring, Orchid collection, Tahitian pearl, tourmalines, emeralds, sapphires, tanzanites, and diamonds. Set in 18k white gold
Travel is inseparable from Mariyeh’s creative language. Her journeys across the Gulf, Asia, Europe, and beyond mirror the historical routes of trade and cultural exchange. This spirit is powerfully embodied in sculptural works inspired by the dhow, the vessel that shaped the UAE’s maritime identity. Set with rare opals, these creations become symbols of exploration, enterprise, and the enduring relationship between the region and the sea.
Spirit of the Sea, featuring two fossilised opals, South Sea pearl, tsavorites, white and brown diamonds, multi-coloured sapphires, emeralds, moonstone and golden topaz, set in 18k rose gold
Heritage also plays a central role. Persian mythology informs her symbolic vocabulary, while Emirati traditions, such as the khanjar, the dagger emblematic of protection and identity, are reimagined through precious stones rather than steel.
Blade of Grace, opal in ironstone, vivid emerald, luminous Paraíba tourmaline and diamonds, set in 18k gold
Renaissance art further influences her approach, particularly through its celebration of humanism, harmonic proportion, classicism, and layered storytelling.
Florentine ring, Renaissance collection, with a delicate morganite paired with lustrous pearls and diamonds, set in 18k rose gold
Mariyeh’s innovation lies in her refusal of rigidity and in her ethos. She embraces mismatching, asymmetry, and unexpected pairings, believing that life itself is irregular, layered, unpredictable, and emotionally rich. Her jewels do not seek perfection; they seek truth.
Busy Bee asymmetric earrings, with Tahitian pearls, spinels, diamonds and set in 18k white gold
All these threads converge in the Hayat ring. Named after the Arabic word for “life,” it stands as the summa of her creative universe. Hayat embodies the cycle of existence, birth, growth, transformation, decay, and renewal, woven through stone, structure, and symbolism. It carries within it the wisdom of the Tree of Life, the rebirth of the serpent, the resilience of the desert, the delicacy of flowers, and the memory of journeys across cultures and seas.
Hayat ring, with a 22ct aquamarine surrounded by a gem-set water lily, lotus flower, frog, dragonfly and ladybug. Inspired by a childhood pond
“I want people to feel they’re wearing something made with soul,” Mariyeh says. “Not just a beautiful thing, but something true.”
In her hands, jewellery becomes a hymn to life itself. Hayat lived, felt, and remembered through stone.
When asked what comes next, Mariyeh speaks not of trends, but of intention.
“In my upcoming jewellery journey, I find myself increasingly drawn to pieces that carry deep meaning and display more intricate design and craftsmanship,” she says. “My inclination towards objets d’art reflects a desire to create not only wearable adornment, but also remarkable artistic expressions.”
For her, some creations are meant to transcend the body. “Certain designs deserve to be appreciated not merely as accessories, but as works of art that tell a story,” Mariyeh explains. These pieces may be worn, displayed, collected, or gifted, objects infused with personal significance and destined to be treasured over time.
It is a natural continuation of her philosophy: jewellery not as ornament, but as narrative; not as possession, but as presence. A living archive of memory, meaning, and emotion.
A hymn to life itself.
Discover more: mariyehghelichkhani.com
Photo Credit: Ksenia Usacheva
Article edited by Laura Astrologo Porché
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