Double rings that cover the entire length of two fingers — their lace-like details embellished with diamonds and precious stones — each connected to the other by delicate chains that swish against the hand. Dazzling rings, each cleverly crafted to adorn the upper digits of the fingers and appear as tattooed jewels beneath the nails. Diamond-encrusted snake earrings designed to sit at the edge of the entire ear lobe, their heads appearing to caress the wearer’s cheek, while their tails hang off the lower part of the ear.
These are among the unusual creations of rising star designer Noor Al Fardan from Doha. She took her first steps to fame in 2011 when she designed and made an exceptional piece for Lady Gaga for the release of her music album Born this Way. “The opportunity to design for Lady Gaga allowed me to express myself and to push the boundaries of fine jewellery making. At the same time, she gave me the courage to launch Noudar. I had been stalling the launch, but watching her dance on stage, uncaring about what anyone thought of her, gave me the ultimate push to launch my brand.”
Today, Noudar has a following of jewellery lovers who want fine jewellery that is different and daring. Noor says her collections take inspiration from the noble heritage of Arabic and Islamic culture, particularly drawing on Omani patterns and henna designs. “When I was younger, my sisters and I enjoyed covering just two fingers in henna. That’s where the idea for the double rings began,” Noor recalls.
These rings have now become her signature pieces and are enjoying popularity among fashion-forward customers. Recently, the brand collaborated with Welsh fashion designer Julien Macdonald for his Spring-Summer 2015 show at London Fashion Week. Among the highlights was a white gold and diamond double ring that was paired with a diamond-embroidered wedding dress. Other items in the collection included elaborate ring and bracelet combinations adorning the entire hand and long lace rings with gemstone tassels.
Noor’s love affair with fine jewellery started when she was a little girl. Her father, a well-known jewellery retailer in Doha, encouraged her from early childhood onwards to accompany him to jewellery exhibitions. He let her sit in on discussions with suppliers of jewellery and watches for his store, Alfardan. It was here that Noor learnt the secret language of jewellery and the inherent seduction of each piece. “After each meeting, I would sketch my favourite pieces, altering them in ways that I thought would make the jewellery look better. By the time I was 13, I was already designing personal pieces for friends, family, and myself,” she recalls.
But the true magic of fine jewellery was revealed to her during an internship at Chopard. Here she learnt the nuances of fine jewellery-making and the importance of “creating statement pieces that are intricate in design and at the same time fresh and appealing to customers.”
There are a lot of dramatic pieces in the world of costume jewellery, but far less in fine jewellery.” She says her dream is to fill this void in fine jewellery. Among her current favourites is the sapphire lace ring inspired by necklaces her mother loved wearing to parties. “I was fascinated by how those statement necklaces transformed her entire look. My personal challenge was to compact the glamour and mood of those necklaces into rings that I could wear on my fingers.”
Noor works at keeping Noudar’s designs young in spirit while ensuring they are sophisticated and precious. She says she was always fascinated with watches and the mechanisms inherent to the art of watch-making. This fascination with watch-making in turn influenced the way her jewels are crafted, incorporating comfort, movement, and flexibility into each piece.
She works with a range of gold colours — white, yellow, and rose. But for more daring pieces, she uses oxidised or black rhodium plating to provide nuanced contrasts with white or black diamonds as well as some fancy colours. Sapphires, rubies, and emeralds add precious colour and glamour. “My favourite jewel is the pearl. I have been working on a pearl collection, but I am treading very cautiously and want to take my time before launching this collection.”
Initially the jewels were produced in Valencia, but now a dedicated workshop in Qatar is working on her collections. “It has been my dream to create a truly Qatari brand that people would recognise internationally. I wanted everything, including the manufacturing, to be done in Qatar.”
