DUBAI: For more than 130 years, Lebanese-owned Mouawad has been the jeweler of choice to royalty and celebrities across the world.
However, in 2019, the family-owned business — now led by fourth-generation co-guardians and brothers Fred, Alain and Pascal Mouawad — went into partnership with the Miss Universe Organization to create one-of-a-kind crowns for the global beauty pageant. And now they have unveiled a brand-new tiara named “Force for Good” that will grace the winner’s head at the culmination of the 2023 pageant on Jan. 14.
“This partnership has given us a powerful global platform to showcase our passion for crafting the extraordinary, highlighting how diamonds and gemstones can be crafted to share inspiring messages with the world, and raising awareness of women’s empowerment and the importance of making a positive impact on the world,” said Fred in an interview with Arab News.
The first Mouawad Miss Universe crown was titled the “Power of Unity,” worn first by South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi and last by the current reigning Miss Universe Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu.
The company went on to craft crowns for various branches of the Miss Universe Organization — the “Power of Positivity” for Miss USA, the “Power of Hope” for Miss Teen USA and three crowns to date for Miss Universe Thailand.
Most recently, they unveiled the Mouawad Miss Universe “Force for Good” crown, for the next reigning Miss Universe in a glittering ceremony in New Orleans.
“The ‘Mouawad Miss Universe Force for Good Crown’ is a work of extraordinary craftsmanship. Its title and story are designed to encourage women to use their voice to advocate for causes close to their heart, so they can drive positive change in the world. Simply put, it’s a call to inspire everyone to take action and create momentum in pursuing a cause for good," said Fred.
He went on to explain some of the design choices that went into creating the crown. “The main motifs of the crown are rippling waves, which represent the need for any call for change to be repeated at a high frequency across time and to various audiences.
“It is the gathering of these waves that builds the momentum necessary for change to emerge,” said Fred. “The ultimate goal of ‘Force for Good’ is represented by a 45.14 carats royal blue sapphire that stands high and victorious at the peak of the crown.”
“Change rarely happens quickly. It’s often a slow process that requires persistence and a sustained effort. It typically materializes gradually over time. To represent this, the base of the crown is set in white diamonds to symbolize the status quo. Then, as our eyes move upward from the base, and as change begins to emerge, the white color changes to a light blue and then increases in intensity as we move ever upward to a royal blue. The royal blue color of the sapphire at the top is meant to symbolize goodness and hope for a brighter future,” he continued.
But, of course, there is seldom change without some resistance. “To symbolize the forces that try to stop change, the abstract motifs at the base of the crown represent a serpent’s head. These serpents are set in white diamonds to demonstrate they thrive under present conditions and will maintain their resistance by pulling down. The serpents are thankfully a minority compared to the rippling waves at the top, meaning that ultimately, they are overpowered by the force for good,” he said.
