In 2021, Sotheby’s presented two historic spectacles carved from diamonds and emeralds at auction. Dating back to the 17th century Mughal era, these rare objects appeared at first glance to be optical instruments. In reality, they represented something far more symbolic: not the need to see, but the desire to be seen. Because jeweled eyewear was never simply functional. Throughout history, it has existed as one of the most refined symbols of power, privilege, and inaccessibility. In these rare Mughal examples, the stones used as lenses — diamonds and emeralds — were not merely aesthetic choices, but deeply symbolic decisions. The absolute clarity of diamonds and the intense green of emeralds represented more than visual filters; they reflected an entire way of
perceiving the world. To look through such objects was to view the world from a different level of status.

A similar idea appears much earlier in Ancient Rome. In Naturalis Historia, Pliny the Elder recounts how Emperor Nero watched gladiator battles through the surface of a green stone. Likewise, stories surrounding Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan’s belief in the soothing qualities of emerald suggest how jewelry occupied a space between physical function and emotional experience. Together, these examples reveal that jeweled eyewear has always derived its meaning less from utility and more from symbolism.

Today, the same concept reemerges through a contemporary visual language. When Ray Ban appointed A$AP Rocky as creative director in 2025, the brand repositioned eyewear as a true style object once again. It’s Wayfarer Puffer Diamond Edition, replacing traditional rivets with diamond details, transformed a functional accessory directly into the realm of jewelry.

A similar approach appeared within Fendi’s haute couture universe. Diamond-embellished eyewear developed by jewelry artistic director Delfina Delettrez Fendi framed the face through sculptural forms, positioning the pieces less as optics and more as “facial jewelry.” Pharrell Williams, through his collaborations with Tiffany & Co., pushed the idea of jeweled eyewear further into the territory of personal expression.

Perhaps this is why, even as centuries change, the core idea remains untouched: some objects are designed not to help us see, but to shape how we are seen.