They say that if you want to see the real quality of a nation, look to its forces. Those men and women who make daily sacrifices to keep us safe, and to defend our way of life, men and women who deserve our praise, our thanks and perhaps most of all; our respect. Yet the pride we feel in the quality of our service personnel comes from a much deeper and more personal place, a place steeped in history, culture and national identity and in no military force in the world is that more so than the Iranian Air Force. Like many teenage boys of his generation, our founder and leader Saman dreamed of serving his country as a pilot. He made good progress towards his goal, but life’s journey sometimes takes us down paths we have little control over, and that dream became treasured memories instead.
Saman’s love of the Iranian Air Force, its history and his deep admiration of those pilots endured, and is just as strong today, as it was as a young man growing up in the 1980’s against a backdrop of conflict, at a time of great political turmoil. At that time Iran and its Air Force faced massive challenges, more so than at any point since its inception in 1920. It was a time of change, and conflict, but also a time of solidarity and reaching out. H.I.M Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, himself a former military pilot did just that; purchasing a fleet of the world’s finest fighters; Grumman F-14 Tomcats from the United States, making Iran a force to be reckoned with and bolstering its defences against constant neighbouring threats. Although times change, many of those F-14’s are still in active service today, policing Iranian airspace along with a new generation of technology and brave and selfless personnel. And while one man’s dream of standing as one of them remains unfulfilled, we are still in a position to stand shoulder to shoulder beside those who make the sacrifices needed to keep our nation and its people safe, and to commemorate the lives of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and we were inspired to give you a chance to do the same.
Our goal was the same as every piece we make; to craft something that spoke of those feelings and communicated them to the wider world as a personal statement.To do that we did what we do best. We designed and crafted a pin, an Iranian Air Force roundel logo, emblazoned with our national emblem; the lion and sun: Two very simple yet powerful motifs that go together perfectly, to create an understated feeling of pride and an immensely patriotic statement that when seen; creates a greater impression than words ever could.
Finely 3D enamelled in the red, white and green of the Iranian Air force and the gold of our national symbol in striking golden detail, it is a simple yet intricate pin that speaks volumes about the person who wears it, their ethos, their quality and their sense of pride. If, like us you would like to salute those who have given their lives in defending our borders, and those who make sacrifices today to preserve our way of life, we were inspired to offer a way to do it, and to craft a piece that can enable you to do the same. A simple, yet exquisite piece, with a powerful message, one we are sure you will be proud to own and honoured to wear.