Cultural & Creative Industries
Tariq Riaz
- ANC-01
Breaking tradition with innovation
In the world of fine jewelry, some are born into it, inheriting a legacy of craftsmanship and design passed down through generations. Then there are those like Tariq Riaz, whose journey into the world of jewelry is as unexpected as it is remarkable. I had the privilege of sitting down with Tariq, a jewelry designer who went from a career in technology to creating some of the most innovative and mesmerizing pieces of jewelry you will likely see.
Tariq’s story begins far from the glittering world of diamonds and precious metals. He pursued a degree in Computer Engineering at the University of Arizona, followed by a career in the technology sector, including stints at tech giants and the United States Air Force. His journey was firmly rooted in the realm of algorithms and code, far from the creative sphere of jewelry. However, fate had other plans.
An opportunity in the tech sector led him to Abu Dhabi, a place he had never even visited before. Tariq tells me that people had mistaken him for Middle Eastern his whole life, although he had never been, so he decided this opportunity was an excellent chance to check it out. It was in Abu Dhabi that his path took an unexpected turn.
While expecting their first child, Tariq’s wife had a problem with her wedding band. Her fingers were swelling, and the ring no longer fit. She said jokingly, “You got on one knee, and you said till death do us part, and to signify that you give me a ring that doesn’t even fit me three years into it.” Tariq, trying to save himself, said he would take the ring to their local jeweler to be resized. His wife refused, telling him that her fingers would return to normal after the baby was born, to which Tariq said he would just get it resized again. He had no jewelry experience, so his wife said, “You can’t just size it up and then size it back down, and again, etc.; it’s bad for the ring.” It seemed there was no perfect solution. Little did he know this seemingly ordinary situation experienced by couples everywhere would ignite a passion that would change his life.
