HELLO! India Exclusive: Remembering India's bejewelled past

Arguably the most striking medium of our preserved culture, jewellery is as integral to Indian heritage as it can get. From idols being decked up in ornaments to the phenomenon trickling down to classical dancers and brides, followed by royal dynasties with a penchant for treasures and the emergence of the concept of family heirlooms, there are certain pieces of jewellery seeped in history, some stretching back thousands of years. Amid evolving traditions, power changing hands from empire to empire, and often theft, there are some designs that have gone down in history for their remarkable craftsmanship, caratage and value. HELLO! brings you some of the most opulent pieces of jewellery that were once part of royal treasuries.

NIZAMI NUANCES

At one time, the Nizams were believed to own more jewellery than all the princely states of India put together. Once the powers that controlled the famed Golconda diamond mines, they held in their possession treasures like the 58-faceted, 184.5-carat Jacob diamond, in addition to turban ornaments like the sarpech, kalgi and turra, all of which were embellished with uncut diamonds of unmatched lustre and purity.

However, the Nizams’ most enduring legacy in jewellery remains the Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace — a ceremonial piece commissioned by Cartier in 1930 as a wedding gift for Queen Elizabeth II, along with a floral tiara. She wore both pieces frequently during the early years of her marriage, and today, the necklace continues to make an appearance on the British royal family — spotted on the Duchess of Cambridge at an event in 2014.

MUGHAL MARVELS

The influence of the Mughals on Indian heritage transcends their architectural marvels. A number of jewellery techniques that found their place in Indian ateliers are a blend of Persian, Central Asian and Indian aesthetics — like the kundan (setting gemstones in gold), Meenakari (enamel work) and the use of large, uncut stones. For instance, the Taj Mahal Necklace, which bore a 17th-century heart-shaped diamond with an inscription of Nur Jahan’s name in Persian, was fabled as a token of love from Emperor Jahangir. Later redesigned by Cartier, the diamond was set in a 20th-century gold and ruby chain that Richard Burton gifted to Elizabeth Taylor for her 40th birthday in 1972.

The fabled 105.6-carat Koh-i-Noor — now part of the British Crown Jewels — was once one of many stones on Shah Jahan’s Mughal Peacock Throne. The Daria-iNoor — believed to be one of the largest cut diamonds at 182 carats — was also one of the eyes of the throne, currently part of the Iranian Crown Jewels.

PRIZED PATIALA POSSESSIONS

The extravagance of Patiala may just be the most luxuriant of them all. It was under Maharaja Bhupinder Singh that the erstwhile princely state carved a global niche as the home to rare, iconic pieces of jewellery. Among them is the glittering Patiala Necklace, the largest piece ever created by Cartier till date, boasting 2,930 diamonds. The star of this extraordinary necklace was once the famed 234-carat De Beers yellow diamond, suspended across five platinum chains. It vanished from the Patiala treasury around 1948, only to emerge in fragments later, prompting Cartier to reconstruct it with alternative stones. Most recently, the Patiala Necklace was in the news when Diljit Dosanjh wore a close replica designed by Golecha’s Jewels for his 2025 Met Gala debut. Another such notable piece is the Patiala Ruby Choker, commissioned to Cartier by the king in 1931 for one of his wives. It’s fused with 292 rubies weighing 356.6 carats, as well as 132 natural pearls and diamonds in a six-row Art Deco composition. While it’s unclear how the Patialas lost the jewel, a tempered down version re-emerged in the Swiss art market in 2000 and was auctioned by Christie’s 19 years later.

BASRA-BARODA PEARL PERFECTION

In the 19th century, as pearl trading between Basra (in present-day Iraq) and Baroda (now Vadodara in Gujarat) flourished, royals from the princely state came to be known for their love for these natural saltwater gems. The most striking treasure of the lot was the Baroda Pearl Canopy, a tapestry of nearly 9,50,000 Basra pearls, coloured glass beads, diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds, all set in silver and gold. It was commissioned by Maharaja Khanderao Gaekwad in 1865-1870 and passed down to Maharani Sita Devi of Baroda and was part of the state treasury until it was auctioned by Christie’s in 2019 for US$2.2 million. Equally storied, the Baroda Pearl Necklace — commissioned in 1860 — originally featured around 350 identical pearls in seven personalised strands of identical size, shape and blindingly beautiful quality; it was later reduced to a five-strand piece, and Christie’s sold the prized pearls in 2007.

TEMPLE-STYLE TREASURES

A bridge between divine faith and artistic legacy, temple jewellery finds its origin with the Chola and Pandya dynasties, its earliest avatars offered to the divine. Think gold cast into bells, lotus motifs, peacocks, and celestial figures encrusted with rubies, emeralds, and uncut diamonds. Over the years, these creations made their way to the royal courts, especially into bridal trousseaux and adorned by classical dancers. Made primarily from 22-karat gold, temple jewellery carries inherent architectural depth in its designs. Among the most notable designs till date is the Lakshmi Kasu Haram is the most iconic creation of the Kasulaperu, a necklace strung with gold coins embossed with the goddess of wealth.

Crafted as an ornamental offering to the deity, it dates back to the Travencore era and was discovered in the vaults of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. There’s also the Manga Malai, the mango-shaped necklace that denotes fertility and prosperity; the Vaddanam or Oddiyanam, a cummerbund historically worn by queens, symbolising dignity and authority; and traditional jhumkas (earrings), vankis (armlets), and nethi chuttis (forehead ornaments).

This story was featured in the Vol 1. Issue 5 of HELLO! India. For more exclusive stories, subscribe to the magazine here.