Most unique jewels owned by the Mughals

The Mughals were a powerful dynasty that ruled over most of India from the 16th to the 19th centuries. They were known for their lavish and artistic lifestyle, especially in the field of jewelry. The Mughals had access to a variety of precious and semi-precious gemstones, such as diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, pearls, and more. They also developed sophisticated techniques of gem-cutting, enameling, and setting, creating some of the most exquisite and unique jewels in history. Here are some of the most unique jewels owned by the Mughals:

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This is a 361-carat red spinel that was named after the founder of the Timurid dynasty, the ancestors of the Mughals. The Timur Ruby has several inscriptions on its surface, recording the names and titles of the Mughal emperors who owned it, such as Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb, and Farrukhsiyar. The Timur Ruby passed hands several times, from Nader Shah to Shah Shuja to Maharaja Sher Singh and Duleep Singh. It was taken by the British after the Anglo-Sikh War in 1849 and is now part of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.

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This was a magnificent throne that was commissioned by Shah Jahan in the 17th century. It was made of solid gold and encrusted with thousands of diamonds, pearls, emeralds, rubies, and other gemstones. The throne had a canopy supported by 12 pillars, and on top of it was a peacock with a spread tail, made of sapphires, emeralds, and pearls. The Peacock Throne was considered one of the wonders of the world and a symbol of Mughal power and glory. It was looted and destroyed by Nadir Shah in 1739, and only some fragments of it remain today.

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This is a 73.60-carat pear-shaped diamond that was named after the Mughal emperor Akbar, who acquired it from the Golconda mines. The diamond has the names of three Mughal emperors, Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan, inscribed on its sides in Arabic, along with the dates of their reigns. The diamond was also known as the “Lustre of the Peacock Throne” because it was believed to have been set in one of the eyes of the peacock on the throne. The diamond was taken by Nadir Shah in 1739 and later recut by a British merchant, losing its historic inscriptions. The diamond was then bought by the Maharaja of Baroda and is now part of his collection.

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This is a 105.6-carat oval-cut diamond that was mined in India and passed through several hands, including the Mughal emperors Babur, Humayun, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb. The Koh-i-Noor was also taken by the British after the Anglo-Sikh War and is now part of the British Crown Jewels. The Koh-i-Noor is one of the most famous and controversial diamonds in the world, as many countries claim ownership and demand its return .

Image: Reuters

This 182-carat pale pink diamond is one of the largest cut diamonds in the world. Its name means “sea of light” or “ocean of light” in Persian. It is believed to have been mined in the Golconda mines and to have been part of the Great Table diamond, along with the Noor-ul-Ain diamond. The Daria-i-Noor was owned by several Mughal emperors, including Shah Jahan, who had his name engraved on it. The diamond was also taken by Nadir Shah in 1739 and is now part of the Iranian Crown Jewels .

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This 60-carat pink diamond was first owned by Nizam Abul Hasan Qutb Shah, who later bequeathed the enormous diamond to Aurangzeb as a peace offering after the latter defeated him. The Noor-ul-Ain, which means “light of the eye” in Persian, was one of the largest and finest diamonds in the Mughal treasury. It was later inherited by Nadir Shah, who also took the Peacock Throne and the Koh-i-Noor. The Noor-ul-Ain is now set in a tiara that was made for Empress Farah Pahlavi when she married the Shah in 1958. It now belongs to the Iranian royal family .

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This large diamond was believed to have been discovered in the Golconda mines in 1650. It was gifted by Emir Jemla to Shah Jahan, who commissioned a Venetian lapidary to cut it. The diamond was described as having the shape and proportions of half a chicken’s egg, weighing 280 carats. The diamond was also shown to the French traveler Jean Baptiste Tavernier in 1665, who made a sketch of it. The diamond was looted by Nadir Shah in 1739 and disappeared. Some scholars believe that the diamond was later recut into the Orlov Diamond, which is now part of the Russian imperial sceptre.

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According to estimates, the Mughal treasury boasted over 100 million rupees in gold, silver, and jewels. Notably, the iconic Peacock Throne alone held a value of six million sterling. The Mughal emperors also maintained six sub-treasuries across various fortresses, each housing millions worth of precious metals and gems. Symbolizing the empire's power, glory, and cultural opulence, the treasury garnered both envy and admiration from foreign rulers and visitors alike.

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