Jewels of The Nizams
Encyclopedia
The Jewels of the Nizams of Hyderabad State
are the largest and richest collection of jewels in India
. The jewels belonged to the Nizams. After merger of their kingdom, the Nizam and his heirs were barred by the Indian government from removing the collection, claiming it was a national treasure. The heirs eventually were forced to sell it at a much reduced price.
Once part of Nizams’ state regalia
and personal heritage
, the ornaments date from the early 18th century to the early 20th century. Crafted in gold
and silver
and embellished with enameling
, the jewels are set with Colombian emeralds, diamonds from the Golconda mines
, Burmese rubies and spinels, and pearls from Basra
and the Gulf of Mannar
.
There are 173 jewels, which includes over 25 thousand diamonds, weighing over 12000 carats (2.4 kg). There are also 2000 emerald
s, some of them Colombia
n, which weigh over 10000 carats (2 kg), and pearls exceeding 40 thousand chows. The collection includes gemstone
s, turban
ornaments, necklaces and pendant
s, belts
and buckles
, earrings, armbands, bangles and bracelets, anklet
s, cufflinks and buttons, watch chains, and rings
, toe rings, and nose rings
. Among them is the seven-stringed Basrah pearl necklace, known as Satlada
, which has 465 pearls embedded in it.
Salar Jung Museum
held exhibitions of the collection in 2005 and 2007, and New Delhi
's National Museum exhibited them in September and October 2007.
finally bought the jewels for 218 crore
(about US$70 million), many years after the death of Mir Osman Ali Khan in 1967. In reality, the Nizam's trustees agreed to sell the famous collection to India in lieu of tax. At first the government tried to buy the collection for less than $25 million. Fifteen years later India's Supreme Court finally fixed a price of about $65 million, much less than the $350 million the family (and the auction house Sotheby's
) estimated the jewels were worth. Sole legitimate heir Mukarram Jah's share of the sale was $20 million, but lawsuits from the Nizam's illegitimate descendants have ensured that he has never seen the money, as "the case disappeared down the black hole of India's imponderable legal system."
, formerly known as the Imperial Diamond, weighing 184.79 carats (37 g), is ranked third or seventh largest in the world, and double the size of the Kohinoor diamond. It is believed to have been found in an African mine. Reputedly, the austere Nizam had used it as a paperweight The diamond itself is valued at over $150 million, far more than what the Indian government paid for the entire 173-jewel collection.
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
are the largest and richest collection of jewels in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The jewels belonged to the Nizams. After merger of their kingdom, the Nizam and his heirs were barred by the Indian government from removing the collection, claiming it was a national treasure. The heirs eventually were forced to sell it at a much reduced price.
Once part of Nizams’ state regalia
Regalia
Regalia is Latin plurale tantum for the privileges and the insignia characteristic of a Sovereign.The word stems from the Latin substantivation of the adjective regalis, 'regal', itself from Rex, 'king'...
and personal heritage
Cultural heritage
Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations...
, the ornaments date from the early 18th century to the early 20th century. Crafted in gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
and embellished with enameling
Vitreous enamel
Vitreous enamel, also porcelain enamel in U.S. English, is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 °C...
, the jewels are set with Colombian emeralds, diamonds from the Golconda mines
Golkonda
Golkonda or Golla konda a ruined city of south-central India and capital of ancient Kingdom of Golkonda , is situated 11 km west of Hyderabad.The most important builder of Golkonda was a Hindu Kakatiya King...
, Burmese rubies and spinels, and pearls from Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
and the Gulf of Mannar
Gulf of Mannar
The Gulf of Mannar is a large shallow bay forming part of the Laccadive Sea in the Indian Ocean. It lies between the southeastern tip of India and the west coast of Sri Lanka. A chain of low islands and reefs known as Adam's Bridge, also called Ramsethu, which includes Mannar Island, separates the...
.
There are 173 jewels, which includes over 25 thousand diamonds, weighing over 12000 carats (2.4 kg). There are also 2000 emerald
Emerald
Emerald is a variety of the mineral beryl colored green by trace amounts of chromium and sometimes vanadium. Beryl has a hardness of 7.5–8 on the 10 point Mohs scale of mineral hardness...
s, some of them Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n, which weigh over 10000 carats (2 kg), and pearls exceeding 40 thousand chows. The collection includes gemstone
Gemstone
A gemstone or gem is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments...
s, turban
Turban
In English, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Punjab, Jamaica and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.-Styles:...
ornaments, necklaces and pendant
Pendant
A pendant is a loose-hanging piece of jewellery, generally attached by a small loop to a necklace, when the ensemble may be known as a "pendant necklace". A pendant earring is an earring with a piece hanging down. In modern French "pendant" is the gerund form of “hanging”...
s, belts
Belt (clothing)
A belt is a flexible band or strap, typically made of leather or heavy cloth, and worn around the waist. A belt supports trousers or other articles of clothing.-History:...
and buckles
Buckles
Buckles is a comic strip by David Gilbert about the misadventures of a anthropomorphic naïve dog. Buckles debuted on March 25, 1996.King Feature's Syndicate: "More of an only child with canine instincts than he is the family pet...
, earrings, armbands, bangles and bracelets, anklet
Anklet
An anklet, also called ankle chain or ankle bracelet, is an ornament worn around the ankle. Barefoot anklets and toe rings historically have been worn for centuries by girls and women in India. In the United States both casual and more formal anklets became fashionable in the late twentieth century...
s, cufflinks and buttons, watch chains, and rings
Ring (finger)
A finger ring is a circular band worn as a type of ornamental jewelry around a finger; it is the most common current meaning of the word ring. Other types of metal bands worn as ornaments are also called rings, such as arm rings and neck rings....
, toe rings, and nose rings
Nose piercing
Nose piercing is the piercing of the skin or cartilage which forms any part of the nose, normally for the purpose of wearing jewelry; among the different varieties of nose piercings, the nostril piercing is the most common...
. Among them is the seven-stringed Basrah pearl necklace, known as Satlada
Satlada
Satlada is a seven stringed pearl necklace typically made in Basra. It has 465 pearls embedded in it. It can also be set with emeralds, diamonds and rubies.Some of the pearls are so large they look like small eggs, or outsized peas....
, which has 465 pearls embedded in it.
Salar Jung Museum
Salar Jung Museum
The Salar Jung Museum is an art museum located at Darushifa, on the southern bank of the Musi river in the city of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India...
held exhibitions of the collection in 2005 and 2007, and New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
's National Museum exhibited them in September and October 2007.
History of the jewels
In 1995, the Indian governmentGovernment of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
finally bought the jewels for 218 crore
Crore
A crore is a unit in the Indian number system equal to ten million , or 100 lakhs. It is widely used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan....
(about US$70 million), many years after the death of Mir Osman Ali Khan in 1967. In reality, the Nizam's trustees agreed to sell the famous collection to India in lieu of tax. At first the government tried to buy the collection for less than $25 million. Fifteen years later India's Supreme Court finally fixed a price of about $65 million, much less than the $350 million the family (and the auction house Sotheby's
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
) estimated the jewels were worth. Sole legitimate heir Mukarram Jah's share of the sale was $20 million, but lawsuits from the Nizam's illegitimate descendants have ensured that he has never seen the money, as "the case disappeared down the black hole of India's imponderable legal system."
Jacob Diamond
The Jacob DiamondJacob Diamond
The Jacob Diamond is a large diamond, ranked seventh in the world, known earlier as the Imperial or Great White Diamond. It is believed to be the Victoria Diamond, owned by the Nizam of Hyderabad and currently owned by the Government of India....
, formerly known as the Imperial Diamond, weighing 184.79 carats (37 g), is ranked third or seventh largest in the world, and double the size of the Kohinoor diamond. It is believed to have been found in an African mine. Reputedly, the austere Nizam had used it as a paperweight The diamond itself is valued at over $150 million, far more than what the Indian government paid for the entire 173-jewel collection.