WITH LOVE, FROM THE NIZAM

he is a diamond and emerald turban ornament made for the royal children of the Nizams of Hyderabad. A bird with at the National Museum, Delhi. The exhibition, in its entirety, is breathtaking for the quality and size of gems, but also their storytelling and craftsmanship. The centre piece is the Jacob diamond, which is twice the size of the Kohinoor. After the last Nizam passed away, the government of India acquired this collection from the Nizam’s trust. One of the clauses in this deal was that the collection must be displayed from time to time. And that is how the Nizam’s treasure chest has reached public domain. Lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, rubies from Burma, pearls from Basra—the Nizams imported gemstones from all over the world. Today, they are a striking reminder that the fabled grandeur of the Nizam age was a reality, not an exaggeration. Jewels Of India: The Nizam’s Jewellery Collection