A trio of exquisite necklaces from the royal Mughal dynasty
A rare and historic collection of three jewels of exceptional quality rooted in history comes to Christie’s this June
From left to right: A Mughal carved emerald necklace. With three carved hexagonal and two carved pear-shaped emeralds of approximately 470.00, 294.00, 199.50, 108.50 and 106.50 carats, c. 1750. Estimate $2,000,000-3,000,000. A Mughal multi-gem and emerald necklace. Centring upon a hexagonal and drop-shaped emerald of approximately 297.00 carats total, two baroque-shaped emeralds, baroque drop-shaped spinel bead, baroque ruby bead, baroque natural pearls of 14.20 to 11.60 mm, c. 1750. Estimate $2,000,000-3,000,000. Mughal three-strand spinel and natural pearl necklace. With forty-five polished spinel beads, forty-eight round and near-round natural pearls ranging from approximately 13.20 mm to 9.90 mm, c. 1750. Estimate $1,000,000-2,000,000. All from Magnificent Mughal Jewels: Property from a Royal Collection, offered in Magnificent Jewels on 17 June 2025 at Christie’s in New York
Tracing the rich legacy of the Mughal dynasty — renowned for its iconic use of emeralds, spinels, and pearls — three exceptional necklaces from a distinguished royal collection continue the story of this extraordinary era. Magnificent Mughal Jewels: Property from a Royal Collection will feature as part of Magnificent Jewels on June 17 at Christie’s in New York.
‘These jewels embody the lapidary brilliance and imperial grandeur of Mughal India,’ observes Rahul Kadakia, Christie's International Head of Jewellery. ‘This is an unparalleled opportunity to acquire some of the most historically significant examples of Mughal jewels ever presented at auction.’
A royal lineage: the Mughal legacy
From 1526 to 1857, the Mughal dynasty ruled India with unparalleled magnificence, transforming the finest stones into expressions of imperial power. The emperors cherished precious stones not only for their beauty but for their profound spiritual significance. Green emeralds were believed to bestow wisdom, healing and eternal life, while red spinels symbolised vitality, strength and passion.
From Muhammad ibn Tughluq-Shah, the Sultan of Delhi, to the first Mughal emperor of India, Babur, to Jahangir and Shah Jahan, the builder of the Taj Mahal, records suggest that the spinels were passed down from emperor to emperor
In the Mughal court, jewellery served as an integral marker of rank, status and authority. Master craftsmen sourced the most exceptional materials — spinels from the legendary Badakhshan mines in the Pamir region in Central Asia and dazzling emeralds from Colombia — transforming them into magnificent personal adornments including earrings, necklaces, bangles, rings and jighas (turban ornaments), as well as jewelled decorative objects such as daggers and inkwells.
Three masterpieces of imperial splendour
The Mughal carved emerald necklace showcases five magnificent Colombian emeralds totalling approximately 1,150 carats, anchored by an extraordinary 470-carat centerpiece bearing the inscription of Ahmad Shah Durr-I Durran, founder of the Durrani Empire spanning Afghanistan and northwest India. This historic provenance places the emerald among legendary companions — the Timur Ruby and the Koh-I-Noor diamond both bear identical inscriptions, a testament to their shared passage through the corridors of Mughal power from 1612 onwards.
A Mughal carved emerald necklace. With three carved hexagonal and two carved pear-shaped emeralds of approximately 470.00, 294.00, 199.50, 108.50 and 106.50 carats, c. 1750. Estimate $2,000,000-3,000,000. From Magnificent Mughal Jewels: Property from a Royal Collection, offered in Magnificent Jewels on 17 June 2025 at Christie’s in New York
The Mughal multi-gem and emerald necklace presents four remarkable Colombian emeralds weighing nearly 800 carats in total. These stones reflect the transformative period of the 16th and 17th centuries, when Colombia's emerald discoveries captivated the courts of Ottoman Turkey, Safavid Persia, and Mughal India. Within the Mughal dynasty, emeralds such as these became legendary, their natural splendor enhanced through masterful carving and elaborate gold settings.
A Mughal multi-gem and emerald necklace. Centring upon a hexagonal and drop-shaped emerald of approximately 297.00 carats total, two baroque-shaped emeralds, baroque drop-shaped spinel bead, baroque ruby bead, baroque natural pearls of 14.20 to 11.60 mm, c. 1750. Estimate $2,000,000-3,000,000. From Magnificent Mughal Jewels: Property from a Royal Collection, offered in Magnificent Jewels on 17 June 2025 at Christie’s in New York
Completing this triumvirate, the Mughal three-strand spinel and natural pearl necklace features 45 stones, together weighing more than 2,000 carats. Eight of the spinel stones are inscribed, chronicling an imperial lineage. True to the Mughal tradition of gemstones commemorating historical records, these spinels bear the names of history's most formidable rulers — from Muhammad bin Tughluq-Shah, Sultan of Delhi, through founding emperor Babur, to the renowned Jahangir and Shah Jahan, also known as ‘The Magnificent’. These spinels exhibit the coveted crimson hues that have enchanted royalty across centuries.
Mughal three-strand spinel and natural pearl necklace. With forty-five polished spinel beads, forty-eight round and near-round natural pearls ranging from approximately 13.20 mm to 9.90 mm, c. 1750. Estimate $1,000,000-2,000,000. From Magnificent Mughal Jewels: Property from a Royal Collection, offered in Magnificent Jewels on 17 June 2025 at Christie’s in New York
The imperial stone: understanding spinels
Often mistaken for rubies, red spinels were favourites amongst Mughal royalty for their vivid colour, rarity and exceptional durability. These remarkable stones exhibit a spectrum of hues — from pink and purple to crimson red, and in exceptional cases, rare cobalt blue. Mughal rulers particularly prized spinels for their symbolic power, with each stone representing the divine mandate of imperial rule and the continuity of royal legacy across generations.
The exception quality and size of the spinels — over 2,000 carats total — highlight the mystifying, rich spinel colour that has been coveted by centuries of royalty
The timing of the upcoming collection proves particularly auspicious: interest in Mughal arts has been percolating around the globe, including a major exhibition at London's Victoria & Albert Museum this year, The Great Mughals: Art, Architecture and Opulence. These extremely precious stones — with their staggering depth of colour, clarity and prized dynastic lineage — offer their own compelling chapter in the history of the Mughal dynasty.
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