Jewels of the Nizams of Hyderabad

The Jewels of the Nizams of Hyderabad State are among the largest and most expensive collection of jewels in present-day India.^[1] The jewels belonged to the Nizams. After the annexation of their kingdom by Union of India, the Nizam and his heirs were barred by the Indian government from taking the collection, claiming that it was a national treasure. After much litigation, the diamond was purchased by the Government of India from the Nizam's trust for an estimated $13 million in 1995, along with other jewels of the Nizams, and is held at the Reserve Bank of India vaults in Mumbai.

Once the Nizams' state regalia, the ornaments date from the early 18th century to the early 20th century. Crafted in gold and silver, with many embellished with enamelling, the jewels are set with gems including Colombian emeralds, diamonds from the Kollur Diamond Mine in Guntur district^{[citation needed]} and the diamond mine in Krishna district (now Andhra Rayalaseema Diamond mines group), Burmese rubies and spinels, and pearls from Basra and the Gulf of Mannar.^{[citation needed]}

There are 173 jewels, which includes diamonds and emeralds weighing nearly 2,000 carats (0.40 kg), and pearls exceeding 40,000 chows. The collection includes gemstones, turban ornaments, necklaces, pendants, belts, buckles, earrings, armbands, bangles, bracelets, anklets, cufflinks, buttons, watch chains, 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. One of the prized possessions in the collection is the Jacob Diamond, the fifth largest diamond in the world and which weighs 184.75 carats. It had been kept a shoe at Chowmahalla Palace, and subsequently used as a paper weight for a long time.