Some say the best inheritance a parent can give their child is their time, but in the case of the affluent Ambani family, there is ample style and flamboyance passed down. The matriarch of Reliance Industries, Kokilaben Ambani, mother of Asia’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, worth $114 billion, is one such force. She came from humble beginnings, living in a tiny one-room apartment in a Mumbai suburb with her husband and four kids. The 90-year-old grandmother of Anant Ambani, a well-known luxury watch enthusiast, did not even see a car until she came to Mumbai with her husband, Dhirubhai Ambani, decades ago. Fast forward to 2024, and she resides in Antilia, the world’s most expensive residence that spans 27 floors and has a 168-car garage.
It wasn’t just luxury cars that caught the eye of the woman from Jamnagar, Gujarat, but also luxury timepieces. As her husband and sons climbed the ladder of success, their tastes evolved along with their soaring net worths. Recently, the mother of the Chairman of Reliance Industries, a company worth $235.89 billion, was spotted wearing a breathtaking Bulgari Divas’ Dream High Jewellery watch. The traditional yet stylish nonagenarian is always impeccably dressed in beautiful sarees, adorned with striking jewelry, and occasionally even sports an Apple watch.
This simplicity is reflected in Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, who is often spotted wearing an $8,500 Rolex or a $9,000 Vacheron Constantin on his wrist. Interestingly, neither are special edition or off-catalogue pieces but simple watches which are now discontinued.
The spotlight, however, is not on the simple but on his mother’s exquisite 18k white gold Bulgari timepiece. An ornate example of haute horology, the watch features mobile petals set with eight brilliant-cut emeralds totaling 2.97 ct and 132 round brilliant-cut diamonds totaling 1.85 ct. These encircle a mother-of-pearl dial and are paired with an alligator strap. Inspired by the Dolce Vita, the cocktail watch exudes vibrancy with its alluring gemstones and high-jewellery techniques, incorporating the collection’s iconic fan-shaped motif.
The Divas’ Dream High Jewellery watch, with quartz movement and B033 caliber, retails for a staggering $61,000. A beautiful watch indeed, but it still pales in comparison to her youngest grandson Anant’s timepiece collection, which includes the most exclusive Patek Philippe timepieces and even a rare $4.5 million Richard Mille that impressed Mark Zuckerberg so much, that the Meta CEO acquired a Patek Philippe for himself.
