When it comes to Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani and his family, there is nothing that seems truly shocking. Yes, they reside in a $5 billion home, they travel in private jets, they own watches that cost millions, and their parties bring the billionaires of the world under one roof. Despite this expected grandeur and flamboyance, Nita Ambani, founder of NMACC in Mumbai and wife of Reliance Industries tycoon worth $180 billion managed to pull off a bolt out of the blue.
The 60-year-old fashionista who turned heads owing to an enormous $6.5 million flawless diamond ring at her son Anant’s pre-wedding festivities, did it again at the Miss World 2024 event held in Mumbai. This time it was yet another Mughal-era gem, a priceless piece of antique jewelry that once belonged to Emperor Shah Jehan. The one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry was part of an exhibition owned by Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani, titled ‘From the Great Mughals to the Maharajas: Jewels From the Al Thani Collection.’
The Qatar royal family shares a good rapport with Asia’s richest family. It is known that the Emir of Qatar lent his friend Mukesh Ambani a special Qatar flight to bring his daughter Isha and her newborn twins home from LA to India. It is not entirely surprising to learn that Nita Ambani owns a precious ornament from the Al-Thani collection.
While the Mughal emperor sported the ornament on his turban several hundred years ago (per Topophilia, the head piece seems to have been made in the last quarter of the 19th century (c.1875-1900), the uncrowned queen of India wore it as an armlet. According to the reports in Indian media, the heraldic ornament worth a whopping $25 million, features a pair of inscribed spinels in an intricate European claw setting with diamonds and rubies.
The height of the gold jewel is 13.7 cm and it is 19.8 cm wide. Ambani chose to flaunt her good and expensive taste at the Miss World 2024 event where she was facilitated with the ‘Beauty with Purpose Humanitarian Award’ for her philanthropic work.
Among her myriad magnificent jewels it is difficult to focus on anything else. In addition to flashing her truly remarkable jewelry collection that includes masterpieces like the $6.5 million Mirror of Paradise ring or the $55 million L’Incomparable she gifted her daughter-in-law Shloka, she also owns a stellar luxury watch collection with examples like a diamond-studded $225,000 Patek Philippe, and a $360,000 Jacob and Co watch.
