The Regal Enigma Surrounding This 470-Carat Emerald

The artwork is available for purchase this week, with a predicted cost of $2-3 million.

CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD. 2025

The three jewels are displayed in a dedicated room. Attendees of the Christie’s “Magnificent Jewels” sale preview are welcomed into a dimly lit area featuring a triptych of vitrines, confronting them with history. The sale's title unequivocally indicates that these are Mughal jewels "from a royal collection," and should anyone overlook this, the gemstones themselves assert their significance: real pearls, inscribed spinels, and sculpted Colombian emeralds. The Mughal Empire, which governed a significant portion of the Indian subcontinent from 1526 to 1857, was renowned for its distinctive utilization of pearls, spinels, and emeralds, as well as for its emphasis on the significance of jewelry. All three items demonstrate that value and serve as notable exemplars of Mughal grandeur, which seldom appears at auction. Nonetheless, one of them possesses a different narrative to convey.

The sheer magnitude of its stones will captivate you: 1,150 carats of Colombian emeralds, with a central carved emerald weighing 470 carats. Examine more closely. Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International Head of Jewelry, elucidates what you will observe: “The 470-carat central stone inscribed with the name of Ahmad Shah Durrani, the founder of the Durrani Empire, which encompassed Afghanistan and northwest India.” This remarkable provenance positions the emerald alongside iconic gems like the Timur Ruby and the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which feature matching inscriptions—a compelling tribute to their collective history inside the Mughal courts from 1612 onward.

“Does jewelry get better than this?” - The jewelry writer and historian Vincent Mayan announced the auction of three Mughal jewels on his Instagram. The Koh I Noor and the Timur Ruby, which accompanied this carved emerald through the Mughal courts, are now integral components of the British Crown Jewels and are widely recognized as among the most exquisite and valuable in history. This sculpted emerald has been adjacent to them for centuries.

On June 17, in New York, a sale will feature a ring from the treasury of Marie Antoinette’s daughter and several items from arts patron Anne Bass. This collection will be presented to the public for the first time by a representative of a royal collection, with an estimated value of $2-3 million, and the proceeds will benefit charity. This is a significant moment in history, further demonstrating the enduring appeal of jewelry. It endures through generations and civilizations.