Central Asia, India, Mughal Empire, ca. 17th to 18th century CE. A gorgeous, simple bracelet composed of eighteen 14 karat gold elongated cuboid beads and nineteen large, discoid pink rubies, alternating one after the other. Very wearable, with a modern clasp! Size: 7.05" L x 0.15" W (17.9 cm x 0.4 cm); each gold bead is approximately 0.25" (0.6 cm)

Mughal elites adored precious stones, not just for their beauty, but also for protective and magical properties that they believed each stone had. Their incredible jewelry is part of a long tradition that came to its height with the Mughals. When they conquered India from Central Asia, they brought the technical skills to set gems with them. In order to enforce their high social status, the Mughals passed Sumptuary Laws that decreed only members of the upper class could wear jewelry like this. They were worn by men and women alike, and Shah Jahan, one of the greatest Mughal emperors, seems to have particularly favored rubies.

Provenance: private San Diego, California, USA collection

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#125790

Excellent / wearable.