The Turban Ornaments Worn ByThe Nizams Of Hyderabad, Featuring Precious Gems And Diamonds
The Nizams of Hyderabad were known for their opulent taste in jewelry, and their turban ornaments—often called ‘sarpech’ or ‘jigha’—were dazzling pieces of regal adornment.Turban ornaments worn by the Nizams, typically featured precious gems like rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, arranged in intricate designs that showcased both artistic finesse and immense opulence.
While center diamonds weren’t commonly used as the main stone in turban ornaments, it is quite likely that the first NizamMir Qamar-ud-Din Khan (Asaf Jah I), who laid the foundations of a powerful and wealthy dynasty, had a few turban ornaments that prominently featured diamonds, as centerpieces. This would align with the idea of making a strong visual statement of authority and wealth.
When referring to the first Nizam and the likelihood of diamonds in his turban ornaments, events in recent years gain relevance. Veteran diamond traders and seasoned diamond collectors, have been whispering about a pink diamond and a fancy blue diamond, that were believed to be set in the turban ornaments worn by Asaf Jah I, the first Nizam of Hyderabad. The interesting thing is that, neither of these diamonds seems to have ever been offered, through any reputed public auction conducted by the likes of Sotheby’s and Christie’s.
The search for a connection between a diamond referred to as The Seraphim Blue Diamond, which apparently happens to be in the collection of a Russian collector – to the blue diamond in the Nizam’s (Asaf Jah 1) turban ornament, is gaining momentum.
The real excitement will peak when, an official certification from a reputed diamond testing office will confirm those whispers and rumors. If and when this does happen, auction houses would be more than glad to have the Seraphim Blue Diamond on their platform!
