The Legendary Maharaja of Patiala

Bhupinder Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala from 1900-1938 is one of the most influential patrons of jewelry not just in India, but the world. 

In 1928, the Maharajah walked across Place Vendôme from the Ritz to the Boucheron maison with a convoy of servants, dancers, and iron safes, from which Boucheron selected over 7000 diamonds and other gemstones to create a legendary jewelry collection.

The Maharaja in his finery 

What I love about the collection is that though you can see the clean lines, geometric shapes and symmetry emblematic of Art Deco - there is still a softness to the pieces that make them feel distinctly Indian.

Sketches of his pieces by Boucheron

He placed an equally outrageous order at Cartier which they turned into their most illustrious creation ever - the Patiala necklace which featured the world's 7th largest diamond at the time - along with a matching diamond choker. 

The Patiala Necklace and Matching Choker 

In fact, Cartier came under heat in 2022 when Emma Chamberlain rocked the same diamond choker to the Met Gala - the choker was last seen in 1948, when it went missing from the royal treasury. The incident highlights India's legacy of colonial inequity. Though India's contributions abound across fashion and jewelry - there is a lack of recognition as to the degree to which we have shaped contemporary global tastes. 

 

 

In fact, few know that Cartier's Tutti Frutti style of mixing sapphires, rubies and emeralds was inspired by the Maharaja as well. 

Other than his fabulous taste in jewelry, the Maharaja lead a faschinating life. He served on the Imperial War Cabinet during the First World War, was captain of the Indian cricket team, and spearheaded bold architectural projects. He also married 10 times and sired 88 children with his wives and consorts. 

 

The Imperial War Cabinet of WW1