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-The deep history and Indian roots drew much criticism, with many urging Cartier, the luxury jewellery house, to return the jewel to India
The 'Taj Mahal' diamond, an incredible Indian jewel dating back to the 1600s, is being spotlighted after Margot Robbie wore it in a Cartier necklace to the premiere of her upcoming film 'Wuthering Heights'.
This diamond has brought forward conversations on jewels and artefacts taken from a colonised India — and their use.
Enmeshed in Indian history, this jewel belonged to Nur Jahan, wife of Mughal emperor Jehangir. Jehangir's son, Shah Jahan, later went on to build one of the world's greatest testaments to love — the Taj Mahal. Robbie being loaned the necklace for the premiere, however, has not gone over well with the larger public.
History and controversy
The diamond bears the inscription 'Nur Jahan Begum-e-Padshah, 23, 1037', showing that it belonged to Nur Jahan, the wife of the emperor, and the number 23, representing how long Jehangir had ruled. The date, 1037, corresponds to the Islamic calendar and translates to 1627 AD.
The nearly 400-year-old jewel was later taken from India when it was colonised, along with other famed jewels, like the Kohinoor. It was acquired by Cartier and sold to Richard Burton, who gifted it to his wife, British-American actress Elizabeth Taylor. The heart-shaped diamond was later auctioned after her death in 2011.
The deep history and Indian roots drew much criticism, with many urging the luxury jewellery house to return the jewel to India.
This isn't the first time that the brand has found itself in hot water with the Indian public. At the Met Gala in 2025, Diljit Dosanjh, a popular Indian actor-singer, requested to borrow the necklace originally made for Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, Punjab. Dosanjh, who hails from Punjab, intended to showcase his culture on the global stage. He was refused — Cartier cited the piece being on exhibition.
The controversy was further inflamed by the fact that at the 2022 Met Gala, YouTuber Emma Chamberlain had worn a Cartier choker believed to be part of the original Patiala necklace.
Robbie's appearance with the Taj Mahal diamond has reignited discussions around returning artefacts taken from the Indian subcontinent during colonisation, especially as India has been pushing international governments and private collectors for the same. The Kohinoor, which sits in the British Crown Jewels, remains one of the most prominent examples.
-The deep history and Indian roots drew much criticism, with many urging Cartier, the luxury jewellery house, to return the jewel to India
The 'Taj Mahal' diamond, an incredible Indian jewel dating back to the 1600s, is being spotlighted after Margot Robbie wore it in a Cartier necklace to the premiere of her upcoming film 'Wuthering Heights'.
This diamond has brought forward conversations on jewels and artefacts taken from a colonised India — and their use.
Enmeshed in Indian history, this jewel belonged to Nur Jahan, wife of Mughal emperor Jehangir. Jehangir's son, Shah Jahan, later went on to build one of the world's greatest testaments to love — the Taj Mahal. Robbie being loaned the necklace for the premiere, however, has not gone over well with the larger public.
History and controversy
The diamond bears the inscription 'Nur Jahan Begum-e-Padshah, 23, 1037', showing that it belonged to Nur Jahan, the wife of the emperor, and the number 23, representing how long Jehangir had ruled. The date, 1037, corresponds to the Islamic calendar and translates to 1627 AD.
The nearly 400-year-old jewel was later taken from India when it was colonised, along with other famed jewels, like the Kohinoor. It was acquired by Cartier and sold to Richard Burton, who gifted it to his wife, British-American actress Elizabeth Taylor. The heart-shaped diamond was later auctioned after her death in 2011.
The deep history and Indian roots drew much criticism, with many urging the luxury jewellery house to return the jewel to India.
This isn't the first time that the brand has found itself in hot water with the Indian public. At the Met Gala in 2025, Diljit Dosanjh, a popular Indian actor-singer, requested to borrow the necklace originally made for Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, Punjab. Dosanjh, who hails from Punjab, intended to showcase his culture on the global stage. He was refused — Cartier cited the piece being on exhibition.
The controversy was further inflamed by the fact that at the 2022 Met Gala, YouTuber Emma Chamberlain had worn a Cartier choker believed to be part of the original Patiala necklace.
Robbie's appearance with the Taj Mahal diamond has reignited discussions around returning artefacts taken from the Indian subcontinent during colonisation, especially as India has been pushing international governments and private collectors for the same. The Kohinoor, which sits in the British Crown Jewels, remains one of the most prominent examples.
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