This famous “Taj Mahal diamond” actually belonged to Noor Jahan, the powerful wife of Mughal emperor Jahangir. It’s a heart-shaped, table-cut Indian diamond with literally her name and the Hijri date 1037 (around 1627–28) engraved in it.
After the decline of the Mughal Empire, like many royal treasures, the jewel was looted and carried off by British colonisers and eventually ended up in Europe. In the 20th century, Cartier acquired it and turned it into an elaborate necklace.
In 1972, Richard Burton bought it from Cartier as a gift for Elizabeth Taylor, after which it became widely known as “Elizabeth Taylor’s Taj Mahal diamond.” After her death, it was sold at auction, and today it remains part of Cartier’s collection.
What’s uncomfortable is how casually this history is glossed over. Hollywood continues to celebrate and take pride in objects made famous by celebrity ownership, while ignoring the fact that many of these “icons” are the result of colonial plunder. Calling it an Elizabeth Taylor necklace may be convenient but it erases centuries of South Asian history and that’s something worth acknowledging, not applauding.
Posted by ForgotMyStethoscope