A rare showcase of Mughal jewellery unfolds at the Hong Kong Palace Museum; here’s what we know

The Mughals ruled India for over three centuries and were known for their creativity, artistic passion, elegant vision, and design. They were great patrons of art, textiles, and, of course, jewellery. This era gave India some of its most beautiful pieces, perfectly blending Persian, Islamic, and Indian charm to create stunning designs that still live rent-free inside our minds.But if you think that they are not present anywhere around us, then you’re mistaken. The Mughals might be gone, but people did manage to save some of their iconic creations, which are now placed in museums around the world. Such artefacts were recently shown at the Hong Kong Palace Museum as part of the popular exhibition The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Treasures of the Mughal Court from the Victoria and Albert Museum.The show is designed around the three great Mughal emperors of India, i.e., Akbar, who ruled from 1556 to 1605; his son Jehangir, who ruled from 1605 to 1627; and Akbar’s grandson, Shah Jahan, who reigned from 1628 to 1658. Examining all about their vision, cultural prowess, and stunning designs, what caught everyone’s eye was the stunning jewellery pieces from the Mughal era. From the meenakari necklace set with colourful enamel, which flourished under the Safavid dynasty in the 16th century, to rings crafted in India, where the Mughals called it Vora. These traditional jewellery pieces carried a heritage charm but with a fashion-forward edge, which is proof of the vision of Mughal artisans. The exhibition also featured kundan and polki sets and rings, which saw their rise during the Mughal era and till date ring a bell during the wedding season. For the uninitiated, the earliest period of the Mughal dynasty, i.e., during the reign of Babur, was a period when workshops were organised as melting pots of artists. They were trained in different techniques and traditions. They carried an avant-garde approach of blending cultures, stones, techniques, and more, which gave birth to a range of iconic jewellery designs that still resonate today. Well, much of the Mughal Empire’s gold and jewels did not survive, as many were melted down during the empire’s decline, and some were taken over by the British Empire. But a few gemstones did survive through the years, where the most popular of all is the Koh-i-noor diamond, which was recut in 1852 according to Prince Albert’s European taste and is currently a part of the British crown jewels.