WRITTEN BY @DIAMONDSINDUBAII

In the glittering realm of jewelry, a storm is brewing, and it's casting a shadow over renowned luxury house Cartier and YouTube sensation Emma Chamberlain. 👑✨ What's causing this tumult? It's all centered around a diamond necklace that Emma wore at this year's Met Gala.

📸 Photo credit: @TimesofIndia and @Vogue, edit by @diamondsindubaii

This exquisite necklace once belonged to Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, who commissioned Cartier to craft it in the early 1900s. But the story of this infamous necklace is anything but ordinary. Let's dive into the shimmering past. 💎✨

📸 Photo credit: @theDailyBeast

Maharaja Bhupinder Singh, the illustrious ruler of Patiala, was renowned for his opulent collection of luxury items – from cars, horses, and watches to paintings. However, his deepest passion lay in collecting jewelry. In 1889, he acquired the seventh-largest diamond in the world, a colossal 234.69-carat gem, known as the "De Beers" diamond.

📸 The "De Beers" Diamond, 234.69 Carats. Photo credit: @Internstones.com

In 1925, the Maharaja embarked on a mission to transform the "De Beers" diamond into a timeless heirloom. He entrusted Cartier with the task of crafting a ceremonial necklace, with the mammoth "De Beers" diamond as its centerpiece. After three years of meticulous craftsmanship, the Patiala Necklace was born in 1928. This masterpiece consisted of five rows of platinum chains adorned with 2,930 diamonds and two Burmese rubies. Seven diamonds, ranging from 18 to 37 carats, added to its resplendence. This iconic creation was the most expensive jewelry ever crafted, with an estimated value of $30 million today.

📸 Photo credit: @Pinterest

However, controversy ensued when the Patiala Necklace mysteriously disappeared from the Patiala royal treasury in 1946. It is widely believed that the necklace was stolen, disassembled, and its precious stones sold individually. For 32 long years, the necklace remained hidden until the 234.69-carat "De Beers" diamond resurfaced mysteriously at a Sotheby's auction in 1982. Stripped of its chains, links, and rubies, it fetched a mere $3.16 million – a fraction of its current estimated worth.

📸 Photo credit: @reenaahluwalia.com

In 1988, a portion of the necklace was discovered by a Cartier associate, Eric Nussbaum, in a London antique shop. All that remained were the platinum chains, devoid of diamonds and rubies. Cartier acquired the necklace and embarked on a two-year endeavor to resurrect it. Synthetic stones replaced the missing gems, but the outcome fell short of expectations. Since then, the legendary necklace has remained in the possession of the French jewelry house.

📸 Cartier's restored version of the Patiala necklace - featuring synthetic diamonds and rubies. Photo credit: @Pinterest

THE CONTROVERSY Fast forward to 2022 – Emma Chamberlain graced the Met Gala red carpet as the brand ambassador for Cartier, bedecked in the Patiala Necklace. This choice ignited a firestorm of criticism directed at both Cartier and Chamberlain. The South Asian community, particularly Indians, decried the jewelry brand for permitting an 'influencer' to showcase "stolen goods" at the Met Gala. Many also found it distasteful to display a precious family heirloom in such a public setting, where most are unaware of its origins. The Indian community now fervently urges Cartier to return the necklace to the family of Bhupinder Singh of Patiala.

What are your thoughts on this matter? Do you believe the remaining portion of the necklace should be returned to the family of Bhupinder Singh of Patiala? 💬📿