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National News: Ajay Jadeja, the erstwhile batting star of India, has lately inherited the royal throne of Jamnagar. The former India batsman is now also the ‘owner’ of many priceless heirlooms of the family, including some stunning jewelry pieces. Jadeja’s net worth went up to Rs 1,450 crore.
One such piece was the ‘Toussaint Necklace’, commissioned by the Jam Sahib of Nawanagar (present-day Jamnagar in Gujarat), Ranjitsinhji Jadeja (10 September 1872 – 2 April 1933), in 1931 and designed by Jacques Cartier. KS Ranjitsinhji Jadeja is the royal after whom the ‘Ranji Trophy’ domestic tournament is named. Ajaysinhji Jadeja is the relative of Ranjitsinhji Jadeja of the erstwhile Nawanagar family.
According to British Vogue magazine, the was ‘Toussaint Necklace’described as, “the finest cascade of colored diamonds in the world,” and “a superb realization of a connoisseur’s dream”- a tribute to Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier’s former creative director.
The necklace held two chains, both full of large clear white diamonds. The ‘links’ on the chain were from square pink diamonds. “The center was comprised of three pink diamonds, a 26-carat blue, and a 12-carat green diamond. The central pendant stone was the bluish Queen of Holland, which at the time weighed in at 136.25 carats, one of the largest diamonds in the world”, wrote the MAP Academy about the necklace.
When the necklace was finally completed, Jam Sahib Ranjitsinhji had already left this world. It was only seen a few times in public, wound around the neck of his nephew and successor, Digvijaysinhji Jadeja. According to reports, if the necklace still existed, it would be worth over $150 million or Rs 1,265 crore.
Though broken up into pieces in the 1960s, the radiance of this necklace simply inspired Cartier to manufacture it for the Hollywood film ‘Ocean’s 8’. The piece is again seen in the ‘Diamond Heist’ scene shot at the Met Gala: a replica of the Jeanne Toussaint which Daphne Kluger, played by Anne Hathaway, wore in the film.
