Highlights

• The Ambanis hosted an extravagant engagement party, flaunting historical and rare jewels with their own names from the Mughal empire.
• The most stunning pieces include a $60.4 million emerald necklace and a 52.58-carat diamond ring from the Mughal collection.
• Nita, Isha, and Shloka Ambani, among others, wore incredible jewelry, setting the stage for more spectacular pieces at the upcoming nuptials.

India's richest family, the Ambanis, recently hosted the most incredible three-day engagement party for heir Anant, and bride-to-be Radhika Merchant.

But even more magnificent than the entertainment (Rihanna, Beyoncé), the outfits (dazzling Indian couture), or the star-studded guest list (the Zuckerbergs and Kushners), were the historical jewels worn by the family.

The pieces are so lavish and rare that they even have their own names, like the "Mirror of Paradise," and date back to the 16th century Mughal empire.

Many of the gems hail from the Golconda diamond mines in "the ancient diamond fields of Eastern India," according to Khush Wedding magazine.

As part of his daily ensemble, 28-year-old Anant is known to sport million-dollar time pieces from Richard Mille and Patek Philippe, among other designers. Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg was recently caught ogling one of Anant's RM pieces at the pre-wedding celebration.

Watches aside, it was the necklaces, rings, and other finery worn by the women that attracted most of the attention.

So, just who are the Ambani women fortunate enough to wear the most incredible gems in the world?

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Married To Billions

Nita Ambani

Matriarch Nita Ambani, now 60, was a teacher when she married businessman Mukesh Ambani in 1985 after a three-week courtship.

According to Forbes, Mukesh was worth $112.8 billion as of March 2024, is the richest person in Asia, and the ninth richest in the world.

Nita worked at a nursery school after her marriage, earning about $10 a month, and claimed:

"People used to laugh at me at that time, but I think it gave me a lot of satisfaction."

Today, she's described as a dancer, philanthropist, businesswoman, and the owner of an Indian cricket team.

The couple have two sons and a daughter, all of whom are on the board of their father's company, Reliance Industries, "which has interests in petrochemicals, oil and gas, telecom, retail and financial services," according to Forbes.

Indian designer Manish Malhotra posted photos of Nita and her jewels to his Instagram page:

One of the most magnificent pieces is a necklace featuring two enormous emeralds — surrounded by more emeralds and diamonds.

Fashion mags GQ India and Harper’s Bazaar India estimated its value at $60.4 million.

Wearing the same gold lehenga, Nita wore the aforementioned "Mirror of Paradise" ring on her right hand, featuring a 52.58-carat diamond — which sold at a Christie's auction for $6.5 million in 2019.

The spectacular stone belonged to the Mughal empire's collection, titled "Maharajas And Mughal Magnificence."

On another night of the celebration, Nita wore a magnificent pear-shaped diamond ring, along with a spectacular teared diamond necklace and earrings.

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Isha Ambani

Isha, 32, is the only daughter of Nita and Mukesh.

She earned degrees from Standford and Yale, and is considered a philanthropist and a women's empowerment activist.

Isha married in 2018, in a ceremony that reportedly cost the Ambanis upwards of $100 million.

Isha didn't limit her jewels to stand-alone pieces — she also wore a blouse spun from gold and diamonds.

Khush Weddings reported:

"For one of the occasions, she wore a custom red lehenga by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, which is handcrafted with real jadau jewellery. While most belong to her personal collection, others were brought from Gujarat and Rajasthan especially to be stitched on to the garment.

"'The precious ornaments were dismantled and reinvented into couture where each jewel was first placed on hand-drawn paper patterns. After rounds of artistic experimentation, different stitches of pure gold and silver sardozi work were infused with the jewellery pieces to create the blouse,' the designers reveal."

Isha paired bright green emeralds with a stunning red lehengha for a celebration called the "Mela Rouge."

Khush Weddings reported that Isha "donned a scarlet Manish Malhotra lehenga, accentuating her look with a dazzling emerald necklace, matching green earrings, and a stunning cocktail ring. Her bracelet, which seems to be encrusted with emeralds over 25 carats each, was unmissable."

For the final night of the celebration, Isha borrowed a diamond and emerald necklace that her mother wore for brother Akash’s wedding in March 2019.

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Daughter-In-Law Shloka

33-year-old Shloka married Akash Ambani in 2019.

She is the daughter of Indian diamond merchant, Russell Mehta, and serves on the board of her father's company.

In one look, Shloka stunned by teaming a "multi-layered pearl necklace with another multi-layered diamond neckpiece, completed with intricately embellished pearl bangles, earrings and maang tikka."

Bride-to-Be Radhika Merchant

Radhika, who is set to marry Anant Ambani in July, is the daughter of another Indian billionaire, Veran Merchant, head of the pharmaceutical company Encore Healthcare.

She is an Indian classical dancer, and also serves on the board of her father's company.

Flawless diamonds (and more diamonds) were bride-to-be Radhika's choice of bling for all three nights of her engagement celebration.

An article detailing her vast jewelry collection stated: "[Radhika] elevated her Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla ensemble with a maang tika (forehead piece), a diamond kaan chain, and an exquisite sapphire cummerbund, embellished with oval diamonds."

If the engagement party jewels are any indication, the upcoming Ambani nuptials in July promise to feature some real show-stoppers.