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Famous Jewelry: Spanish Inquisition Necklace

The Spanish Inquisition necklace was named by jeweller Harry Winston, who claimed that it was first owned by Spanish royalty. The necklace's first owner of record was the Maharaja of Indore, Tukoji Rao III, in the early 20th century. Upon his abdication, the necklace was passed to his son, Yashvantrao II, who took up his Tukoji's throne.

In 1947, Yashvantrao II sold the necklace to Harry Winston, who loaned it to actress Katharine Hepburn, who wore the necklace to the 19th Academy Awards. The necklace then went on tour as part of Harry Winston's "Court of Jewels."

The necklace's gemstones may have been cut in India during the 17th century, and they include fifteen barrel-cut and oval-cut Muzo emeralds from the Cinturon Esmeraldífero ("Emerald Belt") of the Andes Mountains, in Gobernación de Boyacá, Cordillera Occidental, Colombia. The 374 diamonds in the necklace are believed to be Golconda diamonds from India. The Spanish Inquisition necklace is now located at the Smithsonian Institution's American Museum of Natural History in Washington DC.

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