Today, we see diamond studded sunglasses only on famous stars. It has become part of the luxurious fashion of the red carpet. But do you know, in the history of India there were such diamond studded sunglasses, and it was not just a fashion accessory, it was a daily use. Around the frame of the glasses, even the glass of the glasses was made not of ordinary glass, but of precious stones (Million-Dollar Sunglasses).
Two such incredible glasses were auctioned at London's Sotheby's in 2021. As soon as it came to the public, there was a lot of curiosity around it. An eyeglass lens was made by cutting diamonds. The lens of the other was cut from genuine emeralds. The names of the two are no less interesting – 'Halo of Light' ('Halo of Light') and 'Gate of Paradise' ('Gate of Paradise').
When looking at 'Halo of Light', the first thing that catches the eye is the yellow metal frame with small diamonds. Two clear, almost colorless natural diamonds were cut extremely thin to form the lens. Historians estimate that the diamonds were sourced from the Golconda region of India, weighing around 200 carats. Cutting such a hard, precious gem so perfectly into a transparent lens is such a difficult task that even today it is not easily imagined.
On the other hand is the 'Gate of Paradise', the lens of which is made of translucent green emerald. Both lenses are believed to have been cut from a single giant emerald. The original emerald is estimated to weigh more than 300 carats.
In other words, the trending fashion accessory being labeled as 'statement eyewear' today, was created centuries ago in India. However, it is not known for sure who was the first owner of these glasses. Presumably, they were built at the behest of an unidentified Mughal prince.
Why he made such glasses is also a mystery. Are these just signs of royal luxury? Or possessing spiritual or symbolic importance? The importance of gems in Mughal culture was multidimensional. Diamonds, emeralds and other precious stones were symbols of power, status and political influence.
'Halo of Light' was estimated at Rs 19.16 crore while 'Gate of Paradise' was valued at Rs 31.94 crore at the Sobethi auction. The following year, in 2022, musician Pharrell Williams was seen wearing a pair of special diamond-emerald sunglasses by Tiffany & Co. at Paris Fashion Week. It had 61 round diamonds and two emeralds. The inspiration for the modern design is taken from these two ancient Mughal sunglasses, which can be told at a glance.