What the Royals Gets Right About Jaipur’s Legacy

In Netflix’s The royalsIt is not just the Palaces and Politics Doing The Talking – It is also the jewelery. While the show plays fast and loose with plot, its styling leans into jaipur’s royal past, using jewelry to quietly hint at power, Legacy, and Shifting Identies. What makes the jewelery in The royals Stand out is how Little Its to Stand Out. It is not flashy. It is Worn with Intent, Rooted in Place and Character. Jewellery Backomes Less About Opulence and More About Context – Who Belongs, Who is Pretending, and Who is Finding Their Place.

From heirloom-inspired aad Necklaces to Sleek Broooches Word Bandhgalas, Every Piece was carefully plotted out in advance, Yet Left Room to Evolve on set.

“For a show like this, jewelery is very important,” Says aastha sharma, the costume designer for the show. “We make sure we put our boards together, character-with, and Decide who wears what kind of jewelery, bether it’s archival, more current, or something in Between.”

Aastha and Her Team Started by Building Visual Boards for Each Character, sketching out their jewelery journey across the show. Once he had a sense of how much they would need, they began sourcing from some of jaipur’s best: amrapali jewels, the gem palace (founded in 1852 by the kasliwal family, began as couplers to maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, The Founder of Jaipur), and Rambhajo (a name synonymous with kundan, meena, jadau, polki and fin diamonds), formhed the core. “Between the three big jewellers, we knew we would find what we needed,” She says.

But it was not just heritage houses. The team also brieft in younger, More Contemporary Brands Like Valliyan to Balance Things Out. “We wanted to brings in a mix-something that felt live-in and rooted, but also fresh,” Adds aastha, adding, “We worked with Valliyan to Design to Design Zeenat Aman’s Stick, Since SHE ALMST SHE ALMST SHE ALMST SHE ALMST SHE ALOMMCTING TEM Scene. “

A Still from the show | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Historical context

In Jaipur, Jewelery is Never just about sparkle. It is memory, power, continuity, and in many ways, resistance. While the world has often seen jewelery as a woman domain, in jaipur, it has been a tool of both of both feminine agency and patriarchal control. For Rajput Women, Jewelery Functioned as a Visual Archive of Caste, Class, and Marital Status. Pieces like the borla (The Rajasthani Equivalent of the maang tikka, rakhdiand haansli (a torque-like necklace) ware coded with meaning.

But, it should be noted Sarpechs (Turban Ornaments), Necklaces, Rings, Ear Studs, and Armlets were all commonly Worn by royal men. They were markers of rank, honor, and divine favor.

Navratna Jewellery, which incorporated nine auspicious gems tied to celebrity forces, was often worn by male royals and courtiers to signal cosmic alignment and protective. Jewelery also featured heavily in Rajput miniature portraits, where kings are shown laden with elaborate gem-studed regalia, often utshining their female counterparts in ornamentation. So yes, in 18th- and early 19th-century jaipur, the male body was a canvas for displaying wealth and power. This Visual Grammar of Masculinity was part of the broader south asian tradition where ornamentation was Associated with Charge – Not femininity alone.

Zeenat Aman in ‘The Royals’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Sparkle and shine

At the heart of this visual storytelling is jaipur-based amrapali jewels, whose pieces were Central to Several Defining Moments in the Series. “We’ve Always Seen Oatselves as Custodians of Indian Craftsmanship,” Says Tarang Arora, Creative Director and CEO of Amrapali Jewels. ,The royals Gave Us an Opportunity to Explore that within a new narrative frame. ” Interestingly, none of the jewelery was made specially for the series. Some of the Finer Pieces. The fact that it was shot in jaipur, and that aastha [Sharma] and pacho [the current Maharaja of Jaipur] Are both close friends, made this collaboration feel personal. “

The styling throughout the show relays on traditional craftsmanship – polki Settings, meenakari Work, and Stone Inlay – Applied to Characters in Ways that subtly map their positions and transitions. Ishaan khatter’s coronation look features layered emerald and polki Necklaces, Vintage Broooches, and a feathered headpiece, all echoing the grandeur of early 20th-textury royal portraite. Bhumi Pednekar Wears a Restored Vintage Choker With Basra Pearls and Uncut Diamonds – Quiet but layered, much like her character’s journey from outsider to insider. Zeenat Aman’s Look is Steeped In Legacy: A Classic borla And a necklace of emeralds and rose-cut diamonds-Pieces that Feel Inherited, Not Acquired. Sakshi tanwar’s ensemble leans heavily on Rajput aesthetics – aad Choker, nath, hatphoolAnd full regalia – conveying authority, tradition, and ceremonial weight. And, Vihaan Samat’s panchlada Necklace, Worn Across Formal Scenes, Reflects a more gender-Fluid reading of heritage, while kavya trehan’s bold aad Necklace fuses a bridal silhouette with contemporary edge.

Sakshi Tanwar in ‘The Royals’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

In real life, members of India’s erstwhile Royal Families Still Wear Jewelery, Thought in More Intimate, Personal Ways, Says Tarang. “It depends on the outfit and the evcation,” he says, adding, “but yes, royals absolutely stil wear jewelry, especially pieces that carry emotional weight.”

These are not flamboyant accessories for display. They are heirlooms – Grandfather’s Coronation Buttons, A Grandmother’s Ring, Ceremonial Brooks – Each with a Story Tied to Personal History. “That kind of significance lives on,” Tarang notes. “It’s Deeply Connected to Memory and Family Lineage.”

He also points to a notable shift: men are embracing jewelery again. “It was always maharajas’ jewels,” he says. “Historically, it was the men in the spotlight – Wearing layers of necklaces, facing the court, leading processions. If you look closly today, especially in triball communities, Men Still Get their ears Pierced and Still Wear Jewelry as Part of Everyday Culture. Adds. You see it in The royals – Men Wearing Elabrate Pieces, Not just on their wedding day, but for Other Occasions too. And they’re enjoying it. “