Hyderabad-based billionaire Sudha Reddy wore jewellery from her personal collection valued at more than $15 million (£11.3 million) to the 2026 Met Gala on Monday, according toPeople.
The centrepiece was a 550-carat deep violet-blue tanzanite pendant known as the 'Queen of Merelani,' set in a Victorian-finished chain of triangular and pear-shaped rose-cut diamonds arranged in floral clusters. The stone was sourced from Tanzania's Merelani Hills - the only known commercial deposit of the gemstone on earth.
Reddy, 47, paired the necklace with a 30-carat rose-cut polki diamond ring and a 23-carat yellow diamond ring, as detailed byWWD. Celebrity stylist Mariel Haenn, who coordinated the look, confirmed the jewellery came entirely from Reddy's private holdings.
Tanzanite is widely described in the gem trade as roughly 1,000 times rarer than diamond. The mineral is found in a single mining zone spanning a few square kilometres near Mount Kilimanjaro, first discovered in 1967. Geologists estimate current reserves could be exhausted within 20 to 25 years, a timeline that has driven collector demand and pushed prices for large, high-grade specimens sharply upward. Stones above 100 carats are uncommon in private collections. At 550 carats, Reddy's tanzanite is among the largest ever worn at a public event.
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Reddy attended the annual Costume Institute fundraiser at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in a custom gown by Indian designer Manish Malhotra titled 'The Tree of Life.' More than 90 artisans spent 3,459 hours constructing the ensemble,ANIconfirmed.
The design drew from Kalamkari, a South Indian textile tradition with roots stretching back 3,000 years. It followed the Machilipatnam style, known for hand-painted natural dyes and intricate depictions of mythology and nature. A deep royal blue velvet corset was covered in antique gold zari embroidery, with the Tree of Life motif rendered in zardozi across velvet, silk and tulle.
Peacock motifs extended into a seven-metre trail. A sheer tulle cape carried hand-embroidered flora and fauna linked to Telangana, Reddy's home region, including the Palapitta bird, the Jammi Chettu tree, the Tangedu flower and the Kalpavriksha.
'Indian craftsmanship isn't a legacy confined to history but a living, breathing art form,' Reddy said in a statement. 'It was vital to demonstrate that these ancient techniques possess the structural integrity and aesthetic power to lead the global fashion dialogue.'
Malhotra said the creation was built to carry 'memory and the soul of the craft,' adding that fashion, for him, has always been about the emotion behind the image.
Source: International Business Times UK
