Navratna prophylactic necklace, North India, 20th century Necklace composed of a string of black pearls (585/1000) and gold beads, with a gold (750/1000) banded black glass paste pendant set with eighteen colored glass paste cabochons and small diamonds. Length without clasp: 35.5 cm; gross weight: 25.8 g Small accident to the gold setting, one diamond split in two, worn string of pearls. This type of necklace traditionally has protective powers, warding off evils such as illness, conflict and the devil, but is also said to bring good, wealth, peace and prosperity. Navratna literally means "nine precious stones" in reference to the nine colored stones traditionally used on this type of jewelry, namely topaz, cat's eye, emerald, sapphire, ruby, diamond, hyacinth zircon, coral and pearl, each referring to a divinity. The shape of this pendant is Mughal-inspired, as shown by an 18th-century necklace in the National Museum in Delhi (56.83/1).