In 2009, Sheikh Hamad bin Abdulla al-Thani visited an exhibition titled Maharaja, the Splendor of India’s Royal Courts, at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and was smitten. Over the next four years Mr. Thani, a member of the Qatari royal family, went on a quest to put together a collection of Indian jewelry and artwork of exceptional provenance, buying up the best that could be found in auctions or through specialized dealers. In this he was aided by Amin Jaffer, a consultant curator for the Victoria and Albert show who in 2009 was working in the museum’s Asian department, and who now is international director of Asian art at Christie’s.

Read More: A Sweeping Look at More than Four Centuries of Jewelry from India

See also Video: Beyond Extravagance: Interview with Amin Jaffer