Mumbai: A pair of gold jhumkas weighing 16.5 kg has broken not one, but two Guinness World Records in Dubai. Made by Indian-origin Joyalukkas Jewellery, they are now the world’s heaviest gold earrings and the largest pair of earrings.
The 22-carat gold jhumkas, called Mayura Sahasra, were unveiled in Dubai on Saturday. They measure 1.215 m in length and 0.682 m across. That’s almost four feet long, and more than five times heavier than the previous record holder.
Mayura Sahasra means “A Thousand Peacocks”. The design is inspired by the bird, with details resembling peacock feathers. But the earrings still have the familiar bell shape of traditional Indian jhumkas.
A team of 55 artisans worked on the pair for several months, spending a total of 5,840 hours. The earrings weigh exactly 16.514 kg, and the Guinness record for the heaviest pair of gold earrings was officially achieved on 12 October.
The earrings were unveiled at the Jewel of Joy showroom in Dubai by UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri. Representatives from Guinness World Records were also present to hand over the two certificates.
Joyalukkas CEO John Paul Alukkas told Gulf News that the company wanted to do something to mark its 40 years in the UAE. Having watched Dubai grow over the years, they decided to create something of their own for the city.
“We’ve been in the UAE for the last 40 years and we’ve seen how the UAE and Dubai have grown. We’ve seen a lot of records which Dubai has broken and we thought we should do something which we can give back to Dubai,” he said.
Joyalukkas chairman Joy Alukkas also described the earrings as a tribute to Dubai and the artisans who made them.
The giant jhumkas aren’t for sale. They will remain on permanent display at the Jewel of Joy showroom in Dubai Gold District, where visitors can see them for free. The showroom is open every day from 10 am to 10 pm.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)