A dazzling display of royal jewels has gone on display for the first time at the National Museum in New Delhi.

The 173-piece collection of the jewels of the Nizams of Hyderabad, the former rulers in Southern India, is valued at around £2bn and includes the legendary Jacob diamond - the fifth largest diamond in the world.

The royal jewels also include strings of rare grey pearls, broaches and sarpechs - turban ornaments worn by princes, has been housed in a bank vault ever since it was acquired by the government in 1995.

The collection was considered so large at the time of Indian independence in 1947, that it was estimated that the pearls alone could pave Piccadilly Circus.