The Indian Beauty

For a long time, the identity of a woman portrayed on the case of a watch made by Jaeger-LeCoultre remained a mystery. An extensive search of the identity of the Indian royal has revealed the most likely candidate. (Michele Andina, swissinfo.ch)

The hunt finally led to the tiny state of Tripura in north-eastern India. Interestingly, the last royal to rule Tripura was a woman. The death of the maharajah of Tripura Bir Bikram Kishore Debbaraman in 1947 – he built Tripura’s only airport – meant that his son Kirit Bikram Kishore Debbaraman became the de-facto ruler overnight. However, since he was only 14 years-old at the time his mother Kanchan Prabha Devi took on the responsibility of ruling in his name as the Regent and ran state affairs from 1947 to 1949. 

She is most likely the mystery woman whose portrait adorns the so-called Maharani Reverso watch. Her likeness to the portrait on the watch is remarkable, especially the pose, hairstyle and the zig-zag pattern of the saree she is wearing.