These armlets were acquired by the Indian Museum in London in 1855, possibly from the Paris Exposition Universelle (Universal Exhibition) of that year, as examples of jewellery from Delhi. They would have been worn on the upper arm, and are set with the auspicious nine-stone (navaratna) setting of Indian jewellery made in the Hindu tradition. In the ancient Sanskrit texts dealing with precious and semi-precious stones, the Ratnashastras, there are nine stones which have formed the essential basis of study ever since. They are divided into two sections, the maharatnani, or "great" gems (diamond, pearl, ruby, sapphire and emerald) and the uparatnani, or "lesser" gems (jacinth, topaz, cat's eye and coral, though these may vary). The stones are in turn linked to the celestial deities of the Hindu universe: diamond, for example, is linked with Venus, and the ruby with the sun. Each planet may have a good or bad influence, and the stones are arranged in jewellery so that the malevolent influences are kept away, and the benign influences are attracted to the wearer. The stones chosen for these armlets include moonstone, pearl, ruby, turquoise, coral, acquamarine, diamond, orange sapphire, white sapphire and hessonite. One has nine rubies at its centre; the other has a diamond surrounded by stones that are probably white sapphires.