This gold wrist ornament with applied bands of ornament was bought by Caspar Purdon Clarke, the first Keeper of the museum's Indian department, on his purchasing trip to India in 1881-2. His mission was to acquire contemporary objects in order to provide a survey of what was then being produced by craftsmen and women across the Indian subcontinent. This piece was supposedly made in Bombay, was described as '19th century', and cost £17 15s 6d. The form of the ornament is ancient, and representations of similar jewellery in Indian sculpture suggest that it was made in many regions across the centuries. Other related wrist ornaments in the V&A show that the materials used could include silver and base metals.