“I’ve never thought of my jewellery as trophies. I’m here to take care of it and to love it, for we are only temporary custodians of beauty.” – Dame Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Taylor, the 1950’s Hollywood super star, has one of the most famous collections of jewellery to this day. She once referred to her jewellery as a ‘love affair’ and with a collection like hers, who could blame her. Her dedication to preserving these pieces followed her beyond her passing as she requested Christies, a prominent British auction house, find new ‘custodians’ to continue her legacy. A collection of jewellery owned by the late star has fetched $116m (£74.9m) at an auction in New York (BBC, 2011). Many of her pieces are still on auction, showing just how vast her collection became over the years. Featuring historic jewellery houses such as BVLGARI, Van Cleef and Arpels and Tiffany. Arguably, her most famous piece was the 33.19 carat asscher-cut diamond ring gifted by ex-husband Richard Burton. The ring is named the Krupp Diamond after its original owner, Vera Krupp.
However, her first jaw-dropping engagement piece is considered to be her 29.4-carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring from film producer Michael Todd which she lovingly nicknamed her ‘ice-skating rink’ (Vogue, 2022). Interestingly, Dame Taylor received many kinds of engagement jewellery including a diamond line bracelet, ruby and sapphire rings and an emerald brooch to name a few.
One of her more fun pieces is the antique diamond tiara. When given to the actress, her late husband reportedly said “You are my queen, and I think you should have a tiara.”
Elizabeth often fondly recounted the stories behind her jewellery, stating “I adore wearing gems, but not because they are mine. You can’t possess radiance, you can only admire it.”
Upon its discovery in the early 1900’s, the La Peregrina was one of the largest symmetrical pearls to ever be found. Its original weight was said to be 55.95 carats or 11.2 g however, after cleaning and holes being drilled so the pearl could be mounted, its weight decreased. Richard Burton purchased the gemstone for $37,000 at a Sothebys auction and later gifted to Elizabeth as a Valentines gift.
Taylor shared a stressful incident in her memoir involving the pearl, claiming that one evening whilst wearing the magnificent piece, she reached down to find the pearl missing. After frantically searching with no luck, she happened to notice her puppy chewing something. “I just casually opened the puppy’s mouth and inside was the most perfect pearl in the world. It was—thank God—not scratched.” It seems the dog shared the same expensive taste as its owner.
Another remarkable piece is the Taj Mahal pendant gifted by Richard Burton. This romantic gift features a heart-cut diamond from the 17th century. According to historians, the pendant would have originally been hung from a woven silk chord. Burton commissioned Cartier to construct a gold and ruby chord in the same style.
There is certainly too much of Elizabeth’s jewellery to cover all in one blog, but if you would like to know more about her extensive collection let us know in the comments below! Thank you for reading and we hope everyone is enjoying the festive spirit!
