The Legendary Jewels of Elizabeth Taylor - the auction results

The Legendary Jewels of Elizabeth Taylor – the sale the world was waiting for, took place this past week. Whilst almost 1000 lots were reserved for the online sale, the 49 largest pieces – those either mentioned or worn in photos by the icon – occurred in an evening sale on 13 November to a packed auction room at Christies. The results were staggering with 100% clearance, new world auction records and a total sales figure of $115.9 million - making it the most valuable private collection of jewels ever sold at auction.

Records broken were:

The price per carat for a colourless diamond – the Elizabeth Taylor Diamond (formerly the Krupp Diamond), the rectangular-cut, 33.19-carat stone that Richard Burton bought for Elizabeth in 1968, sold for $8.18 million to a Korean business buyer, well exceeding the pre-sale estimate of $3.5 million. The world record now stands at $265,697 per carat.


The price per carat for a ruby - the Van Cleef & Arpels 8.24ct ruby and diamond ring Burton gave to Elizabeth for Christmas 1968 sold for $4,226,500, four times the estimate.


The price for natural pearl ear pendants – made by Bvlgari, pearl studs suspend a detachable drop shaped natural pearl with a marquise diamond linking the stud and drops. The earrings were a gift from Taylor/Burton’s attorney and friend, Aaron Frosch. They sold for $1,986,500 four times their pre sale estimate.


The price for a pearl jewel and the price for a historic jewel – ‘La Peregina’ brought the top price in the sale. Found in the 16th century in the Gulf of Panama by a slave (who earned his freedom with the find), the 203 grains/50 carat pearl became part of the crown jewels of Spain before being given to Phillip II’s of Spain’s English bride, Queen Mary I. It returned to Spain in the crown jewels before it was taken along with other jewels by Joseph Bonaparte as he fled Spain. It then went back to England to the Duke of Abercorn’s wife, Louisa Hamilton. Richard Burton purchased it in January 1969 and gave it to Elizabeth for Valentine’s Day. Before it was set into its present ruby and diamond necklace by Cartier, the pearl went missing in a hotel suite – being found in the mouth of one of Elizabeth’s dogs –where it thankfully came to no harm. La Peregrina sold to a private buyer whose $11,842,500 payment broke the previous record for a historic pearl by over $9 million and a pearl jewel by $4 million.


The price for an Indian jewel – The Taj Mahal diamond, found in the 17th century has a persian nscription – the name of the Shah Jahangir’s wife (Nur Jahan), the year of his reigtn.. It then when to the Shah’s son, Mugal Emperor Shah Jahan who presented the gem to Mumtaz-I-Mahal, his beloved wife. After bearing him 14 children she died in 1631 and the emperor was grief stricken. In her memory he built the tomb the Taj Mahal. Cartier set the diamond on a neckchain in 1972 that was made to resemble the silk cord it is thought to have originally had. Burton bought it for Taylor for her 40th birthday in 1972. With a pre-sale estimate of $300,000-$500,000, it sold to an anonymous buyer for $8.8 million. The previous world record for an Indian jewel was $5.2 million.


The price for an emerald jewel and price of an emerald by carat – given to Taylor by Burton on the occasion of their engagement in 1962, the 18.26-carat emerald and diamond pendant brooch by Bulgari sold for $6.6 million, or $360,268 per carat, after a pre-sale high estimate of $700,000.


Eighteen more lots went for over $1,000,000 each:

Emerald and diamond necklace by Bvlgari, a gift from Burton to Taylor on their marriage in 1964 - $6,130,500


Sapphire and diamond sautoir by Bvlgari, a gift from Burton to Taylor on her 40th birthday in 1972 - $5,906,500


Antique “Mike Todd” Diamond Tiara, a gift from Mike Todd to Elizabeth in 1957 - $4,226,500


Bvlgari emerald and diamond bracelet, a gift from Burton to Taylor for her 35th birthday in 1967 - $4,002,500


Ruby and diamond necklace by Cartier, a gift from Mike Todd in 1957 - $3,778,500


Bvlgari Emerald and diamond ring, a gift from Burton - $3,330,500


Emerald and diamond ear pendants by Bvlgari - $3,218,500


Antique diamond necklace, made c.1806 it was purchased by Elizabeth in 1993 - $2,658,500


The Burton Cognac Diamond Ring by Van Cleef & Arpels, the 32.14 carat ring was a gift from Richard Burton - $2,322,500


Coloured diamond ring by Lorraine Schwartz, an intense 27.42ct yellow diamond - $2,098,500


Coloured and white diamond ear pendants by Bvlgari a gift from Eddie Fisher for Elizabeth’s 30th birthday in 1962 - $1,650,500


Bvlgari emerald and diamond flower brooch c. 1960 - $1,538,500


“The Dame Ear Pendants” with coral and multi gems by Van Cleef & Arpels, designed by Elizabeth and worn on the occasion of her investiture as a Dame Commander of the British OEmpire in 2000 - $1,426,500


Antique sapphire and diamond brooch, a gift from Richard Burton - $1,314,500


Prince of Wales diamond brooch, formerly part of the jewels of the Duchess of Windsor, it was purchased by Elizabeth in 1987 - $1,314,500


“The Night of the Iguana” diamond, sapphire and emerald dolphin brooch by Tiffany & Co, given by Burton to Taylor for the premiere of the film The Night of the Iguana in 1964 $1,202,500


“The Burton Diamond Brooch” by Van Cleef & Arpels, a Christmas gift from Richard Burton in 1967 - $1,142,500


Bvlgari coloured and white diamond flower brooch, a gift from Eddie Fisher for Elizabeth’s 30th birthday in 1962 - $1,142,500


The lowest amount realised on the evening was $116,500 for a gold and multi gemstone charm bracelet.


But the buying frenzy didn’t stop there! By the time two more rounds of jewelry had been sold, a record for any jewelry auction had been set: $132 million.

The second evening’s sale on 14 December for 189 lots realised $21.3 million with prices from $6875 for a suite of paper jewellery to $1,482,500 for a diamond pendant necklace.

The third sale also on 14 December was mainly Elizabeth’s haute couture with 67 lots totalling $2,600,750, with a range from $1,375 (a Saks beaded evening top) to $662,500 (Andy Warhol portrait of Taylor).

The fourth sale for fashion and accessories on 15 December had 325 lots from $563 (Emikio Puccio 2 piece ensemble) to $110,500 (Louis Vuitton luggage) and realised $2,941,162.

The fifth sale held on 16 December was for fine and decorative art and film memorabilia including costumes realised prices of $1,188 (an arts and crafts clock) to $386,500 ( large gray scholar’s rock) over 144 lots, with a sale total of $4,441,187.

And finally the online only auction of over 900 smaller items finished with a total sale value of $9,537,900!

It just goes to show that the impossible to price element of stardust was not considered in the original estimates, which were obviously completely blown out of the water by the keen bidding.

The jewels are now to be scattered across the world, Elizabeth’s job as custodian of some of the world’s most stupendous baubles now at an end.

Elizabeth Taylor - The Auction

Fantastic video by Christies on the upcoming auction (December) of Elizabeth Taylor's jewels, art and memorabilia.

Vale Elizabeth Taylor - a life of jewels.

Elizabeth Taylor has passed away at the age of 79. It is the passing of an extraordinary and passionate woman who had many husbands and philanthropic interests. She happily admitted to her love of jewellery, feeling herself the custodian of some fabulous pieces and even designing a line of fine jewellery sold through Christie's. She once said, "my mother says I didn't open my eyes for eight days after I was born, but when I did, the first thing I saw was an engagement ring. I was hooked."

Here are some of the fabulous gems she owned and a little about them:

A diamond and ruby suite by Cartier, given to Elizabeth by her third husband Mike Todd for swimming laps in the pool. Mike showered Elizabeth in gifts and fine jewellery. A favourite pair of earrings with paste stones he replaced with diamonds as a surprise (photo above). Amongst his many gifts he also gave her a 29 and 7/8 carat diamond engagement ring, as to quote Elizabeth, “Mike insisted I say 29 and 7/8, because 30 would have been vulgar.”





The Grand Duchess Vladimir Suite, by Bulgari was given to Elizabeth by Richard Burton. Comprised of diamonds and emeralds it contains a brooch (Richard’s engagement gift to Elizabeth), ear pendants, a necklace, and a bracelet. The suite was worn at her 1964 wedding to Richard at the Ritz-Carlton in Montréal.



The Krupp Diamond was given to Elizabeth by Richard Burton in 1968. The Krupps were a German family that supplied munitions to the Nazis and "helped knock off millions of Jews", Taylor wrote in her book "Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair with Jewelry". "How perfect it would be if a nice Jewish girl like me were to own it. In truth, though, there's nothing funny about the Krupp. When I look into it, the deep Asscher cuts—which are so complete and ravishing—are like steps that lead into eternity and beyond. With its sparks of red and white and blue and purple, and on and on, really, it sort of hums with its own beatific life. To me, the Krupp says, 'I want to share my chemistry—my magic—with you.'" At 33.19-carats, it was a favourite jewel that Elizabeth wore in a ring.



Not limiting herself to diamonds alone, another gift from Richard was the La Peregrina Pearl. Found by an African slave at Pearl Islands in the Gulf of Panama in the mid 16th Century (who was rewarded with freedom for the find), it was given to Phillip II of Spain who presented it to his English bride, Queen Mary I. After her death the pearl returned to Spain where it remained a part of the crown jewels until Joseph Bonaparte, one time king of Spain, fled the country taking the pearl with him. It passed from the Bonaparte family to the Duke of Abercorn who purchased it for his wife, Louisa Hamilton.





A heavy pearl, it apparently fell out of its setting twice once in a sofa in Windsor Castle and the next time during a ball at Buckingham Palace. Luckily it was recovered both times! It stayed in the Hamilton family until sold in 1969 to Richard Burton for $37,000 who gave it to Elizabeth for Valentine's Day. It continued its disappearing tricks and went missing in their Suite at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. After a thorough search by Elizabeth, she saw one of their puppies chewing - opening their mouth, there was the pearl, unhurt! It was later redesigned by Cartier into a necklace with more pearls, diamonds and rubies. La Peregrina remains one of the largest perfectly symmetrical pear-shaped natural pearls in the world.

Richard Burton once said, "The only word Elizabeth knows in Italian is Bulgari." He gifted her with a diamond-and-sapphire sautoir necklace featuring a 321-carat Burmese sapphire pendant in 1969.



Probably the most well known gem owned by Elizabeth was the Taylor-Burton diamond. Found in 1966 in the Premier Mine, the 240.80ct rough was cut down into two stones, under TV spotlights, by a diamond cutter in the employ of Harry Winston, who had studied the stone for six months deciding on the best way to cleave the stone. The larger stone was cut into pear shape eventually weighing 69.42ct.



Sold initially to Mrs. Harriet Annenberg Ames, the sister of the American ambassador in London during the Richard Nixon administration. Two years later, she sent the diamond to Parke-Bernet Galleries in New York to be auctioned stating she just couldn't wear it and rather than languish it a bank vault it should be sold. After furious bidding it was bought by Cartier for $1,050,000, the highest price ever paid for a diamond at auction at the time (1969). The losing bidder was a representative of Richard Burton. The diamond was quickly named "The Cartier".



Determined to obtain it however, Richard got on the payphone in a well-known hotel in southern England, and spoke to Cartier's agent. Richard negotiated for the gem while continually dropping coins into the phone and patrons would have heard the actor exclaiming "I don't care how much it is; go and buy it." He was successful and it became the "Taylor-Burton". Elizabeth wore it for the first time in November of that year to Princess Grace of Monaco's 40th birthday celebration.



Following her divorce from Richard in 1978, Elizabeth sold the Taylor-Burton for $5,000,000, the proceeds of which went to build a hospital in Botswana. It was purchased Henry Lambert, a New York-based jeweler and is now owned by Robert Mouawad.

The Taj Mahal Diamond also given to her by Richard Burton on the occasion of her 40th birthday in 1972. A flat, heart shaped stone it has an Arabic inscription that says "Love is Everlasting". The original silk cord was replaced and it was set with rubies and diamonds in a yellow gold rope-pattern necklace.



"I would have liked to buy her the Taj-Mahal," Richard remarked, "but it would cost too much to transport. This diamond has so many carats, its almost a turnip." Then he added, "Diamonds are an investment. When people no longer want to see Liz and I on the screen, then we can sell off a few baubles."

This gem was owned by Shah Jahan, who was given the diamond by his father. Jehan then gave it to the woman who was the favourite of his wives, Queen Mumtāz in 1621.

Vale Elizabeth Taylor, a true ambassador of fine jewels!