Elizabeth Taylor has died at age 79

Legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor has died at age 79. (1932-2011), Taylor had been hospitalized in February for congestive heart failure, a condition she learned she had in 2004. A two time Oscar winner (for "Butterfield 8" in 1960 and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" in 1966), Taylor was also known for her eight high profile marriages and her love for jewels.

“You can’t cry on a diamond’s shoulder,
and diamonds won’t keep you warm at night.
 But they’re sure fun when the sun shines” 

For Dame Elizabeth Taylor, her love affair with jewelry started early on. “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 her engagement ring. I was hooked!” Since then Dame Elizabeth has acquired one of the greatest private collections of jewelry in the world, with pieces by such leading jewelers as Boucheron, Bulgari, Cartier, Chopard, Gerard, JAR, Ruser, Schlumberger, Tiffany, Van Cleef & Arpels, and David Webb.

For François Curiel of Christie’s, who appraised Elizabeth’s legendary collection, it was an experience like none other. “I shall never forget the trays and trays of jewelry that were presented to us… At first, it was the sheer volume that struck me, but gradually as I examined each piece, I was impressed by the quality and variety in the collection. And quality was the common denominator for every piece, regardless of stone or size.” Curiel was also impressed by Elizabeth’s vast knowledge of the provenance and design of each piece in her collection, one that started off quite small.

Elizabeth acquired some of the world’s most important pieces of jewelry during her two marriages to Richard Burton. Like Todd, Burton would, according to Elizabeth “use any excuse” to surprise her with a piece of jewelry. “I never discussed jewelry with Richard,” recalled Elizabeth. “It was given spontaneously.” Together they acquired pieces from the Grand Duchess Vladimir Suite, the Krupp Diamond, La Peregrina Pearl, the Taylor-Burton diamond, etc. It was not uncommon for the jet set couple to be visited by the world’s most famous jewelers while at the airport waiting for their next flight. And Richard, ever the history buff, loved acquiring pieces that were not only beautiful, but historically important.

Since they began their affair on the movie set of “Cleopatra” in January, 1962,Richard Burton delighted in giving bride Elizabeth Taylor extravagant jewels.

The Taylor-Burton Diamond

One of the most famous pieces Burton gave Taylor is the pear-shaped, 69.42 carat Taylor-Burton Diamond. Fifth husband Richard Burton bought the diamond from Cartier in 1969 after a Sotheby’s auction, paying over $1 million for it. Burton agreed to allow the jeweler to display the jewel for a limited period in New York and Chicago, beginning on November 1. Crowds of more than 6,000 a day circled the store’s Fifth Avenue shop in New York to “gawk at a diamond as big as the Ritz.” 

Meanwhile, Taylor had Cartier remount the stone as a pendant suspended from a V-shaped necklace of graduated pear-shaped diamonds, mounted in platinum. Elizabeth admitted that even for her the Cartier Diamond – now called the Taylor-Burton Diamond – was too big to wear as a ring. 

The Taylor-Burton Diamond hangs from a diamond necklace created by Cartier.

Elizabeth is no stranger to heavy rings. She wears the Krupp Diamond on her left hand almost every day and has worn it in most if not all of her films and TV appearances since Richard Burton acquired the Krupp, a 33.19 carat Asscher cut diamond, in 1968 from Parke-Bernet Galleries in New York at the cost of $385,000. The Krupp diamond is regarded as one of the most flawless diamonds in the world. According to Elizabeth, “the Krupp was my prize for beating Richard at ping-pong!” It was previously owned by Vera Krupp, who acquired it from Harry Winston jewelers. The Krupp’s had supplied the Nazi’s with arms during the war, so, according to Elizabeth: “When it came up for auction in the late 1960s, I thought how perfect it would be if a nice Jewish girl like me were to own it.” Burton won the ring in a bidding war that included Harry Winston. Since then the ring has rarely left Elizabeth’s finger.

The Krupp Diamond, Liz Taylor's everyday ring

Taylor was considered one of the greatest actress of all time and will always be remembered as a brave and relentless advocate in the fight against aids. Taylor will be remembered as a Hollywood icon and an incredible human being. (1932-2011)