In the book Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair with Jewelry, Taylor recounts first discovering her passion for jewelry during visits to her father's art gallery in the Beverly Hills Hotel. There, she would marvel at the exquisite accessories adorning the elegant patrons. This early fascination took shape when, at twelve or thirteen, she saved her money to purchase a brooch for her mother—a gesture that filled her with immense joy.

As one of Hollywood's most bankable stars from a young age, Taylor developed an appreciation for exceptional gemstones that would eventually evolve into one of the most discerning eyes in private collecting. Her collection originated not merely from personal purchases but through gifts from admirers and husbands, each piece carrying profound emotional significance. For Taylor, jewelry represented both independence and a profound expression of love, a way to tangibly demonstrate her affection for her mother. This association of fine jewelry with emotional connection would later define her romantic relationships throughout adulthood.

The Evolution of a Connoisseur (1950s-1960s)

During the 1950s and 1960s, Taylor's approach to jewelry collecting underwent a profound transformation. What began as appreciation turned to connoisseurship as she developed increasingly sophisticated knowledge of gemology, design history and market value. This period marked her transition from recipient to active collector, making deliberate acquisitions reflecting her maturing taste.

Her third husband, theater and film producer Mike Todd, significantly influenced this evolution through lavish gifts that elevated her collection's caliber. Todd famously presented Taylor with a suite of diamond and ruby jewelry while she was swimming in their villa pool, while wearing a tiara. According to Taylor, this was “A perfect summer day and a day of perfect love.” This moment solidified her relationship with extraordinary gems. Though their marriage ended tragically with Todd's untimely death in 1958, his contributions to her assortment remained significant touchstones in her jewelry narrative.

To Taylor, her collection transcended mere ownership—she considered herself a steward of these extraordinary pieces rather than their possessor. She illustrated this philosophy with an anecdote about wearing her 29.4-carat engagement ring during a museum visit. When a man suggested the ring belonged in a museum, Taylor responded thoughtfully, "I disagree with you. When I wear it, anyone can look at it, and I'll let anybody try it on. So more people have probably touched this stone, seen the beauty of it in pure sunshine or when it sparkles at night. Anyone who is around me can see it up close. Isn't that better than putting it in a museum?"

Taylor's philosophy of stewardship fostered a paradoxical relationship with her collection—while deeply devoted to her jewels, she held this attachment with remarkable fluidity. This perspective fundamentally guided her acquisitions as well. No matter how magnificent a stone might be, without emotional resonance, it failed to capture her interest. She required a profound connection to each piece, believing that her own attraction would translate into a similar response from others. This emotional bond created a transformative experience whenever she wore her treasured items.

The Golden Age of Her Collection (1960s-1970s)

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's legendary romance began on the set of Cleopatra in 1962, igniting one of Hollywood's most passionate and publicized love affairs. Their relationship was characterized by extraordinary intensity—they married in 1964, divorced in 1974, remarried in 1975, and divorced again in 1976. Beyond their undeniable chemistry on and off-screen, the couple shared a profound appreciation for remarkable jewelry.

The zenith of Elizabeth Taylor's jewelry collecting coincided with this tumultuous relationship. Burton, himself a knowledgeable jewelry enthusiast, delighted in presenting Taylor with spectacular gems to match the magnitude of their love. As he once affectionately remarked, "The only word Elizabeth knows in Italian is Bulgari." His gifts transformed Taylor's collection from impressive to historically significant, including some of the most important pieces she would ever own.

Among the most notable was the 33.19-carat Elizabeth Taylor Diamond (formerly known as the Krupp Diamond). This extraordinary gem was originally owned by Vera Krupp, whose family's munitions company had infamously supported the Nazi regime during World War II. When the diamond appeared at auction, Taylor saw profound symbolic significance in acquiring it. As she later explained, "It seemed perfectly poetic that a Jewish woman should own it." The diamond's deep asscher cut possessed a mesmerizing quality that captivated Taylor. She often remarked that its brilliance seemed "to lead into eternity," as though the stone had a life of its own.

Burton's other legendary gifts included the famous 69.42-carat Taylor-Burton Diamond and the historic La Peregrina pearl—a 16th-century treasure once owned by Spanish royalty. These shared acquisitions during this period would come to define what Taylor later called her "crown jewels" and established her reputation as one of the world's most discerning jewelry connoisseurs.

Perhaps no design better exemplifies this golden age than the magnificent René Lalique Medusa brooch Burton purchased for Taylor in the late 1960s or early 1970s. With its mythical figure's face carved in rich blue-green crystal and an 18.35mm baroque pearl pendant, this Art Nouveau masterpiece captures both the artistic sophistication and emotional intensity of their collecting partnership. As Taylor herself recalled, "Richard loved this because it is a rare antique and has a hypnotic quality. It's an amazingly magical piece."

During this period, Taylor's collection expanded to include statement pieces featuring emeralds and diamonds, a combination that particularly complemented her violet eyes. Her preference for pear-shaped diamonds also emerged strongly during this era, becoming a signature element of her collecting aesthetic.

Mature Collecting: Refinement and Focus (1970s-1990s)

As Taylor entered the mature phase of her collecting journey, her acquisitions reflected increasingly refined discernment. Rather than focusing exclusively on major gemstones, she developed an appreciation for design innovation, historical significance and personal resonance. This period saw her acquiring pieces representing diverse styles from Victorian sentimental jewels to contemporary designs.

Her Victorian amethyst bracelet in 18K gold and enamel exemplifies this evolution, demonstrating her appreciation for historical craftsmanship and the rich purple stones that complemented her famous eyes. Similarly, the diamond and enamel cross pendant reveals her growing interest in jewels with symbolic meaning and technical excellence.

This mature collecting phase also featured whimsical pieces like the spectacular Rooster brooch, clad in gold, emeralds, diamonds a rubies. This pin, along with her many other animal-inspired designs, demonstrates Taylor's playful approach to serious collecting. 

Perhaps most touching from this period is the gold bracelet engraved with her children's names that was a 40th birthday gift from longtime friends, photographer Gianni Bozzacchi and hairstylist Claudy Ettori. Interestingly enough, these two friends met and fell in love through their employment with Taylor, further deepening their affection for her. This work demonstrates how Taylor's mature collection balanced extraordinary gemstones with items of profound personal significance.

 Legacy and Market Impact

Elizabeth Taylor's jewelry collection has profoundly influenced both market dynamics and collecting culture. Following her death in 2011, Christie's auction of her collection garnered nearly $116 million, establishing numerous auction records and demonstrating the extraordinary premium commanded by impeccable provenance combined with gemological quality.

This auction radically recalibrated market valuations for jewelry with celebrity provenance, establishing new benchmarks for such pieces. Beyond monetary considerations, Taylor's collecting approach—balancing gemological quality, design excellence, historical significance and personal resonance—has influenced subsequent generations of serious jewelry collectors.

Today, pieces from her collection continue commanding extraordinary premiums when they occasionally return to the market. The opportunity to acquire such items without the competitive dynamics of an auction represents a rare chance for discerning collectors to obtain pieces with impeccable provenance at defined price points. Please visit our Elizabeth Taylor collection and our many other items with prestigious provenance.