Elizabeth Taylor’s Iconic Jewels to be Auctioned

By Charmaine Gooden
Actress Elizabeth Taylor’s dazzling jewellery collection is to be auctioned at Christie’s in New York on  December 13th and 14th. The prized collection includes some 269 diamonds, pearls, rubies, rings, necklaces and even a tiara, with several of the most valuable and renown pieces tied to Taylor’s lengthy and complicated relationship with Richard Burton, whom she married twice and divorced twice.  The 33-carat D-flawless Asscher-cut Krupp Diamond which was the first jewel that Burton bought for Taylor, a famous 16th-century La Peregrina pearl that once belonged to the Spanish crown, a 7th-century Taj Mahal diamond pendant, and three diamond rings won in a game of ping pong, will be among the highlights. Taylor was known for being passionate about diamonds and  published a book in 2003 entitled Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair with Jewelry.

The jewelry auction is part of a larger sale of some of the most prized possessions of the Hollywood legend, who died in March at age 79. Other items to be auctioned include fashions, accessories, decorative arts and memorabilia. A portion of the proceeds will reportedly go to the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation .