A Collection Fit for a Queen
Snoopy71
Posts: 952
Elizabeth Taylor’s Love Affair with Jewelry<br /><br /><br /> <br /><br />Movie star, fashion icon and humanitarian, Elizabeth Taylor is without a doubt one of the most iconic and influential actresses of our era. Unfortunately, the world lost a star when she passed away this March of a heart failure at 79 earlier on this year.<br /> <br />Even though she has left us, her glorious legacy in forms of film and possessions still remain; in which parts of her prized possessions will be auctioned off by Christie’s New York next month. The items of the celebrated film star that will go under the hammer include personal mementoes, incredible gifts from ex-husbands, lovers and friends,that including the late Michael Jackson and some of the most famous stones in history.<br /> <br />If diamonds are forever, Elizabeth Taylor’s legacy on the big screen had made her a precious diamond and her legend will live on along with her jewelry collection. Taylor had more than 1,000 pieces of jewelry that was stored in a room next to her giant closet in her bedroom. Her love for her jewelry is further defined when she published her book, Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair With Jewelry in 2002.<br /> <br />Despite the vast number of jewelry pieces, she knew exactly where and when she had acquired each one and frequently admired her collection. The actor Richard Burton, whom Taylor married and divorced twice was a great contributor to her collection. In his diaries, he would recall waking up at the middle of the night to find Taylor playing with her jewels.<br /> <br />“The memory of a piece of jewelry brings back a stab of joy and love”, she once said. This is exceptionally true as her seven husbands gave most of the pieces in Taylor’s collection. Burton bought the Krupp diamond, a 33.19-carat natural marvel for US$300,000 in 1968. Known as the Elizabeth Taylor diamond today, Taylor once marvelled, “it gives me the strangest feeling of beauty”. The diamond is estimated to be auctioned off for US$2.5 million to US$3.5 million.<br /> <br />Another iconic piece in Taylor’s jewelry collection is the 19-th century diamond tiara that Taylor wore to the 1957 Academy Awards when film producer Mike Todd, her third husband who died in a plane crash a year after, won the Oscar for Best Picture with the film Around the Wold in 80 Days. The tiara was given to Taylor when Todd described her as queen.<br /> <br />Other exceptional pieces include the historical Pérégrina or Wanderer pearl, which had been given to Mary I of England by King Philip II of Spain in 1554 and was worn by Queen Margarita and Queen Isabel of Spain before it was snatched during Napoleon’s invasion in 1808; the heart-shaped diamond inscribed with the name Nur Jahan, who was the wife of Mughal emperor Jahangir; and a diamond brooch that once belonged to the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson.<br /> <br />The special travelling exhibition showcasing the precious jewelry pieces, haute couture, accessories and other possessions of the late Elizabeth Taylor will be hosted in Hong Kong on November 25-27 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. The final stop of the exhibition will be in New York from December 3 -12, before the auction begins on December 13 at Christie’s New York.<br /> <br />The possessions of Taylor will be auctioned off into six different auctions categorised into legendary jewels; jewelry; haute couture; fashion and accessories; fine and decorative art; film memorabilia; and will also feature a unique online auction.<br /> <br />A portion of profits from the sales will profit The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation that was established by Elizabeth Taylor in 1991 to raise funds and awareness to fight the spread of HIV and to provide assistance for those living with the virus.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Ring made in platinum and white gold and is set with a 16.98 carat <br />pear-shaped diamond with trimmed calibre-cut sapphires. <br />A gift from Michael Jackson<br /><br /><br />Diamond “Lord Kalla” Wristwatch by Vacheron Constantin. <br />A gift from Michael Jackson<br /><br /><br /> A diamonds necklace. <br />A gift from Michael Jackson<br /><br /><br />A suite of diamond and multi-gem monkey jewelry,from the collection of the<br />Baron and Baroness di Portanova.<br /> A gift from Michael Jackson.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />http://www.businessinsider.com/elizabeth-taylor-auction-at-christies-2011-12#upon-entering-the-exhibition-you-see-taylors-costumes-from-cleopatra-bottom-left-and-boom-center-and-bottom-right-1<br />
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