Yesterday, we lost Elizabeth Taylor—a legendary actress famed for her beauty, her charitable endeavors, and her many love affairs. One of her most famous love affairs was with jewelry itself.
In 2002, she wrote a book entitled My Love Affair with Jewelry, sharing lavish photographs and stories from her extraordinary jewelry collection. The book reveals how deeply passionate she was about jewelry—not only for owning and wearing it, but for its natural beauty, ancient history, and emotional significance.
Many pieces in her remarkable collection were historic treasures, including the Shah Jehan Diamond and the famous La Peregrina pearl. She also owned what became known as the Taylor-Burton Diamond.
Elizabeth Taylor’s Shah Jehan Diamond is an 88.7-carat yellow diamond discovered in India around 1450 and given in 1621 to Queen Mumtāz, the favorite wife of Shah Jehan. The gem is inscribed in Parsee with the words “Love Is Everlasting.” A diamond seemingly taken from a storybook, it appeared and disappeared throughout history until Richard Burton gifted it to Elizabeth Taylor on her fortieth birthday.
“I would have liked to buy the Taj Mahal for Elizabeth,” Burton once joked, “but it would have cost too much to transport it.” Thus, it became known as the Taj Mahal Diamond.
Another extraordinary gem in Elizabeth Taylor’s collection was the La Peregrina pearl—a large, pear-shaped white pearl and the largest ever discovered. Found in 1513 in the Gulf of Panama, its history is as remarkable as its beauty.
The pearl became part of the Spanish Crown Jewels under King Ferdinand V and later passed to King Charles V. In 1556, it was gifted to Queen Mary I of England, who was often depicted wearing it in portraits. After her death, the pearl returned to Spain, remaining there for 250 years.
In 1808, Napoleon Bonaparte captured Spain and carried the pearl with him, earning it the name “La Peregrina”—the Wanderer. Over the centuries, it traveled between Spain, France, and England before Richard Burton purchased it for Elizabeth Taylor in 1969.
Elizabeth wore the pearl often, including in several films she starred in with Burton. She famously recounted a moment when her dog accidentally swallowed the pearl—fortunately, it was recovered unharmed.
In 1968, Richard Burton purchased a flawless 69-carat diamond for Elizabeth, originally known as the Cartier Diamond after Cartier paid a record $1,050,000 at auction. Burton bought the stone the following day and renamed it the Taylor-Burton Diamond.
Elizabeth first wore the pear-shaped diamond publicly at Princess Grace’s 40th birthday party in Monaco. In 1978, she sold the diamond to fund the construction of a hospital in Botswana.
In her book, Elizabeth shared a humorous story involving Lucille Ball, who once tried on the famous diamond while Liz and Richard were visiting the set of The Lucy Show. The ring got stuck, causing momentary panic before it was finally removed amid laughter.
Elizabeth Taylor’s love for jewelry was unmatched, but her philosophy about ownership was even more remarkable. She once said:
“I don’t believe I own any of my jewelry. I believe that I am their custodian—here to enjoy them, to give them the best treatment in the world, to watch after their safety, and to love them.”
She also reflected:
“Nobody ever owns anything this beautiful. We are only the guardians.”
Putting it all in perspective, Elizabeth once remarked:
“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.”