One of Elizabeth Taylor’s greatest passions was jewelry, and over the years, she has amassed one of the world’s foremost collections.
She is also one of Hollywood’s greatest stars and legends.
By the time she was in her 30s, Elizabeth Taylor already owned an impressive set of Burmese rubies and diamonds from Cartier, a fantastic emerald and diamond suite from Bulgari, and the 33.19-carat Krupp diamond, a gift from Richard Burton.
That ring was later eclipsed by a subsequent gift from Burton when he bought a staggering 69.42-carat pear-shaped diamond. Newly named the “Taylor-Burton Diamond,” it catapulted Elizabeth Taylor into that rarefied pantheon of great jewelry collectors.
In this revealing book, Elizabeth Taylor offers a personal guided tour of her collection. She takes us into her confidence, sharing personal anecdotes, witty asides, and intimate reminiscences about her life, her loves, and her collection.
Whether talking about the famous La Peregrina pearl, which was briefly abducted by a household pet, or chatting about a childhood gift to her mother, Elizabeth Taylor shows herself to be the most seductive of storytellers: direct, irreverent, and charming.
Complementing the stories are 125 stunning new photographs of her most remarkable pieces, specially commissioned for this book, and more than 150 rarely seen images (many from Elizabeth Taylor’s personal collection) of the star wearing her jewelry over the course of almost sixty years.
We see her as a young ingenue of fifteen wearing what would be the first of many charm bracelets, and again, equally dazzling, as a mature woman, wearing the famous Duchess of Windsor diamond brooch, which she purchased to benefit AIDS research.
“Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair with Jewelry” marks the first time this beautiful jewelry will be seen together as a collection.
Lavishly produced and illustrated, the book has an introduction by the world-renowned authority on jewelry, Francois Curiel, of Christie’s. It is for those who are enchanted by this most incandescent and enduring star, for those who cherish and dream of jewelry and, most importantly, for those who believe in the true meaning of love.
This book is a fabulous display of unbelievable glamor, assembled over a lifetime by one of the most extraordinary women in the world.
