Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton-Can't Live With Him, Can't Live Without Him

I liked them best old, drunk and nasty.

We're all familiar with the tempestuous marriages of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton so I won't bore you with their legendary stories.  Sigh...we just don't hear those kinds of tales about today's celebrities. We're much more interested in news of recent plastic surgery, like Meg Ryan's jaw dropping corrective face lift...it's about time she noticed how weird she looked.  Or how scary skinny Kelly Ripa (who looks like she can't wait to throw up in the nearest toilet so she can get rid of that forkful of food she is allowing herself  just because she's being photographed) is.

Meg Ryan as the Joker on the left.  Today, post Joker surgery.

Gag...Ripa looks like a little boy but eats like an anorexic.

Taylor and Burton adored, hated, adored and hated each other. I believe they shared a unique passion for love and life, however, when you have sombrero sized egos, only one can fit in a room. Between both marriages, Burton bejeweled Taylor with some of the most important gems in the world...ever. There are so many...here are the best of them.

The Grand Duchess Vladimir suite started off with the amazing emerald and diamond brooch Liz is wearing.  Burton and Taylor met in the early 60's on the set of Cleopatra. Their love affair caused so much gossip back then you would have thought they were filming porn.  As it was, Liz only showed a little cleavage in the movie. 

Burton built upon the Bulgari Grand Duchess Vladimir Suite in the early 60's when he added this magnificent Bulgari emerald and diamond necklace. Then, he went jewelry crazy.  The necklace pre-auction estimate: $1,000,000-$1,500,000; the pendant: $500,000-$700,000; the ring: $600,000-$800,000; and the earrings: $150,000-$200,000.

 

Burton said the only Italian word Liz new was "Bulgari".  I know a few curse words.

What happens to us?

Tiffany's, Jean Schlumberger, "Night of the Iguana" brooch, 1964.  Estimated pre-auction value $200,00-$300,000.

The Taylor-Burton Diamond, a 69.42 carat, D-IF, pear shaped stone, was purchased by Burton in 1967 from Cartier for $1.1 million.  The stone was quickly re-set into the more frequently seen cleavage necklace Liz dangled between her bubbies, because even Liz thought it was too big to wear as a ring.  In 1978, Taylor sold the stone for $3,000,000, two years after the end of her second marriage to Burton, in part to help fund a school in Botswanna (and is said to have later regretted selling it).  Today, the stone is reported to be in the hands of Lebanese diamond dealer, Robert Mouawad, who paid in the neighborhood of $5,000,000 for it and then had the stone re-cut to a more manageable 68.09 carats. This will not be in the Christie's auction.

The Krupp Diamond (now known as the Elizabeth Taylor Diamond), 33.19 carats, D- VS1, a gift from Burton in 1968 (purchase price then, $305,000).  Previously owned by Nazi sympathizer, Alfried Krupp, Taylor thought it funny a little Jewish girl like her wound up with the diamond.  She wore it almost every day of her life.  Estimated pre-auction value of $2,500,000-$3,500,000.

A close-up of "this old thang".

La Peregrina pearl.  Burton gave Taylor this historical bird's egg pearl in 1961.  It was once owned by Queen Mary I.  Extra necklace sparkly parts courtesy of Cartier.  Estimated pre-auction value of $2,000,000-$3,000,000.

The "Granny Suite".  Burton gave this Van Cleef and Arpels suite to Taylor in honor of her first grandchild at age 39, born in 1971.  Estimated pre-auction value of the necklace is $120,000-$180,000.

Van Cleef and Arpels "Granny" earrings.  Estimated pre-auction value of $25,000-$35,000.

The main component of the Bulgari sautoir is a 52.72 carat sugarloaf Burmese sapphire.  Burton gave this to Taylor in 1972 for her 40th birthday. 

Bulgari sapphire and diamond ring was added later.  Pre-auction value of $600,000.

The Taj Mahal diamond circa 1627.  This historically significant diamond was once owned by the man who built it.  Another outstanding gift given to Taylor by Burton for her 40th birthday in 1972.  Estimated pre-auction value of $300,000-$500,000

It will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for those lucky enough to view Taylor's jewel collection while on tour this fall.  The proceeds of the sale, some of which will benefit the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, will leave a legacy for generations to come. Initial estimates of her collection are around $30,000,000 but experts believe it will be triple that, or more. I just can't believe her children, especially her daughters, are not lusting after at least one of the important gems in her collection - just to remember her by.

Cartier Pearls

LA PEREGRINA PEARL:  In Spanish, la peregrina means "the Pilgrim."  A naturally formed pearl, it is considered one of the most historically important pearls in the world.  Legend has it that in the 16th century, a slave in the Gulf of Panama discovered the pearl and exchanged it for his freedom. (I sure hope he made it out).  King Ferdinand V (1479-1516) made the pearl part of the Spanish Crown Jewels.  It was then passed to his successor, King Charles V (1516-1556).  King Phillip II of Spain gave the pearl to Queen Mary I (Mary Queen of Scots) in anticipation of their marriage in 1554 (there are many portraits of her wearing the pearl which is very cool when you think about it in current times).  It was also owned by Spanish royalty, the Bonapartes of France, and the British Marquis of Abercorn.

The pearl, almost 56 carats in weight, was hanging from a very beautiful tiny pearl and platinum chain necklace when Richard Burton purchased it in 1969 for Elizabeth Taylor. Three years later, Liz and Dick took La Peregrina, along with a copy of a painting of Mary Queen of Scots, to Cartier in New York with a request to have the pearl reset in a necklace similar in design to the one worn in the painting. The new necklace design is based on the necklace worn in the painting from the 16th century.   

Liz's Convincing Conversation to Dick...

Dick....guess what?  I've decided this thing is way way too small and it does not counterbalance my bubbies.  I can hardly stand to wear it.  I must redo the whole thing and make it as ostentatious as possible.  I think I'll copy Queen Mary's necklace from that painting we like.  You know Dick, remember we're British so we're almost like royalty and stuff.  Hell, I deserve it.

The painting of Queen Mary with PMS, by Flemish artist, Hans Eworth, which is believed to have inspired Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.  It shows the monarch wearing the giant pearl known as La Peregrina.  What could Mary possibly be so pissed off at?  Is a pearl the size of a bird's egg too heavy around the neck?  Elizabeth Taylor will look slightly less pissed off when Richard Burton buys the pearl for her 400 years later.

Cartier's hand drawings of Taylor’s new necklace which will hold La Peregrina.  Based on the PMS'ing Queen Mary painting shown above.  

Le Peregrina on Cartier Necklace:  In 1969 Richard Burton gave the magnificent pearl to Elizabeth Taylor for Valentine's Day (hell, I only ever get a card).  Purchase Price:  $37,000.  Shortly after receiving it, Ms. Taylor temporarily lost it later finding it in her dog’s mouth (like my mother used to say, "Gem, you just have too much crap laying around").  Realizing an egg sized pearl on a chain was just not enough, Taylor asked Cartier to design a necklace to hold it.  The new necklace features a double strand of different sized pearls, with ruby and diamond stations interspersed throughout with La Peregrina attached as an elaborate pendant. The centerpiece of the pendant is a floral design consisting of a pear-shaped ruby surrounded by diamonds in a floral pattern. 

The final Cartier necklace which, of course, Liz could have worn anywhere - anytime.

MY MANSION FOR YOUR PEARLS:  In 1916, Cartier put a beautiful double-stranded, natural pearl necklace on tour around Europe, which eventually made its way to New York City.  This necklace was valued at $1.2 million and they were the first pearls to ever be priced over $1 million.  The pearls caught the attention of New York socialite, Maisie Plant, who was married to Morton Plant, the son of a railroad tycoon.  She fell in love with the pearls, however, her husband refused to buy them.  As the couple was planning to sell their mansion on 5^th Avenue and 52^nd St., Maisie decided to offer Cartier her mansion in exchange for the necklace (both were being offered at around $1,000,000) - plus $100.  Cartier accepted and had the mansion turned into their flagship New York store.  The mansion still remains the Cartier Headquarters of New York City and in 1970 was designated a NYC landmark.

She should have listened to Morton.  Maisie's pearls were sold at auction in 1957, a year after her death, for $170,000.  The current value of the Fifth Avenue mansion...priceless.  Silly girl... Maisie Plant.  I'm all about instant gratification but girl, you just did not think this thing all the way through.