The collection of necklaces and tiaras of the princess of Monaco or the ring of more than USD 8 million from Taylor and "The Pilgrim", are some of the pieces that the stars had in their personal collections
Diamonds are any woman's best friend. This is how Marilyn Monroe expressed it during the highly honored scene in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and how right she was. There isn't a true movie star who hasn't worn stunning jewelry.
From Grace Kelly's lavish collection of necklaces and tiaras to Elizabeth Taylor's $8 million-plus emerald necklace and ring, here are just a few of the pieces actresses have had in their personal collections.
Elizabeth Taylor loved jewelry. Boucheron, Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Bvlgari, and Van Cleef & Arpels; all of them fed the lavish collection of the protagonist of the 1973 film, Cleopatra.
Liz's collection was one of the most important private jewelry collections in the world, second only to Queen Elizabeth II: it comprised 270 pieces and was auctioned in 2011 by Christie's auction house. The sum that was collected was scandalous: USD 137 million.
A 19th-century tiara, sets of bracelets, necklaces, earrings, a very famous emerald necklace and bracelet set, and a necklace that belonged to an emperor. Liz Taylor has collected so many pieces of jewelry that it's hard to choose which one is the most outstanding.
It could be the ring with the Krupp diamond, which Richard Burton gave her in 1968, which she bought in New York for USD 300,000 and was later renamed Elizabeth.
According to the auction house, it is a ring of approximately 33.19 carats with a color grade D and a purity grade VS1, which at the time of its sale in 2011 reached the sum of USD 8 million 818,500.
Among other gifts that the actor, and one of Elizabeth's seven husbands, gave the actress, a heart-shaped necklace made of jade and diamonds also stands out, which, according to what has emerged, belonged to the emperor of India Shah Jahan in the 17th century. XV.
She also received a tiara worthy of royalty dating from the 19th century and Cartier's Pilgrim, a necklace composed of pearls, diamonds, rubies, and a drop-shaped pearl pendant, called "La peregrine" which has its own history and is the most famous pearl in the world.
The diva of the Mexican Golden Age, María Félix, was a great fan of luxury jewelry. For this reason, important jewelers such as the French house Cartier and the American Harry Winston adorned her neck, ears, and wrists on multiple occasions.
However, the pieces in the “The Lady” jewelry collection are completely out of the ordinary. These are reptiles or amphibians that were replicated in gold and adorned with emeralds and rubies at her own request.
According to reports, María went to the Parisian store Cartier in 1968 and asked that they make her a snake necklace that was made with platinum, white gold, and yellow gold, 2,473 diamonds (a total of 178.21 carats), two emeralds in the shape of pear (eyes), and green, red and black enamel.
That necklace took two years to make. Subsequently, María Félix repeated a commission to the house, and in 1985 she asked that an exact copy of a small crocodile be made using precious stones and metals.
The crocodile necklace is made of gold and has two emeralds and two ruby cabochons as eyes, more than a thousand fancy yellow diamonds, and more than a thousand emeralds.
Among other pieces in María Félix's collection are the fabulous gifts from some of her partners, in the case of Jorge Negrete, who gave her an emerald necklace valued at 300,000 pesos or the Beetle necklace, made of 18-carat gold, chalcedony, onyx, and diamonds.
Grace Kelly: A Collection of Diamonds and Pearls
Various tiaras were also added to these luxurious pieces, including the “Kelly Diamond Tiara”, comprised of 214 modern-cut diamonds and 43 baguette-cut diamonds, and the Tiara Sea Baths, embellished with ruby and diamonds.
In addition to her fondness for diamonds, the actress who rose to fame thanks to her work with director Alfred Hitchcock adored pearls: “I favor the use of pearls on screen and in my private life. A woman needs strings and strings of pearls,” she expressed in 1950 when she was questioned about her taste in jewelry.
Grace wore multiple pearl pieces, however, she highlights a pearl and diamond necklace from the French store Van Cleef & Arpels. This piece is composed of three rows of pearls and diamond decorations. Finally, after the death of the actress, in 1982, her collection became part of the Palais Princier de Monaco collection, where it is still exhibited.
