My Love Affair with Jewelry
“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, François 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 glamour, assembled over a lifetime, by one of the most extraordinary women in the world.” [From the book jacket]
In 2002, Elizabeth Taylor lifted the lid on her legendary jewelry collection with the publication of her fourth book, My Love Affair with Jewelry. It gave her the chance to “share my collection with others so that they could get a glimpse of the joys, the thrills, and the pure happiness that these beautiful creations have given me.”
“The stories that accompany these pieces of jewelry have sort of tumbled out, some of them ‘old friends’ by now, others I hadn’t recalled for years until I really began thinking about this book,” she explains in a Note to the Reader. “Looking at these beautiful pieces of jewelry has invariably stirred up many moving memories and reminded me of some truly outrageous times. So here, in my own words and as I remember them, are my cherished stories about a lifetime of fun and love and laughter.”
The pieces range from the historical, such as the Mike Todd antique diamond tiara and La Peregrina pearl, a gift from Richard Burton, to the sentimental. The latter category includes the charm bracelets inscribed with the names and birthdates of her four children, and a necklace of antique ivory theatre tickets bequeathed to Elizabeth by her “surrogate mother,” legendary Paramount costume designer Edith Head.
The idea for My Love Affair with Jewelry came from Elizabeth’s longtime assistant and friend, Tim Mendelson, who undoubtedly knew the great interest her fans and the public would have in getting an intimate glimpse at her collection and the stories behind them.
Elizabeth dedicated the book to “my beloved” Mike Todd and Richard Burton, “the two greatest loves of my life”, as well as her four children, “without whom there would have been no life.” Her memories are accompanied by 275 photographs—125 of them by John Bigelow Taylor, commissioned especially for the book, and many of the others are from Elizabeth’s personal collection.
An Important Jewelry Auction To Benefit The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation
In celebration of the book’s publication, “An Important Jewelry Auction To Benefit The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation,” sponsored by InStyle magazine, was held at Christie’s New York on September 26, 2002.
Many of Elizabeth’s favourite jewelry houses donated pieces especially created for the auction, including Boucheron, Bulgari, Cartier, Jar, L.T. Nakamura & Co., Tiffany, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Harry Winston. But undoubtedly the most sought after gem offered in the sale was Elizabeth’s own Bulgari emerald and diamond ring—a treasured engagement gift from Richard Burton and one of the most sentimental pieces in her collection. “[That ring] is a symbol of one of the great moments of my life,” Elizabeth told attendees. “Please know that it is not easy for me to give it away. … My love is inside that ring forever. Only my commitment to AIDS persuaded me to let it go.” The ring, which was estimated to sell for between $40,000 and $60,000, had a final hammer price of $80,000.
The evening, which raised nearly $250,000 for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, was a family affair, as Elizabeth was joined by her son, Chris Wilding, and grandson, Rhys Tivey.
Leading up to the sale and My Love Affair with Jewelry’s publication, an array of Elizabeth’s most famous and important jewels were displayed at Christie’s in New York.