“Here, in my own words and as I remember them, are my cherished stories about a lifetime of fun and love and laughter…I’ve never thought of my jewelry as trophies. I’m here to take care of it and to love it, for we are only temporary custodians of beauty.” —Elizabeth Taylor“
Elizabeth Taylor was known for her crazy love life. More so, she was known for her extraordinary jewelry and unique sense of style. As Anday Warhol most famously said, “It would be very glamorous to be reincarnated as a big ring on Elizabeth Taylor’s finger.
Liz Taylor was known to have acquired one of the greatest private collections of jewelry in the world with pieces designed by leading jewelers like Boucheron, Bulgari, Cartier, Chopard, Tiffany, Van Cleef and Arpels etc.
Here are six tips to channel your inner gem diva and grab some of the spotlight for yourself like Liz did!
- Size doesn’t matter – Liz’s second husband, Richard Burton bought her the smallest perfect diamond he could find: one-eighth of a carat, along with two other small diamond rings. So, it doesn’t matter how big the diamond is what matters is how much you enjoy wearing the jewelry.
- It’s not what you wear, it’s how you wear it – Liz loved experimenting with her jewelry and the way she wore it. For the Proust Ball in 1972, she wore her own emeralds and diamonds in her hair and added more diamond necklaces on loan from Van Cleef & Arpels. So the next time you get dressed, add a surprising sparkle to in an unexpected place.
- Keep it Real – Liz believed in keeping it real. There was no such thing as fake jewelry. If you wanted to look like a star, it was diamonds or nothing.
- Wear jewels in the pool – Even though, it has been said that jewels are best avoided in the pool, Liz loved showing off the sparkle in the sun. It was in 1957 at a villa outside Monte Carlo. Liz wore a breathtaking ruby necklace and matching earrings. Elizabeth used to always say, “You can’t cry on a diamond’s shoulder, and diamonds won’t keep you warm at night. But they are sure fun when the sun shines.”
- Share the sparkle – Liz loved sharing her jewels with the world. She was always very open to people trying on her jewelry. Liz once lent her $150,000 emerald and diamond brooch to one of Richard Burton’s costars in Hamlet to be used as a safety pin for a broken zipper. Of her jewelry pieces, she used to say, “I don’t believe I own any of the pieces. 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.”
