It’s November 10, 2011, a blustery fall day in Geneva, and Christie’s international auction firm is holding a “tea and champagne reception” for the media at one of the 5-star waterfront hotels, its façade decked out with dramatically lit banners of legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor wearing a diamond tiara.
The press package with its quote from Marc Porter, Chairman and President of Christie’s Americas, makes no bones about what the big deal is all about: “From her most jaw-dropping diamonds, gems, and one-of-a-kind historic jewels… Elizabeth Taylor’s magnificent collection of jewels promises to captivate the auction world this fall. This is without a doubt the greatest private collection of jewelry ever assembled in one place, and Christie’s is honored to have been entrusted with the global tour of the collection this fall, and the sale of the collection in its entirety this December.”
All told the jewelry collection encompasses 269 pieces.
A Story of Taylor's Great Loves
If the event holds big-time wow-factor for potential buyers, gemologists, historians of all stripes and more, it’s also compelling if one is none of those things because it tells a good story.
François Curiel, President of Christie’s Switzerland and International head of Christie’s Jewelry Department, told reporters that Christie’s was contacted in February 1998 by Taylor’s lawyer and asked to compile an inventory and estimate the collection. Taylor is said to have had three great loves in her life: husbands Mike Todd and Richard Burton – and jewelry.
Curiel and colleagues flew to Los Angeles and began work at Taylor's home, in the absence, he says, of much documentation about the pieces. But after a couple of days, Taylor herself put in an appearance and worked with them for the rest of the process, commenting on each piece. Her knowledge of jewels surprised him, Curiel said: “It was like talking to a professional.”
“She possessed an expert’s eye for craftsmanship, rarity, quality and history. She collected the best pieces from the best periods, and as a result her collection boasts exquisite examples from the most celebrated jewelry designers.”
“She always planned to offer her collection of jewelry at auction,” Curiel added.
The Crown Jewels of Hollywood
Fast forward, and some six months after the actress’s death in March 2011 at the age of 79, highlights from “The Crown Jewels of Hollywood” are on a road tour, and a set of five catalogues that sells for $300 is out.
Alongside The Legendary Jewels, there is another catalogue of jewelry, one for Taylor’s haute couture clothes, another for fashion and accessories, and one for fine and decorative art and film memorabilia including costumes.
Geneva is the first continental European stop of a global road show that will take the jewels on to Paris and then Hong Kong before heading to New York where they come up for auction sale on December 13 and 14, 2011. The fashion, art and memorabilia are being sold between December 14 and 16.
Christie’s will be giving a portion of profits generated by “admissions, events and select publications” to the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF).
Gifts from Todd, Fisher, Burton – and Michael Jackson
Over 40 of the 65 lots on exhibit in Geneva were given to Taylor as gifts – the lion’s share (23) by Richard Burton, to whom Taylor was married for ten years (from 1964 to 1974) and then again for nine months in 1975-76.
Of Taylor’s six other husbands, only Michael Todd, who died in a plane crash in 1958 just a year after he and Taylor were married, and Eddie Fisher, to whom Taylor was married from 1959 to 1964, gave her jewelry featured in this selection – Todd an extraordinary ruby and diamond necklace, bracelet and earrings from Cartier, an antique diamond tiara, and some diamond ear pendants and Fisher four pieces by Bulgari: an emerald and diamond brooch, and exquisite yellow diamond earrings, ring and brooch.
Her friend Michael Jackson gifted her with seven of the items in the selection, including a Geneva-made diamond encrusted Vacheron Constantin watch.
But the most "jaw-dropping" pieces are those from Burton, starting with the Bulgari emerald and diamond brooch he gave her for their engagement. For their marriage in 1964, he followed up with an emerald and diamond necklace (illustrated, with the brooch suspended from it) by the same maker, and then a matching bracelet for Taylor’s 35th birthday in 1967.
Christmas 1967: a Van Cleef & Arpels diamond brooch. Christmas 1968: ruby and diamond ring by the same maker. In 1968 he also gave her the 33.19 carat diamond ring that became her signature piece. When Taylor became a grandmother in 1971, it was a Van Cleef & Arpels diamond, emerald and gold “granny” necklace and earrings. For her 40th birthday in 1972 there was a Cartier “Taj Majal” diamond, ruby, jade pendant and a Bulgari sapphire and diamond necklace.
But this is by no means all, and after the diamond ring (estimated at 2,5 to 3,5 million dollars) the most important piece in the selection is also from him: a diamond, ruby and cultured pearl necklace fashioned in the 1970s by Cartier with the historic 16th century Peregrina pearl suspended from it. This piece is estimated between 2 and 3 million dollars.
Other stunningly original pieces in the collection are also gifts of Burton, notably the Van Cleef & Arpels kunzite, amethyst and diamond necklace and earrings (illustrated). Amethyst – the color of Taylor's eyes. "Were her eyes really violet?" a reporter asked Christie’s Americas Deputy Chairman Jonathan Rendell, who met Taylor several times. "It was the first thing you noticed about her. First the eyes, then the rest of the person," he replied.
"At last jewelry I can wear!"
François Curiel, in his remarks at the press launch, anticipated questions about how the recession could affect sales results and preempted them by stating that in these uncertain financial times investors were out in droves buying art and jewelry. The Chinese market was also a considerable factor in a strong market, he said.
Rendell, who has been accompanying the jewels on the road show, said that in the firm’s estimation the whole collection of jewelry should bring between 30 and 50 million dollars. “You rarely get to see things as beautiful as this,” he said, although noting that reaction of potential buyers differed: “In Japan, they said the pieces were too big; in Dubai it was ‘At last jewelry I can wear!’”
Farewell, Sweet Love
Having nothing to do with Christie’s or the forthcoming auction, but very much with the event as a story and why the exhibition resonates particularly in Geneva, is this: Richard Burton spent the last years of his life in Céligny, a village in the canton of Geneva. He died, aged 58, in 1984 and is buried in the old cemetery there by a peaceful stream in the forest. Taylor did not attend the funeral, but a paparazzo who had followed her for years and believed he had psychological insight into her was sure she would come to pay her respects – which she indeed did, in the dark of night, accompanied by a daughter and “using battery torches to stumble down the slippery path” according to the account published in The Independent.
The article continues: "Miss Taylor knelt in front of what was then a simple wooden cross bearing her former husband's name, clasped her hands in prayer and whispered: 'Oh, Richard, oh, Richard.' Only Miss Todd, Lennox and his colleague ever heard those words. But the pictures told the story around the world."
The Geneva viewing at Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues is open to the public on November 11 and 12, 2011; admission is free but you need to reserve a ticket, click here for more information.
Sources
- Media launch, November 10,2011, Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva
- www.christies.com/elizabethtaylor
- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/out-of-switzerland-grave-reminder-of-a-latenight-scoop-1460612.html
Gail Mangold-Vine - Based in Geneva, Switzerland, Gail Mangold-Vine is the author of two books. Her work as a journalist is published worldwide.
