The Krupp Diamond and Pursuit of Perfection
December 15, 2011
Liz wearing the iconic Krupp Diamond
A Memento of Passion
Few love affairs conjure up the fire and ice dynamic of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Over the course of their tumultuous liaison, Burton lavished Taylor with extravagant gifts of diamonds, emeralds and countless other tokens of his mad passion for her. Four years into their first of two marriages together, Burton purchased Liz what has come to be known as the Krupp Diamond. A 33.19 carat Asscher cut (very similar to an emerald cut, though a little more elongated) center stone surrounded by baguette cut diamonds on either side. He won and purchased this brilliant ornamental masterpiece at auction, beating out famed jeweler Harry Winston, paying over $305,000, the highest amount at that time, ever paid for a ring at auction. His only desire, to place this glamorous piece of jewelry, on his lady love’s finger. Once in her possession, it became the crowning treasure of Taylor’s collection, rarely to leave her hand ever more. It was soon synonymous with her persona of elite Hollywood glamour and royalty. Not surprising then, is the outcome, that once again this timeless stone has made its mark, being sold at auction for $8,818,500 at Christies.
The Krupp Diamond
There Can Be Only One
There is only one Krupp Diamond, just as there will only ever be one Elizabeth Taylor. Her life and the heartbreaking love affair she shared with Richard Burton, are the stuff legends are made of. Her passing, as well as the aquisition of her treasures to new guardians, marks the end of a now by-gone era. Taylor once made the statement, she did not feel as though her jewelry were her trophies, rather she was simply here to take care of them. In her honor, I’ve assembled a few pieces that in my mind, stay true to flavor of her style, though no one of course can ever surpass it.
ArtCarved, a name that has become one in the same with chic elegance, has a fabulous line of mens cobalt wedding rings. Liz loved platinum, and cobalt has a fire that burns with the passion of platinum, a fantastic choice for mens rings. They also create a glamorous line of emerald cut ladies engagement rings that are available in a variety of precious metals. Here are some of my favorites.
Annie
Camila
Kaylee