“Big girls need big diamonds…” - Elizabeth Taylor
When it comes to great love affairs - be they historical, on screen or real life - Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's is undoubtedly one of the most famous and most glamorous… and most tumultuous. That’s why we love them, and even years later can’t get enough.
Fans of the pair will go mad for the beautifully made biopic ‘Burton and Taylor’, which follows the husband and wife as they reunite to perform the 1983 stage production of Noel Coward's play, 'Private Lives'. The dashing -and seriously talented- Dominic West plays Richard Burton, whilst the fabulously mad Helena Bonham Carter takes her turn playing the equally fabulous raven-haired actress in the BBC drama. I must admit that I was a little dubious about the latter’s appointment in the role when I first heard about it but DAMN she is good. The perfect balance of cheeky, sexy and more than a little mad, she also looks a right treat in many a serious gown, but we all know when it comes to La Taylor it is ALL about the diamonds.
When it comes to great love affairs - be they historical, on screen or real life - Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's is undoubtedly one of the most famous and most glamorous… and most tumultuous. That’s why we love them, and even years later can’t get enough.
Fans of the pair will go mad for the beautifully made biopic ‘Burton and Taylor’, which follows the husband and wife as they reunite to perform the 1983 stage production of Noel Coward's play, 'Private Lives'. The dashing -and seriously talented- Dominic West plays Richard Burton, whilst the fabulously mad Helena Bonham Carter takes her turn playing the equally fabulous raven-haired actress in the BBC drama. I must admit that I was a little dubious about the latter’s appointment in the role when I first heard about it but DAMN she is good. The perfect balance of cheeky, sexy and more than a little mad, she also looks a right treat in many a serious gown, but we all know when it comes to La Taylor it is ALL about the diamonds.
So, also playing a starring role in the drama are the jewels for which the diva was so famous. In fact, Elizabeth Taylor had one of the most valuable collection of jewels of our times, which ranged from historically significant pieces such as the La Peregrina pearl - much to the chagrin of the Spanish Royal Family - and the 17th century Taj Mahal diamond, to contemporary pieces by jewellers such as Cartier and Bulgari. She used to joke to Burton that the only Italian word she knew was Bulgari, and was such a diamond lover that she even launched a series of dubious smelling fragrances in their honour that were - astonishingly - worldwide successes, and still being released on a regular basis. And unlike celebrities today, who are loaned jewels to wear on the red carpet, Taylor owned her jewels and wasn’t afraid to flaunt them, and so they became almost as famous as the actress herself.
Many of Taylor’s jewels were created by the legendary Cartier, who would have a jeweller or two follow the handsome pair around the globe, making sure that Ms. Taylor got just what she wanted, when she wanted. In the unmissable ‘Burton and Taylor’ you will be able to spot Bonham-Carter wearing a pink gold Cartier Love bracelet, set with four diamonds. Loaned to the producers of 'Burton and Taylor', who wished to use jewellery that best reflected Liz's taste, it is an absolute stunner and definitely a piece I would like to land on my wrist on any given day. AS IF.
One of the most famous of Liz’s jewels was the Taylor-Burton diamond, which was acquired by Cartier at auction in 1969. Less than 48 hours later, Richard Burton had bought what was then the twelfth largest diamond - and the largest privately owned diamond - in the world at the time as a gift for Elizabeth Taylor. The dashing Burton - clearly concerned that another star would snap it up and steal his thunder as one hell of a ‘gifter’ - bought the impressive white diamond and presented it to Taylor, who fell in love with the 69.42-carat pear-shaped diamond on sight. It was originally set in a ring, "but even for me it was too big," Taylor said, which is saying something, "so we had Cartier design a necklace". She famously wore the all-diamond necklace to the 42nd Academy wards in 1970, where it quite rightly stole the show - along with her equally as impressive cleavage.
Burton and Taylor premieres June 22 Sunday 8:30 pm