“White Diamonds” And Elizabeth’s Two Great Loves
Elizabeth’s blockbuster fragrance, “White Diamonds,” earned its place as a classic scent practically from the time of its historically frenzied launch in 1991, and for good reason — the notes of white bergamot, lily, Egyptian tuberose, and jasmine evoke ideas of luxury and feelings of romance. For Elizabeth, selecting this name for such a special perfume was an intentional choice: white diamonds were symbols of passionate love and headline-grabbing romance, with some of the most notable diamonds in her iconic collection gifted by her two great loves: Mike Todd and Richard Burton.
Film producer Mike Todd proposed to Elizabeth in 1956 with a gorgeous 29.4-carat emerald-cut diamond ring — and Elizabeth fondly referred to it as her “ice skating rink.” The couple wed in Mexico the following year, and months later the happy couple celebrated the birth of a baby girl, Liza Todd. Tragically, their relationship was cut short when Mike was killed in a plane crash in 1958, shattering Elizabeth’s world. Elizabeth maintained that Mike was the one she would have stayed with forever, and she kept his memory close to her heart by continuing to wear their engagement ring long after his untimely death. Even today, the legacy of their life-changing love lives on — with that unforgettable “ice skating rink” of a white diamond reminding us of that love.
Years later, on the set of Cleopatra, Elizabeth fell for the other great love of her life, actor Richard Burton. Their love was passionate, tumultuous, and is memorialized in the names of not one, but two remarkable white diamonds, both gifted to Elizabeth by Richard in succession. The famed Elizabeth Taylor Diamond, a 33.19 carat Asscher-cut stone, was previously called the Krupp diamond, and had a sordid history — the diamond had been stolen off the finger of actress Vera Krupp before FBI embarked on a nationwide search and recovered it weeks later, having been found stitched inside of a coat of one of the thieves. In 1968, the diamond was listed by Sotheby’s at a record-high auction estimate of $305,000. Overwhelmed by its beauty and captivated by its story, Elizabeth adored the remarkable stone, and Richard purchased it for her for $307,000. Elizabeth wore the stone regularly for the remainder of her life as part of her on-screen wardrobes and public appearances — including when she was photographed by Bruce Weber for the original “White Diamonds” advertisement. The diamond was ultimately renamed in her honor at the time of her Christie's auction in 2011, where it sold for a record breaking $8,818,500 at $265,697 per carat for a colorless diamond.
The following year, Richard came across a whopping 69.42 carat pear shaped diamond up for auction, and knew that his love Elizabeth had to have it as well. He sent a representative to bid on the stone, with a price cap of $1 million — at the time, this was such an exorbitant amount that he was sure it would secure a win. However, he was outbid by Cartier, who won the stone for $1,050,000. But Richard wasn’t giving up so easily — the following day he offered Cartier $1.1 million for the diamond, and with that, it was Elizabeth’s. Just like their ultra-public relationship, the transfer of the diamond was an event to behold: before entering Elizabeth’s possession, it was displayed for a week at Cartier’s Fifth Avenue store, drawing the attention of nearly 6,000 visitors. Later renamed the Taylor-Burton Diamond, the sparkling stone came to represent the lengths that both Elizabeth and Richard would go for love, and the unparalleled glamour they embodied.
Although these are just few of the many white diamonds gifted to Elizabeth throughout her life, these special stones are emblematic of so much more — the great loves that are forever a part of Elizabeth’s story, and the passion with which she lived her life.
Elizabeth channeled the romance and emotion and history of her own experience with white diamonds into her famed perfume, White Diamonds by Elizabeth Taylor. Experience the romance of White Diamonds for yourself on Amazon.