E-Land pays $8.8 million for 33-carat Elizabeth Taylor diamond ring
The Elizabeth Taylor diamond [AP/YONHAP]
A spokesman for E-Land said the group would put the diamond, set in a ring, on display at its E-World theme park in the southeastern city of Daegu but gave no further details.
E-Land said in a statement the rectangular white diamond was known to have been Taylor’s favorite and was a gift from her fifth husband, actor Richard Burton, in 1968. He paid $300,000 for it.
At a Christie’s auction Tuesday night of memorabilia amassed by the late actress, the diamond ring sold for $8,818,500. It had been estimated to sell for $2.5 million to $3.5 million.
Taylor’s jewelry collection sold for a record-setting $115 million in total, including more than $11.8 million for a pearl necklace. The pearl, diamond and ruby necklace, known as “La Peregrina,’’ reached the world-record price of $11,842,500. It had been estimated to sell for $2 million to $3 million. The price surpassed the previous auction record for a pearl, set in 2007 with the sale of The Baroda Pearls for $7,096,000. Burton bought the necklace at auction in 1969 for Taylor for $37,000.
Taylor, a screen goddess who starred in classics such as “Giant,’’ “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’’ and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,’’ died in Los Angeles in March at age 79.
A jewelry lover, she had pieces from some of the most famous names in the jewelry world, including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Chopard, in her collection.
Among the other high-profile items was a diamond bracelet given to the “National Velvet’’ and “Cleopatra’’ actress by singer Michael Jackson, with an estimated sale price of $30,000 to $50,000. It sold for $194,500. All prices include the buyer’s premium.
Taylor’s collection of impressionist and modern art is scheduled to go on sale at Christie’s in London in February.
AP
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)