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The Most Famous Gems Throughout History: Part 2 – The Krupp Diamond

It was Marilyn Monroe who coined the phrase “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” But, it was Elizabeth Taylor who lived it. In fact, Taylor’s infamous jewelry collection is unmatched to this day.

One of Taylor’s most prized possessions was the Krupp diamond. The 33.19 carat D/VS1 Asscher cut diamond ring was originally worn by Vera Krupp von Bohlen und Halback. Vera was the wife of the German industrialist, Alfried Krupp, who purchased the stone from Harry Winston. During WWII, the Krupps supplied weapons and materials to Hitler’s Nazi regime.

In 1968, Parke-Bernet Galleries in New York put the ring up for auction after Vera’s death. Upon hearing about the auction, Elizabeth was quoted as saying, “I thought how perfect it would be if a nice Jewish girl like me were to own it.” And, thanks to her then husband, Richard Burton, she did just that. Burton won the diamond for his wife in a bidding war that included Harry Winston among others. The winning bid was $305,000, which was the highest price ever paid for a diamond at auction at the time.

In the April 2011 edition of People’s Style Watch, Lesley Messer interviewed Ward Landrigan, the former jeweler who personally delivered the famous stone to Taylor and Burton at their home. Landrigan recalled, “She loved big stones and they really suited her personality.” After answering the door at 7 a.m. that morning, Burton opened the box and called for Elizabeth who came running out in her nightgown.  When presented with the stone according to Landrigan she exclaimed, “Oh s—t!” and tackled Burton, giving him a huge kiss. “In fact, it was so big they knocked the lamp off the table next to the sofa! She gave him a couple of big kisses [and squealed], ‘Oh Richard, I love it! I love it!’” In fact, she loved it so much that she wore it almost every day until she passed away March 23, 2011 at age 79.

In an effort to raise money for Elizabeth Taylor’s AIDS Foundation, Christie’s Auction House will be auctioning off her complete jewelry collection. The collection is estimated to be worth over 30 million dollars, with the Krupp diamond accounting for $3 million of that. It will be interesting to see who will be the next to don this magnificent diamond.