68 carat weightfound in South Africa, the Taylor–Burton diamond captured the world’s attention after being gifted by the actor, Richard Burton, to his then-wife, Elizabeth Taylor, for the modest price of $1,100,000. He had never before paid himself such a sum for a jewel. In fact, the most expensive that had been auctioned up to that moment had a price of 305,000 thousand dollars.
Its first owner was Harriet Annenberg Ames., sister of billionaire publicist, Walter Annenberg. The ostentation of the diamond was too much for the troubled streets of New York, so she Harriet decided to sell it, because she did not feel safe wearing it.
Before the auction, the diamond traveled to Sweden so that Elizabeth could see it. The year was 1969. The fight would not be easy. In addition to Burton, wealthy personalities such as the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, the shipping magnate, Aristotle Onassis, and the jeweler, Harry Winston, were interested in the gem. The first offer was for 200,000 dollars, then it went to 500,000 but only left nine interested. Ultimately, two people were able to stand by the $650,000 offer.
Richard Burton had decided to offer up to a million dollars, but the tycoon, Robert Kenmore, exceeded his offer with a million one hundred thousand. The actor was furious when he found out that he had failed to get the diamond for his wife. Burton wrote in his personal journal that whatever he was, even if he had to pay two million dollars, he was going to get the diamond.
The next day, he persisted with his attorney and was able to buy the jewelry from Kenmore for $1,100,000. Burton’s impetus for having that diamond, as he recounts in his diary, was because of the want to show his incomparable love towards Taylor. Among one of the conditions of sale established by Kenmore was the ability to exhibit the jewel in New York. The Cartier store where the exhibition was held received 6,000 people daily.
The The jewel’s final debut took place on Grace Kelly’s 40th birthday, princess of Monaco. Elizabeth Taylor requested that instead of a ring, she could wear it in a necklace. Cartier commissioned the arrangement, so after traveling with armed security guards from the United States to Monaco, the Taylor-Burton diamond made its first appearance on the famed actress’s neck.
Everything was rosy until the love story between Taylor and Burton ended in 1978. Elizabeth decided to put an end to all traces of her ex-husband, including the precious jewel. The next owner would be the New Yorker, Henry Lambert, who paid between an unknown figure of around three and five million for the diamond. Some of the money Taylor got was used to make a hospital in Botswanacity where the actors married a second time in 1975. Today the Taylor – Burton diamond belongs to the private collection of Robert Mowawad.