Elizabeth Taylor’s jewellery collection sells for nearly €90m

AN auction of actress Elizabeth Taylor’s world-renowned jewels took in $116 million (€89.4m), more than double the record for a single collection and setting new marks for pearls, colourless diamonds and Indian jewels.

Christie’s sale of 80 items from Taylor’s collection had been estimated to raise about $20m, but everything from her famous 33-carat diamond ring, a gift from Richard Burton, to her charm bracelets sold for many times their estimates.

Just halfway into the marathon four-hour sale, the Taylor collection broke the record for a single-owner jewellery collection set in 1987 when the Duchess of Windsor’s jewels sold for just over $50m.