A LOVE AFFAIR
BULGARI’S new retrospective exhibition traces not only the stylistic evolution of the Roman jeweller over the course of a century, but also the evolving tastes of women. françois oosthuizen attends the opening of Tribute to Femininity at the Moscow Kremlin Museums
elizabeth taylor’s jewellery collection was renowned as one of the greatest ever assembled. The actress was a passionate patron of Bvlgari — a relationship that deepened when she settled in Rome in the early 1960s to film Cleopatra. Legend has it that she and Richard Burton — both married at the time — fell instantly in love while filming their first scene together, and sealed their affair with magnificent Bvlgari jewels. News of their relationship spread like wildfire, and Bvlgari’s Via Condotti store in Rome even became one of the couple’s favourite hideouts from the paparazzi.
During their turbulent and muchpublicised relationship, Burton took every opportunity to shower Taylor with fabulous Bvlgari jewels — such as a spectacular necklace with 17 Colombian emeralds, presented to the actress as a wedding gift in 1964.
In 2011, five decades after the couple first met, Taylor’s private collection fetched auction records at Christie’s. At this sale and from other private transactions, Bvlgari acquired nine pieces that once belonged to her, which are now in the brand’s Heritage Collection and on display in the Tribute to Femininity exhibition in Moscow.
For Lucia Boscaini, Brand and Heritage Curator at Bvlgari, one of the most significant pieces among these is a sautoir featuring an octagonal pendant with a magnificent 65-ct sugarloaf sapphire, chosen by the actress in 1972 to mark her 40th birthday, and because the intense blue of the gemstone reminded Burton of the colour of her eyes. “It’s probably one of the finest sapphires in the world,” Boscaini says.
“Despite that and its provenance — the fact that it previously belonged to Elizabeth Taylor — it’s also very emblematic of Bvlgari’s style; the quality of the gemstone, the setting, the craftsmanship and also the ‘engineering’. The gemstone was mounted in an elevated manner to allow light through when it’s worn. There are also a number of details that demonstrate Bvlgari’s mastery…this is really one of the most distinctive jewels we have in our collection.”
Boscaini also singles out Taylor’s engagement ring from Richard Burton. “She loved it very much and wore it every day — even after they divorced. In 2001, to raise funds for Aids charities, she decided to sell this rather than one of her other hundreds of jewels, because she really wanted to give a sign of her personal involvement in the cause.”
“We bought back both the ring and the selling certificate, signed by her and with a note that reads, ‘Wear it with love.’ For me, this is extremely meaningful because it shows her