The second day of auctions devoted to the jewelry collection of Elizabeth Taylor raised $21.3 million, with again 100% of the lots sold . This brings the combined total for the sales of fine jewelry from her Collection to $137.3 million, making it the most valuable sale of jewelry in auction history.
The top lot of the Day Sale sessions was an exquisite antique natural pearl and diamond necklace dated circa 1860 that Richard Burton gave to Elizabeth Taylor in 1968. Featuring a pear-shaped pearl drop reminiscent of her historic “La Peregrina” pearl, the antique necklace was chased by multiple bidders who drove the final purchase price to $1.48 million. In similar fashion, the most anticipated items of the day – The Burton Wedding Bands – became the subject of a spirited bidding battle between a bidder on the phone and in the room. The gold and diamond rings (pictured above), which were given to Elizabeth Taylor by Richard Burton upon their marriages in 1964 and 1975, were estimated at $6,000-8,000. The final sale price was $1.02 million.