Editor’s Note
This article explores the storied history of the Taylor-Burton Diamond, a legendary gem that became a glittering symbol of Hollywood romance and Elizabeth Taylor’s iconic passion for extraordinary jewels.
This exceptional stone was a symbol of one of Hollywood’s greatest love affairs.
By Jill Newman, Updated: November 7, 2025
(Photo by Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)
Elizabeth Taylor’s passion for glamorous jewels was legendary. Over the years she amassed a remarkable collection from the great houses—Bulgari, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and more. The jewels and diamonds were gifts from husbands, lovers and friends, and many she purchased for herself right up until she died at age 79 in 2011.
One of Taylor’s most famous jewels was the Taylor Burton diamond. It’s unforgettable as much for its beauty and size—a 69.42 carat pear shape diamond—as for the romantic story of how Taylor’s husband Richard Burton chased it down for the love of his life.
Jill Newman is a jewelry authority, editor, and storyteller with over 25 years of experience, having reported from diamond mines in Africa, cutting workshops in India and Belgium, and ateliers around the world.
Taylor owned the diamond for less a decade (after divorcing Burton, she sold it in 1979), and yet it’s still mainly referred to as the Taylor Burton diamond. Perhaps it is because people remember a great diamond—especially when it is tied to a great romance.
This perfect 69.42 carat white diamond, shown as it would look as a ring or pendant, was auctioned in New York for $1,050,000. The buyer was the New York jeweler Cartier. The sale set a record for a single piece of jewelry. Actress Elizabeth Taylor had bid $1 million for the stone.
The story begins in 1966, when a 240-carat rough was uncovered at the De Beers-owned Premier Mine in South Africa. With an eye for exceptional diamonds both rough and polished, American jeweler Harry Winston bought the stone. After months of studying it with his lead diamond cutter, Pastor Colon Jr., the two agreed on a plan. The rock was cleaved in two, with the larger half planned to be cut into a perfectly proportioned 60-plus carat pear shape diamond and set in a ring.
This perfect 69.42 carat white diamond, shown as it would look as a ring or pendant, was auctioned in New York for $1,050,000. The buyer was the New York jeweler Cartier. The sale set a record for a single piece of jewelry. Actress Elizabeth Taylor had bid $1 million for the stone.
Winston sold the unusually large pear shape diamond to Harriet Annenberg Ames, the sister of Walter Annenberg, former United States ambassador in the United Kingdom. But she didn’t keep it for long. In 1969, Ames brought it to New York’s Parke-Bernet Galleries to sell at auction.
