The Asscher cut diamond is a whopping 33.19 carats and is graded by GIA as D-color & VS1 in clarity.
The diamond was a surprise gift from Richard Burton to Elizabeth Taylor in 1968, and without a doubt became the most iconic piece of jewelry in her diamond collection.
The diamond is set in a platinum ring and accented by two tapered baguette-cut diamonds. As a testament to her love for the diamond she wore the ring nearly every day.
Due to her obvious love for this diamond, after her death in March 2011 the ring became one of the most anticipated pieces to be auctioned at the 2011 Christie’s auction of Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry.
The diamond sold for an astonishing $8.8 million – far exceeding the $2.5-$3.5 million estimate.
However this diamond was not the biggest diamond Richard Burton gave to Elizabeth Taylor. He also gifted her a pear shape diamond of an astonishing 69.42 carats. The diamond known as the Taylor-Burton Diamond was the worlds first ever million dollar diamond and was worn by Elizabeth Taylor as a pendant.
Elizabeth Taylor divorced Richard Burton for the second time in 1976. In 1978 Elizabeth Taylor sold the Taylor-Burton diamond for five million dollars. She then used all of the money to build a hospital in Botswana, proving she was not just one of the most beautiful women of our time but also a very thoughtful and generous one.