Marilyn Monroe famously said: “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend,” but it was Elizabeth Taylor who redefined the relationship with her deeply passionate romance of the stone.
Having been married eight times, Dame Elizabeth Taylor acquired a King’s ransom in engagement and wedding baubles before she passed away March 23, 2011. Christie’s, known as a place where extraordinary art mixes with international glamour, was the site of a four day bid-a-thon auctioning many vintage treasures from Taylor’s eclectic collection of dazzlers.
Platinum, twin emerald cut diamonds (Courtesy of Firestone and Parson)
At the December 2011 event, sale of some of Miss Taylor’s trove netted more than $156,900,000. The 16th century pearl “La Peregrina,” the circa 1627 Taj Mahal Diamond, and a circa 1800 tiara were a few of the mesmerizing jewels included in her unique bevy of betrothal bling. Elizabeth Taylor’s discerning eye for gems and appreciation of their timeless drama were two of the many reasons Christie’s auction catalog said of Miss Taylor, “Her greatest achievement was never to lose her relevance or her courage; she challenged convention …”
Taylor’s lifelong love affair with jewels is legendary. Christie’s catalog quotes her as saying of the Asscher-cut stone now referred to as the Elizabeth Taylor Diamond: “When I look into it … the deep cuts which are so complete and so ravishing are like steps that lead into eternity and beyond.”
Fully understanding the relevance of jewelry in the life and times of their customers, William Firestone, of Firestone and Parson, says the company has an inventory of antique/estate engagement and wedding rings produced from the late 19th century to the present. Endeavoring to buy and sell jewelry with discipline and knowledge of the broader market, their suites offer a variety of non-conventional and conventional styles offering both international and domestic flair.
For couples willing to think outside the turquoise box, shopping at legacy jewelry stores or auction sites in and around Boston may engage the en-fianced with something more contemplative than “style of the moment” jewelry lines. Such venues frequently offer a compliment of bands with an extraordinarily broad range of artistic expression.
Platinum and diamond solitaire with pear-shaped side stones (Courtesy of Firestone and Parson)
Couples seeking to explore the craftsmanship of vintage pieces may find working with an independent jewelry vendor will help them find a gem that expresses their passion for period romance. Others hoping to include sentiment into an engagement ring or wedding band may opt to work with a store affiliated with a bench-artisan who can include family stones, gold or platinum into a new setting, producing a ring that reflects both a marriage of family tradition and the couple’s wish for a bright, multi-faceted future.
Firestone says the company, started by his grandfather, maintains relationships with customers over several generations. “Independent jewelers who can trade or re-set existing gems offer the greatest flexibility and can be a price conscious alternative to box stores who sell take-it or leave-it engagement rings,” he said.
Antique yellow gold and diamond c. 1890 (Courtesy of Firestone and Parson)
According to an by the Associated Press, a survey by The Knot found 64 percent of brides in 2013 were involved in picking out their ring and nearly a third helped decide the budget. The article presumes to say that could be one reason the national average spent on an engagement ring — as well as diamond carat size or weight — has been rising.
When it’s time to take the courageous matrimonial “step into eternity and beyond,” be it for the first time or the eighth, visiting an independent jeweler or auction house may offer dramatic alternatives to rings offered by traditional brick-and-mortar stores.
Discerning couples may reject Marilyn Monroe’s chorus that “diamonds are a girl’s best friend,” but it would be wise to consider the vault of Elizabeth Taylor’s glamorous wisdom; when it comes to vows, it’s vintage that wows with far more dazzle than a box full of generic carats!
