It’s been 15 years since Elizabeth Taylor, one of the most enduring stars of Hollywood’s golden age, passed away. Taylor died on March 23, 2011, at the age of 79 after a long battle with congestive heart failure. A decade and a half later, the iconic actress who was married eight times to seven different husbands, has only grown larger in culture. Just last year, Taylor Swift named a song on her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, after the late actress.
Along with two Oscars and a Golden Globe, Taylor had an impressive jewelry collection. The actress collected jewelry her entire life, beginning at age 17, when she got engaged to 29-year-old William Pawley Jr., who gave her a solitaire engagement ring with a cushion-cut diamond. They eventually broke up and Pawley requested the ring back. Along with the ring, Taylor wrote the following letter to her former lover: “I have the ring on now, it shines so beautifully in the sun, I guess this will be the last time I have it on, at least for a while, take good care of it, dear, because my heart is embedded right there in the center.”
Below are some of the most spectacular pieces from Taylor’s impressive jewelry collection.
