Gemstones have been the center of attention in the world of glamour since the beginning of time. And while they have primarily only been a source of wonderment and awe for divas worldwide, some tales surrounding the glitzy sparklers are rather bizarre and worth learning about. However, that’s not to say that all strange gem stories are grim or spine chilling; many are amusing and glaringly mundane (considering they involve some of the biggest names in the elite circle), which in itself is pretty much a treat for a pop culture consumer.
For instance, you’ll find that a mercenary gifted his wife a chunky block of a stunning crystal to make up for calling her masculine. Likewise, a widely popular super sultry seductress lost her oh-so-expensive set of one of a kind earrings while taking a dip in the sea. The world of gemstones is full to the brim with such seemingly banal anecdotes that make for a good laugh if nothing else.
So, here is a quick run-through of some of the most entertaining gemstone moments over the years.
The Taylor Burton Diamond
Known for his saccharine voice, the welsh actor Richard Barton has been a man to many women, which is why he has been behind some of the most whimsical gemstone tales. The first story involving the superstar is quite commonplace for a husband because he had to buy his wife, Elizabeth Taylor, a massive piece of diamond to make up for calling her hands ugly and masculine during a spat at dinner time. The missus used her husband’s (crystal clear) momentary lapse in judgment to her advantage. She demanded the biggest possible diamond on a ring as a compensatory prize that would make her manly hands look small and slender. Consequently, Richard got Elizabeth a 64.27 carat Diamond as an act of penance on his part.
La Peregrina Pearl
The luxuriant necklace landed in possession of the American royalty Elizabeth Taylor in 1969 after passing from the hands of Spanish, French, and English royalty. Elizabeth’s doting husband, Richard Burton, got the jewel for her at an auction by outbidding a prince. However, the American actress carelessly misplaced the magnificent piece of jewelry at a hotel in Las Vegas for a while, only to find it later in her dog’s mouth.
The Taj Mahal Diamond
Yet another diamond tale involving the welsh heartthrob, Richard burton. The Taj Mahal (not the architectural wonder that the Mughal emperor Shahjehan commissioned for his wife Mumtaz) is a blocky, heart-shaped table-cut diamond necklace that was a gift from husband Richard to his wife, Taylor. The power couple made their extravagant purchase public via a press conference.
The Duchess of Windsor’s Panther Bracelet
The remarkable onyx and diamond panther bracelet was the pride and joy of the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson. Also, a notable American socialite, Wallis got the jewel as a gift from husband King Edward VIII, who left the British throne to marry the woman of his dreams.
The Empress Eugene Brooch
Currently, a source of attraction in the French museum, the louvre, the Empress Eugene brooch was once a flashy buckle before becoming a pinnable item. Featuring approximately 26,000 diamonds, the blinding clasp attained its current state at Empress Eugene’s request. Nobody knows why the monarch chose to modify the jewel, but one thing is an established fact that she absolutely loved her large gemstone possession and would often wear it.
The Tiffany Diamond
Sporting a refreshing yellow color, the Tiffany diamond was mined in South Africa in 1877. The 126-carat diamond necklace is in possession of Tiffany and Cos and has adorned only one neck till now. Audrey Hepburn wore it for a shoot when promoting the campaign for breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Prince Soraya’s Engagement Ring
Another fascinating gemstone story involving a loving husband and his leading lady. The Iranian princess became the proud owner of the 22-carat diamond ring in 1950 when the shah of Iran presented it to her. The glorious ring, along with all of the princess’s belongings, were auctioned off in Paris in 2002 after Soraya had passed away.
Grace Kelly’s Engagement Ring
Prince Rainier III of Monaco initially gave the love of his life a two baguette diamond ring from Cartier to affiance her. But when he later realized that everyone in Hollywood had much chunkier rocks on their fingers, he ordered a 10.5-carat emerald cut diamond ring from Cartier for his then-wife Grace Kelly.
Kim Kardashian’s $75,000 Earring
The American socialite almost lost her $75,000 earring in Bora Bora. On a family vacation to the splendid island, Kim’s then-fiancé, Kris Humphries, threw her in the water as an act of endearment but what followed his folly was anything but endearing. After giggling for a second in the Bora Bora waters, Kim reached for her earlobe only to find it bereft of her $75,000 earring. Upon the grace revelation, the American model started bawling hysterically before conceding the unlikelihood of finding a tiny piece of jewelry in the massive ocean. Amazingly though, Kris and Kendall Jenner somehow stumbled upon the lost earring the same day during a round of swimming.
The Krupp Diamond
And the chronicles of Taylor-Burton diamonds keep surfacing!
In 1968, Richard Burton gifted his wife Elizabeth a colorless 33-carat diamond ring, which the actress flaunted as a token of love by her beloved husband. But her prized possession became the recipient of a rather unmerited jibe by Princess Margaret at a wedding where both divas were in attendance. The British monarch called Elizabeth’s ring vulgar until she was offered to try it on herself. Indeed, envy can make anyone do irrational things!
The Black Orlov Diamond
Stolen by a monk in India from the eye of a Brahma idol, the sleek and sparkly black diamond now hangs from a gorgeous white chain. However, the mystifying jewel is regarded as a cursed object by many as it has been known to bring violent deaths upon its owners. It was last seen in London during a diamond exhibition at the Natural History Museum in 2005. Supposedly the Orlov diamond now belongs to a mysterious private collector who remains unknown to this date.
Summary
So gemstones are not just glitz and glory; they have pretty sensational stories to their credit that are worth a read and now that you know about these gem follies, why not run down to your local jewelry store and get one for yourself? Say what? You don’t have that kind of financial wealth! Well then, welcome to the rest of us who account for 95% of humans on this planet, but hey, they are nice to read about!