Kim Kardashian Tries on Elizabeth Taylor’s Legendary Bulgari Emerald Necklace

Kim Kardashian has worn plenty of talked-about pieces, but this one comes with a better story than most. She recently tried on a Bulgari emerald and diamond necklace that once belonged to Elizabeth Taylor. Stylist Law Roach arranged the try-on as a birthday gift. The necklace has 16 emeralds surrounded by diamonds, and it holds its own as a piece of jewellery. The Taylor and Richard Burton connection is what people talk about.

Burton gave Taylor the necklace on their wedding day in 1964. They were among the most closely watched couples of their time, and the gift looks like it belongs to that life: green stones, diamonds, and a wife who loved jewellery. People still link the necklace to Taylor first and Bulgari second.

The Bulgari Look

Bulgari was founded in Rome and is known for bold designs and coloured gemstones. Emeralds are a big part of the brand’s look, a punchier choice than diamond-heavy jewellery. Taylor’s necklace fits that style. It was made to be noticed, not to sit quietly at the neckline.

Elizabeth Taylor

In 2011 the necklace sold at Christie’s for $6.13 million. The emerald pendant brooch, made to attach to the necklace, sold separately for $6.58 million, so the brooch went for more than the necklace. Buyers paid for the stones and the craftsmanship, and they also paid for the documented link to Taylor.

Kim Kardashian’s Modern-Day Encounter

Roach’s gift put the necklace back in the news. Taylor shaped Hollywood glamour, and Kardashian’s style reaches millions through social media, so the try-on put the necklace in front of a very different crowd than the auction room did. Most coverage of the piece goes back to its owner and its sale results. Seeing someone wear it again is a change. Some accessories follow a trend for a season. This one keeps its story.

Taylor’s Bulgari necklace has Italian design, a famous marriage, and a documented ownership history behind it. Kardashian’s try-on gave it a new audience without erasing any of that. The sale prices get quoted in headlines. The 1964 wedding gift is what stays with people.