With their high-wattage glamour and mystique, Hollywood’s classic film stars had the ability to elevate jewelry to mythic stature.
Their sparkling on- and off-screen bijoux, from gold statement bracelets to extravagant diamond-studded parures, instantly became aspirational symbols of elegance.
And the fascination with them endures. Vintage versions routinely break records at auction — in 2011, Elizabeth Taylor’s personal Serpenti watch sold for $974,500, almost 65 times the estimate — and houses reinvent their timeless designs for new generations.
Here’s a look at five leading ladies of the era and their famed jewelry, along with the modern editions of today.
Elizabeth Taylor
When in Rome filming “Cleopatra” in the early ’60s, Elizabeth Taylor collected Bulgari jewels. She famously paraded her newly acquired Serpenti bracelet watch with a secret dial on the Cinecittà set. Her co-star (and later husband) Richard Burton once quipped, “The only word Elizabeth knows in Italian is Bulgari.”
Candice Bergen
After visiting the Buccellati salon in Rome, Candice Bergen donned its spectacular jewelry in “The Adventurers,” a 1970 action-drama filmed in Italy, Colombia and the US. The house’s signature ornate necklace plays a starring role.
Princess Grace of Monaco
Princess Grace of Monaco (née Grace Kelly) mixed and matched her Van Cleef & Arpels’ Alhambra sautoirs in a range of materials from malachite to crystal. The “To Catch a Thief” star wore one of her lucky necklaces in this 1978 photo snapped in Bel Air, Calif.
Jacqueline Bisset
Posed poolside in Cannes in 1976, “The Deep” star Jacqueline Bisset mastered the art of minimalist chic. On her wrist: a Cartier Trinity bracelet featuring three intertwined rose, white and yellow gold bangles. A fan of the sleek collection, she’s also worn the ring.
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo wore Verdura’s Curb-Link bracelet in publicity stills for her final film, “Two-Faced Woman,” in 1941. “La Divina” loved the polished chain bracelet and matching watch so much that she wore them on repeat. Both are considered gold standards.
