Bling-Bling Babes

Anjali Thomas takes a look at some of the most famous ‘rocks’ in the world and the women who own them!

Unlike the popular statement, it’s not just diamonds that hold their sway on womankind - sapphires, rubies, emeralds, pearls...the world’s an oyster and these women have the best!

Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford preferred rubies and sapphires. She owned two equally famous, equally historical pieces - the 60 karat Star of Bombay and the 200 karat Star of India. The Star of India is a Ceylonese blue stone weighing 563.35 karats while the former is considered one of the world’s great star sapphires. Though called the Star of Bombay, this sapphire is from Sri Lanka. The artisan who cut this stone accurately judged the perfect orientation in his design in order to bring out the striking reflections inside the gem. It was presented to Mary Pickford by Douglas Fairbanks Sr.

Cora Pearl
She was the greatest and perhaps the most extravagant courtesan and actress of the 19th century. She was so rich that her jewels alone were worth more than a million francs. It is said that while acting, she would drop two diamonds on the stage, and left them for the dresser or the stagehands - whoever found them first. If rumours were to be believed, the buttons on her boots were made of the purest diamonds available. In fact, in one extravaganza theatre critics recalled that she flung her legs up in the air to show the soles of her shoes that were a mass of diamonds! However, she died a pauper.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
She had excellent taste and Aristotle Onassis indulged her every whim and fancy. It is said that he often slipped Harry Winston bracelets into the bouquets he sent her. A lot of this lady’s collection of jewellery was auctioned off at unheard of prices. Some of the jewellery sold at the auction included a 47 karat kunzite ring - a gift from Kennedy, a cabochon garnet flower brooch and a small scarecrow pin in gold, embedded with precious stones that sold for $100,000!

Queen Elizabeth II
The Crown Jewels aside, this queen is said to have so many jewels that she has a special room just for them! Valued at $57 million, most of these exquisite pieces were gifted to her. The famous Timur Ruby and the Prince Albert Brooch (a huge sapphire) are perhaps the most noted pieces of jewellery in this collection.



Elizabeth Taylor
She is the grand dame of jewellery, what with the 33.19 karat Krupp diamond and the 69.42 karat Taylor-Burton. The latter now hangs on a diamond necklace, after Liz decided it was rather big for a ring. Shah Jahan originally presented this heart-shaped yellow diamond, (gifted to her by Richard Burton) to Mumtaz Mahal. Burton also presented her with an emerald and diamond brooch to match the emerald necklace he had given her as a wedding present. Some of the emeralds in the set can be traced back to the Grand Duchess Vladimir of Russia. Another noteworthy gift from Burton was La Peregrina - a pear shaped drop weighing 203.84 grains, which was once owned by the Spanish royal family.

Celebrity Jewellery Box
Serena Williams wore a diamond tennis bracelet by Harry Winston during the US Open. It contains 242 colourless diamonds totalling 12 karats set in platinum. Tennis star Chris Evert had also previously worn a diamond bracelet while playing in the US Open. But unlike the line design worn by Evert, Winston’s updated creation has an ultra-feminine cluster floral motif. Similar cluster designs have been spotted on Jennifer Lopez, Calista Flockhart, Whoopi Goldberg and Madonna. Halle Berry wore the design while accepting her Academy Award for Best Actress.

J.Lo has a 6 karat pink diamond from Harry Winston.

Kate Hudson, Goldie Hawn’s adorable daughter, married rocker Chris Robinson after a whirlwind romance. He proposed to her with an old-fashioned 5 karat Asher-cut diamond in an art-deco mounting.

Director Guy Ritchie put some personal thought into the Edwardian Ring he gave Madonna; the platinum Neil Lane ring had a decorative band and three large stores to symbolise their family.

‘American Beauty’ star Mena Suvari chose to use her birthstones - amethysts and citrines - when she married her husband, cinematographer Robert Brinkmann. The stones are set in an asymmetrical design around a gold band.

Catherine Zeta-Jones sported a 10 karat antique diamond engagement ring from Michael Douglas.

Courtney Cox and David Arquette reportedly have ‘A Deal’s a Deal’ engraved inside their rings.

Before their split, Liza Minnelli sported a teardrop-shaped 3.5 karat diamond ring from David Gest.

Brad Pitt designed Jennifer’s engagement ring - a band of white gold encircled with 20 diamonds. Brad’s matching band holds 10 diamonds. Their names are engraved inside.

At the 2003 MTV Music Awards Madonna and Britney Spears each wore a pavé diamond initial necklace valued at approx $13,000.