It was once the most admired jewels of Liz Taylor’s collection, but now the Taj Mahal, a heart-shaped diamond received from husband Richard Burton on her 40th birthday, is at center of a battle between the buyer, the trustees of the glamorous actress, and Christie’s. A legal squabble which could become an economic and image rebound. In fact, according to the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, the anonymous acquirer, who ended up bidding more than 20 times its estimated value between 300 and 500 thousand dollars, asked and obtained that the sale be canceled. The reason? The stone was not from the seventeenth century Mughal period, although that bears the name of a Shah Jahangir emperor’s wife Nur Jahan. After the sale’s cancellation, Christie’s demanded the return the money paid for the necklace (over $ 8 million), the lawsuit said. But the trustees refused to do so, because they allege that the auction house had never guaranteed the age of the diamond and the request violates the terms agreed. The reaction to Christie’s was not long in coming: to protect itself has retained the proceeds of the sale of one of the rings of Bulgari belonged to the actress that worth nearly $3 million. Match ended in equal then? No, because the counterparty itself denounced the non-payment of some «lost objects», presumably during the auction that, it is worth remembering, has achieved sales of over $ 100 million. Who will win? For now to be defeated is the Elizabeth Taylor Aids Foundation in receipt part of the proceeds, according to the last will of Liz Taylor. Matilde de Bounvilles
