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Tomorrow, the Knightsbridge Jewels sale at Bonhams London will include 11 jewels owned by Dame Joan Collins (of Dynasty fame), and there’s a little bit of Alexis Colby—the role that made her famous—in all of them.
Here’s one with a fun story: The turquoise, sapphire, and gold necklace below was given to Collins by actor Warren Beatty, then her fiancé, on the occasion that he landed the lead role in the film Splendor in the Grass (1961). They were living in New York in the apartment of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward at the time.
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Carole Gordon, head of jewelry, Bonhams Knightsbridge, said in a statement: “Dame Joan Collins is known for her Hollywood glamour, as well as her enthralling stories. In her jewelry we find both.”
The jewels in this sale deliver on all fronts, almost as if Collins knew that 32 years after the series she starred in ended the world would be desperate for some Dynasty-level dressing up, and she’d need to have some options for us at the ready.
In the summer issue of Bonhams’ in-house magazine, Collins is quoted as saying: “I do buy jewelry for myself as a reward. It’s something I highly recommend. I think more women should do it.… I do hope my jewels in the sale will inspire women. Now we are edging into a more normal life, aren’t we all looking forward to putting on a fabulous frock, piling on jewelry, and plunging into the fray?”
I picked out some very apropos contenders, below. (Collins prepared remarks on each piece in the sale, and I’ve included them here.)
We’ll start with my favorite, a perfectly 1980s gold torque.
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Top: Lot 103: ruby, diamond, and enamel dress ring. “I bought this during Dynasty during the 1980s. I saw it in Beverly Hills Jewellers and thought it very original and unusual. I actually wore it in Dynasty, as it felt like an extension of Alexis’ personality.” Live bids for Bonhams’ Knightsbridge Jewels sale start at 6 a.m. ET. (All photos courtesy of Bonhams)
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