Margot Robbie made a quiet but striking statement on the red carpet at the world premiere of Wuthering Heights in Los Angeles on Wednesday, January 28.
The 35-year-old actor showed up in a sculptural Schiaparelli couture gown, polished and dramatic in all the right ways. Still, it wasn’t the dress that held everyone’s attention for long. It was the necklace.
Why Margot Robbie’s necklace stood out
Robbie wore a historic heart-shaped Taj Mahal diamond necklace, once owned by Elizabeth Taylor. The jewel was set on a gold-and-ruby Cartier chain and, according to a People report, is valued at around $8 million, roughly Rs 74 crore. More than the price, though, it was the history that gave the piece its weight. A single necklace, carrying decades of cinema, romance, and legacy.
The diamond was originally gifted to Elizabeth Taylor by her fifth husband, Richard Burton, on her 40th birthday, 54 years ago. It has long been associated with old-school Hollywood glamour and one of its most famous love stories. Speaking on the red carpet, Robbie said, “It felt like it had a lot of romantic history and felt appropriate for tonight.”
The necklace’s deep connection to India
The story of the jewel stretches back much further. According to Natural Diamonds, the heart-shaped, table-cut diamond is engraved with a Parsi inscription that reads “Love is Everlasting,” alongside the name of Mughal empress Nur Jahan. Experts believe the gem once belonged to her husband, Emperor Shah Jahan, before being passed down to their son. This link to the Mughal era is what earned it the name Taj Mahal Diamond.
How the necklace travelled from royalty to red carpets
In 1971, Cartier acquired the diamond and reworked it with red gemstones and table-cut diamonds. It was set in jade and originally suspended from an Indian silk cord. Cartier’s in-house designer Alfred Durante later created the woven gold-and-ruby chain, complete with adjustable rondelles and tassels at the back. A careful blend of history and modern design.
A year later, in 1972, Cartier president Michael Thomas presented the necklace to Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor during a layover at the International Hotel near Kennedy Airport. It became another moment in their famously dramatic romance. Taylor’s response was instant and heartfelt. “I love this, tell me more about it.”
With this vintage jewel around her neck, Margot Robbie didn’t just complete a red carpet look. She quietly tied her moment to centuries of love, craftsmanship, and cinematic history.
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