Dame Shirley Bassey’s jewelry collection has achieved a remarkable milestone, setting a world record at a recent auction in Paris. All items from the singer’s collection sold for a total of €2.2 million (£1.8 million).
Bassey, who hails from Cardiff’s Tiger Bay, is renowned for her iconic performance of the title track from the 1971 James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, starring Sir Sean Connery. She has previously expressed that the song’s lyrics resonated deeply with her, prompting her to accept the offer to perform it.
The auction, part of Sotheby’s Fine Jewels biannual sale held on October 10, saw proceeds directed to charities chosen by Bassey. Among the highlights was her vintage 1960s Van Cleef and Arpels diamond ring, a gift from Sir Elton John, which fetched €48,000 (£39,995)—more than triple its estimated value of €10,000 to €15,000.
Another standout piece, a Van Cleef and Arpels emerald and diamond necklace, commemorating Bassey’s first Royal Variety Performance in front of Queen Elizabeth II, sold for €174,000 (£144,985), surpassing its estimate of €50,000 to €70,000.
Additionally, a vintage diamond brooch dating back to around 1905 sold for €162,000 (£134,991), nearly five times its estimated value of €26,000 to €35,000.
Before the auction, Bassey shared her passion for jewelry, stating, “I fell in love with jewellery when I first discovered natural pearls as an up-and-coming singer and bought myself my first string of pearls—the first piece of jewellery I’d ever bought. However, I quickly graduated to my lifelong passion for diamonds, which preceded the recording of Diamonds Are Forever. Collecting jewellery for me is like collecting memories, and this collection is full of them.”
Dame Shirley Bassey is the only artist to have recorded multiple James Bond themes and was the first Welsh singer to achieve a UK number one single in 1959 with “As I Love You.” She has since amassed 12 UK top 10 singles and eight UK top 10 albums.
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