ROCK STARS

Diamonds are a girl's best friend and now they're dazzling in a new exhibition dedicated to Cartier, jeweller of the stars and royalty.

- By SARAH TULLOCH and SIOBHAN MCNALLY

COVERED in glittering Cartier jewels given to her by third husband Mike Todd, Hollywood siren Elizabeth Taylor once proclaimed: "Husbands may not be forever, but diamonds last a lifetime."

Her words were sadly prophetic, as Taylor and Todd were only married for a year before his death in a plane crash.

But, after being given so many opulent gems by the millionaire including the famous Cartier set of ruby and diamond necklace, with matching earrings and bracelet the eight-times married actress called the union the happiest time of her life.

Still as dazzling as the day when Todd gave them to her in France in 1957, with friends including Eddie Fisher - who became Taylor's fourth husband - priceless gems and the stories behind the women who wore them are part of a landmark V&A display.

It is the UK's first major exhibition in almost 30 years dedicated to French jeweller Cartier.

The more husbands Liz acquired, the larger her collection of Cartier grew. Hubby number five and six, Welsh actor Richard Burton, paid a record $1,050,000 (£780,000) in 1969 for a 69.2 carat Cartier rock.

The diamond was flown from Switzerland for Liz to inspect, then to the US auction, where the Hamlet actor had set a $1 million limit but bidding was fierce. He later wrote: "I was going to get that diamond if it cost me my life or $2m, whichever was greater. For 24 hours the agony persisted and in the end I got the bl**dy thing."

After her second divorce from Burton in 1979, Liz sold it and is said to have used the funds to build a hospital in Africa.