Margot Robbie has spent the past few weeks reminding audiences that a press tour can be as carefully crafted as a performance. At the Los Angeles premiere of 'Wuthering Heights' on January 28, the actor delivered her most jaw-dropping look yet, stepping onto the red carpet wearing one of the most legendary pieces of jewelry in Hollywood history, Elizabeth Taylor’s famed Taj Mahal diamond necklace.
The premiere, held at the TCL Chinese Theatre, marked a major moment for Robbie, who stars as Catherine Earnshaw in Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel.
While her black and red Schiaparelli Haute Couture gown drew its own share of admiration, it was the jewel at her neck that instantly became the night’s focal point. The heart-shaped Taj Mahal diamond, set in a Cartier necklace and valued at approximately $8.8 million, once belonged to Taylor and is inseparable from the late star’s epic love story with Richard Burton.
Robbie’s stylist, Andrew Mukamal, selected the necklace as a deliberate reference point. The piece was originally gifted to Taylor by Burton in 1972 to celebrate her 40th birthday, a grand romantic gesture befitting one of Hollywood’s most turbulent and passionate relationships. As Burton famously joked when presenting it to her, “I would have liked to buy her the Taj Mahal, but it would cost too much to transport.”
The necklace’s story, however, stretches back centuries before Taylor ever wore it. The diamond dates to the early 17th century and was first given by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahangir to his wife Nur Jahan. Inscribed on the pendant in Parsee, a Persian dialect, are the words “Love is Everlasting,” alongside Nur Jahan’s name.
After her death, the jewel passed to her son Shah Jahan, who then gifted it to his wife Mumtaz Mahal. When Mumtaz died four years later, Shah Jahan commissioned the Taj Mahal as a tribute to her, inspiring the diamond’s name and cementing its legacy as a symbol of enduring devotion.
Eventually, the jewel made its way to Cartier, which remounted it from its original silk cord. Cartier designer Alfred Durante created the now iconic gold, ruby, and diamond chain, complete with decorative tassels and rondelles.
In 1972, Cartier president Michael Thomas showed the necklace to Burton and Taylor after Burton requested gift ideas ahead of Valentine’s Day and Taylor’s February 27 birthday. Burton secretly purchased it and surprised Taylor during her birthday celebrations in Budapest.
Following Taylor’s death, the necklace was sold in 2011 as part of a larger auction of her jewelry collection, fetching $8.8 million. Its current ownership has never been publicly clarified, adding an air of mystery to how Robbie and Mukamal secured the piece for the premiere. Whether on loan from the Taylor estate or another private holder, the necklace’s appearance on the red carpet instantly bridged Old Hollywood glamour with modern star power.
Robbie paired the historic jewel with a custom Schiaparelli gown fresh off the Paris runway. The strapless design featured a tightly laced bodice and a dramatic red and black gradient skirt reminiscent of flower petals, subtly echoing the gothic intensity of 'Wuthering Heights.'
She completed the look with custom 38-carat diamond earrings by Lorraine Schwartz and a 19th-century ruby and diamond ring from Fred Leighton. Her hair was swept into an elegant updo, with makeup kept soft and natural aside from a pink lip.
Speaking about the inspiration behind her wardrobe choices, Robbie explained to Variety, “This is Wuthering Heights. If we were to make Wuthering Heights into a dress, what would it look like? The idea of it soaking up the ground…and seeping up into the dress. The dark lace and the dark sort of decay.” She added that her outfits throughout the press tour will continue to evolve, saying, “Our outfits are going to evolve throughout the press tour to cover some of the seats and ideas in the film.”
The parallels between the necklace’s history and the film’s themes were not lost on the creative team. Director Emerald Fennell has noted that she, Robbie, and co-star Jacob Elordi often discussed Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton while shaping the relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff. Like Taylor and Burton, the fictional lovers are defined by obsession, volatility, and an unbreakable bond.
That intensity extended beyond the screen. Robbie told Fandango that she became “codependent” on Elordi during filming, a dynamic that developed “quite quickly.” Elordi echoed the sentiment with his own affectionate observation.
“We have a mutual obsession. If you have the opportunity to share a film set with Margot Robbie, you’re going to make sure you’re within five to 10 meters at all times, watching how she drinks tea, how she eats her food.” He added, “She’s just, like, an elite actor.”
With 'Wuthering Heights' set to premiere on February 13, Robbie’s red carpet appearance felt like more than a fashion moment. Wearing Elizabeth Taylor’s Taj Mahal necklace, she stepped into a lineage of cinematic romance, honoring a love story that helped define Hollywood while ushering in a new interpretation of one of literature’s most haunting tales.