Marilyn Monroe's enduring legacy extends far beyond her iconic performances and the silver screen. A century after her birth, her influence on jewelry, particularly diamonds, remains a captivating and influential force in pop culture. This article delves into Monroe's most memorable diamond moments, exploring how her connection to these precious stones has inspired generations of stars and continues to shape the way we view and collect jewelry today.
Monroe's Diamond Moments
'Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend'
One of Monroe's most iconic performances, 'Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend' from the 1953 musical comedy 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,' solidified her status as a diamond icon. While she didn't wear real diamonds in the film, her performance immortalized them in popular culture. Dressed in a shocking pink satin gown and opera gloves, Monroe's Lorelei Lee character descends a grand staircase, proclaiming the virtues of diamonds over less dependable suitors. This scene remains one of cinema's most enduring celebrations of diamonds, and it's no surprise that it has inspired countless homages in fashion and pop culture.
The Moon of Baroda Diamond
During the press tour for 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,' Monroe wore the legendary Moon of Baroda diamond, a 24.04-carat fancy yellow diamond with an antique pear shape and exceptional clarity. This diamond has a dark and enduring legend, said to bring misfortune to those who possess it after it crosses a sea or ocean. Monroe's pairing of the diamond with a simple leather cord for publicity photographs proved so successful that she continued to lend it throughout the film's promotional tour. Her exclamation of 'It's gorgeous' upon first laying eyes on the jewel and her signature on a photograph, 'To Meyer, Thanks for the chance to wear The Moon of Baroda!' further solidified the diamond's place in her legacy.
Joe DiMaggio's Diamond Eternity Band
In contrast to her over-the-top bombshell glamour, Monroe's engagement ring from baseball legend Joe DiMaggio took a more understated route. The platinum eternity band featured 36 baguette-cut diamonds, and in 1999, the ring was sold at a Christie's auction for a whopping $772,500. However, there have been suspicions that Monroe was actually wearing a different ring during her courthouse wedding in 1954. According to Scott Fortner, founder of The Marilyn Monroe Collection, the original diamond engagement ring is believed to have been a DiMaggio family heirloom that served as a placeholder for the hurried ceremony. Beyond that, little is known about the ring's origins, and its current whereabouts remain a mystery.
Arthur Miller's Diamond Art Deco Watch
Monroe's third husband, the famous playwright and author Arthur Miller, is rumored to have gifted her a 1930s diamond and platinum Art Deco-inspired cocktail watch, made by Blancpain. Set with 71 round-cut diamonds and two marquise-cut diamonds, the watch was included in a 2019 exhibition entitled 'Timeless Elegance,' featuring personal belongings and a curated selection of photographs of the beloved American actress. According to Watchonista, the President and CEO of Blancpain, Marc A. Hayek, said, 'We are particularly proud to present for the very first time this cocktail watch owned by Marilyn Monroe. Especially since Marilyn Monroe had very few pieces of jewelry, despite the memorable 'Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend,' which she loved to sing.'
Monroe's Legacy
Monroe's influence on diamond style has echoed across generations of pop culture icons. In 1991, Madonna paid tribute to the screen legend at the Academy Awards, performing 'Sooner or Later' in full Marilyn mode. Wearing an archival beaded white Bob Mackie gown and an estimated $20 million worth of Harry Winston diamonds, Madonna delivered one of the most memorable Monroe homages in fashion history. More than three decades later, Sabrina Carpenter revisited the same glamorous reference point at the 2024 MTV VMAs, wearing the very same archival Bob Mackie gown and an impressive suite of De Beers diamonds.
A century after her birth, Monroe's legacy endures not only through films and photographs but through the enduring relationship she forged between natural diamonds and glamour. More than 60 years after her untimely death at age 36, the woman who made diamonds a girl's best friend continues to inspire the way we wear, collect, and dream about jewelry. Her influence on diamond style has shaped the way we view and collect jewelry today, and her iconic performances and personal life continue to captivate audiences worldwide.
