Dame Shirley Bassey’s stunning jewellery collection has achieved a remarkable feat at a Paris auction, amassing an impressive total of 2.2 million euros (£1.8 million) as all lots belonging to the legendary singer were sold.
Bassey, who rose to fame in Cardiff’s Tiger Bay, is well-known for her rendition of the iconic title song for the 1971 James Bond film, Diamonds Are Forever, which featured Sir Sean Connery. She has previously stated that she accepted the opportunity to perform the track because the lyrics “rang true” to her.
The auction, part of Sotheby’s Fine Jewels biannual sale held on October 10, dedicated its proceeds to charities chosen by Dame Shirley. Among the standout pieces was her vintage 1960s Van Cleef and Arpels diamond ring, a gift from Sir Elton John, which fetched 48,000 euros (£39,995) — more than three times its estimated value of 10,000 to 15,000 euros.
Another highlight was a Van Cleef and Arpels emerald and diamond necklace, acquired to celebrate her first Royal Variety Performance in front of Queen Elizabeth II, which sold for 174,000 euros (£144,985), exceeding its estimate of 50,000 to 70,000 euros.
Additionally, a vintage diamond brooch from around 1905 was sold for 162,000 euros (£134,991), nearly five times its projected estimate of 26,000 to 35,000 euros. Ahead of the auction, Bassey expressed her lifelong passion for jewellery, recalling her initial love for natural pearls: “I fell in love with jewellery when I first discovered natural pearls as an up-and-coming singer and I bought myself my first string of pearls – the first piece of jewellery I’d ever bought.”
She continued, “However, I quickly graduated to my lifelong passion for diamonds which preceded the recording of Diamonds Are Forever. In fact, I accepted to sing the song because it rang true to me and the way I felt about diamonds then and now. Collecting jewellery for me is like collecting memories and this collection is full of them.”
Dame Shirley Bassey remains a unique figure in music history, being the only artist to have recorded multiple 007 themes and the first Welsh singer to achieve a UK number one single in 1959 with As I Love You. Over her illustrious career, she has secured 12 top 10 singles and eight top 10 albums in the UK.