TrendsJan 11, 2022
There’s So Much More to Neil Lane Than ‘The Bachelor’EditorsJan 14, 2022
See a Few of Betty White’s Best Jewelry Looks
Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff celebrates the Golden Girl’s jewelry style ahead of what would’ve been her 100th birthday.
Among the best Betty White jewelry looks: this animal homage she wore for the media preview for the Los Angeles Zoo’s annual Beastly Ball fundraiser in 2015. (Photo credit: Jamie Pham/ Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association)
I am a huge fan of “The Golden Girls,” but I have a confession to make. Rose, played by the late Betty White, was not my favorite. In fact, she wasn’t even my second favorite. Those honors go to Blanche (Rue McClanahan) and Dorothy, played by the inimitable Bea Arthur.
Still, I was sad when a call from my best friend on New Year’s Eve afternoon alerted me to the fact that White was gone, a TV legend and the last of the Girls to go.
When people think of White, so many things come to mind—her status as a pioneer for women in the world of television, her stand for civil rights in the 1950s when she refused to boot Black tap dancer Arthur Duncan off her show (which was canceled shortly thereafter), and the importance of Rose and “The Golden Girls” to the LGBTQ community (please see the “72 Hours” episode from season 5).
White was also a lifelong animal lover and advocate and, while she was not a collector on the level of someone like Elizabeth Taylor, I think her jewelry deserves some attention, as does the #BettyWhiteChallenge.
A viral movement, the challenge encourages people to donate $5 to their favorite animal charity this coming Monday, Jan. 17, which would have been White’s 100th birthday. My money is going to Little Wanderers, a nonprofit that helps New York City’s neediest cats.
Happy heavenly birthday, Betty! Now on to the jewels …
Pet Sets
Jewelry, as we all know, is an expression of the personal. It’s worn to remember and honor love ones, and to communicate passions and beliefs.
For White—who cited animals as one of her two (or more) passions while accepting the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010—it was a way to communicate her love of all things wild, and it was done in the most elegant way.
A pair of panda bear earrings set, perhaps, with black and white diamonds appear to be a favorite and I love the big gold elephant earrings she’s wearing in this tribute video the Los Angeles Zoo made.
White also had an enviable collection of statement necklaces, including more than a couple big cats (a personal favorite of mine) and a dazzling diamond elephant she sported at the 2015 People’s Choice Awards, where she took home the award for Favorite TV Icon at the age of 93.
Embed from Getty Images
One of my favorite Betty White jewelry looks isn’t from an awards show, though; it’s fittingly from an event at the Los Angeles Zoo.
At a 2015 media preview for the zoo’s annual Beastly Ball fundraiser, she paired a bold big cat necklace with a sweet little Tiffany & Co. diamond heart given to her by friend and fellow actress Jennifer Love Hewitt and her panda bear earrings.
White’s relationship with the Los Angeles Zoo started when it opened in 1966 and continued for the next five decades.
To understand how much animals meant to her—and how much she meant to them—check out the homepage of the Los Angeles Zoo’s website.
A memorial to White is front and center and it links to an entire page honoring White and her decades of dedication to the zoo, its missions of conversation and education, and its animals.
The zoo has created a tribute fund in White’s honor, in case anyone is looking for an animal charity for the #BettyWhiteChallenge.
Golden Girl
Like Marion Fasel, I love the fashion on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”
The show, which ran from 1970 to 1977, was one of the highlights of Betty’s career, with her role as horny homemaker Sue Ann Nivens garnering her two Emmys.
The characters’ style on Mary Tyler Moore is simple, sleek and classic, just what I like—the mini-dresses, the pantsuits and, my favorite, the plain turtlenecks worn with a few gold chains.
Mary Tyler Moore, who played Mary Richards on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” is pictured in a scene with Betty White as Sue Ann Nivens in 1975. (Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)
A 1974 publicity portrait of Betty White as Sue Ann Nivens on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” a role that won her two Emmy Awards. (Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)
It was #neckmess lite, if you will, and Sue Ann Nivens was here for it.
I love the layered look in this publicity photo of White from 1974, the medallion paired with what looks like two longer gold chains.
Thank you for being on-trend.
The Proposal
In her 1995 book “Here We Go Again,” White tells the tale of what I can only assume were two of the most meaningful pieces of jewelry she ever received and they both came from the love of her life, Allen Ludden.
The way White tells it, Ludden, a widower with three children whom she met while a guest on his game show, “Password,” wanted to marry her. Twice divorced by then, White was understandably a reticent bride.
One night over dinner in New York, Ludden gave White a “beautiful gold wedding ring with a small circle of diamonds,” and told her, “You might as well keep it, because one of these days you’ll put it on for keeps.”
White refused the ring, but Ludden wasn’t giving up. He “put that damned ring on a chain around his neck, where I would be constantly aware of it … This went on for three months,” she wrote.
That Easter, Ludden gave White another piece of jewelry, a pair of “small flower earrings—petals of gold, with tiny diamonds, rubies and sapphires” that were clipped to the ears of a stuffed bunny, with a note imploring her to say yes. (White was also a stuffed animal lover.)
She did. White and Ludden were married on June 14, 1963 and remained married until his death in 1981. She never remarried.
I’ve had a hard time finding any good pictures of either the ring or the earrings. Perhaps I am just missing them, or maybe she found these items difficult to wear following Ludden’s death.
Either way, the last of the beloved Golden Girls gave me plenty to look at—and smile about—over the last couple weeks.
Rest well, Betty.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Editors
The Latest
SurveysMay 19, 2022
5 Predictions for Jewelry Retail in the Second Half of 2022From a slowdown in sales growth to rising costs, Fruchtman Marketing outlines its expectations for the second half of the year.
MajorsMay 19, 2022
As It Nears 75, Here’s How Grandview Klein Stays CompetitiveOnce a part of Julius Klein Group, the diamond company combines its direct supply and cutting expertise with a keen eye to the future.
SourcingMay 19, 2022
De Beers’ Rough Sales Up 21% So Far This Year One analyst cited rising diamond prices and the sanctions on Alrosa as contributing factors.
Brought to you by
Dive into GIA’s Pearl ExpertiseWhen it comes to knowing the identity and quality of your pearls, count on GIA as your independent pearl experts.
CollectionsMay 19, 2022
Brilliant Earth Collaborates with Jade TrauThe two have partnered on a capsule collection.
Weekly QuizMay 19, 2022
This Week’s QuizTest your knowledge of the latest jewelry news with this quick test.
MajorsMay 19, 2022
Jewelers Mutual Adds 2 Industry Veterans to Its Board John A. Green of retailer Lux Bond & Green and Niveet Nagpal of Omi Privé have joined the board of directors as of May 18.
FinancialsMay 18, 2022
Watches of Switzerland’s Jewelry Sales More Than Doubled in Q4The retailer also said demand for Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet watches continues to exceed its supply.
Brought to you by
A.I. Grading is Changing Conversations at the Retail CounterAdvanced technology levels the playing field, helping jewelers give customers what they want.
AuctionsMay 18, 2022
Jewels from Bette Midler Are Headed to BonhamsThe auction house’s upcoming sale also includes collections from American heiresses.
IndependentsMay 18, 2022
Jeweler Lewis Baribault Celebrates 50th Work AnniversaryThe Connecticut jeweler reflected on five decades in the industry and what the future holds for the family business.
Events & AwardsMay 18, 2022
Visit A Mine in New Jersey With WJA New York MetroThe chapter has organized a day trip to the Sterling Hill Mine and Museum in Ogdensburg on Saturday, May 21.
SourcingMay 17, 2022
A New Source in Tanzania Is Producing Cobalt-Blue SpinelThe stones come from a deposit close to Mahenge and have been on the market for several months.
SourcingMay 17, 2022
‘Pop’ the Question With Stephanie Gottlieb’s New Diamond CutThe jewelry designer is partnering with popcorn brand Angie’s Boomchickapop on a whimsical diamond cut.
ColumnistsMay 17, 2022
What You Need to Know About the Google Analytics 4 RolloutIn the latest article from The Smart Lab, Emmanuel Raheb outlines the website changes jewelers can expect with this new software.
TechnologyMay 17, 2022
Virtual Diamond Boutique Uncorks the ‘Sales Genie’The new app allows salespeople to quickly and easily access a lot of inventory.
Events & AwardsMay 17, 2022
‘Cartier and Islamic Art’ Exhibition Opens in DallasFollowing its Paris debut, “Cartier and Islamic Art: In Search of Modernity” has landed at the Dallas Museum of Art.
IndependentsMay 16, 2022
Mejuri Plans to Triple Its Store Count This YearThe fine jewelry brand expects to open 17 new locations, mostly in North America.
IndependentsMay 16, 2022
Karats Jewelers Plans Expansion Into 30,000-Square-Foot StoreThe Kansas retailer is aiming for a fall 2023 opening.
MajorsMay 16, 2022
Pandora Announces Plans to Build Third Factory, First Outside ThailandIt will be located in Vietnam’s Binh Duong Province, and construction is slated to start early next year.
IndependentsMay 16, 2022
MJSA Has Released its 2022 Buyer’s GuideIt’s full of hundreds of contacts for jewelry-making supplies and services.
FinancialsMay 13, 2022
Brilliant Earth Reports Strong Q1 But Lowers 2022 GuidanceThe company is feeling the impact of the uncertain geopolitical and macroeconomic environment, said CEO Beth Gerstein.
AuctionsMay 13, 2022
Famed Watch Designer Gerald Genta’s Royal Oak Sells for $2.1MIt became the most valuable vintage Audemars Piguet watch ever sold at auction, according to Sotheby’s.
TrendsMay 13, 2022
Piece of the Week: Renna’s ‘Caspian’ PendantIt’s a sneak peek of the newness that will be on display at the Couture Show next month.
MajorsMay 13, 2022
Diamond Club West Coast Names 2022 BoardMoshe Salem was re-elected as president, but there is a new treasurer, secretary, and board members.
AuctionsMay 12, 2022
‘The Rock,’ the Biggest White Diamond Ever Put Up for Auction, Sells for $22M The 228-carat stone came in at the low end of its estimated range while “The Red Cross Diamond” exceeded expectations at $14.3 million.
Events & AwardsMay 12, 2022
Julie Lamb Is FGI’s 2022 ‘Rising Star’ in Fine Jewelry The New York City native was honored at the annual Fashion Group International awards ceremony, held Tuesday night.
IndependentsMay 12, 2022
Three Jewelry Buying Groups Form New AllianceThe Independent Jewelers Organization, the Company of Master Jewellers, and Nationwide Jewellers have formed the Global Jewellers Network.
