Betty White’s Wedding Ring Can Be Yours
Julien’s Auctions is holding a sale of the late legend’s personal possessions this fall, including a few pieces of fine jewelry.

On Sept. 23-25, Julien’s Auctions will host “Property from the Life and Career of Betty White” in Beverly Hills, California, a sale of more than 1,500 lots from White, who died at 99 on Dec. 31, just weeks shy of her 100th birthday.
Born in Oak Park, Illinois on Jan. 17, 1922, White broke into TV in the medium’s early days, co-hosting “Hollywood on Television With Al Jarvis” beginning in 1949.
It was the start of a career that would span a record-setting eight decades, with White starring in two critically acclaimed sitcoms—“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “The Golden Girls”—and winning five Primetime Emmy Awards, two Daytime Emmys, two Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, and a SAG Lifetime Achievement Award.
Julien’s sale from White’s estate includes numerous lots of TV memorabilia—autographed scripts, dresses she wore to various awards shows, her director’s chair from “The Golden Girls” set, etc.—and a few pieces of jewelry that were undoubtedly dear to White.
There is the gold and diamond wedding band she wore throughout her marriage to her beloved third husband Allen Ludden, whom she met as a celebrity guest on the game show he hosted, “Password.”
The ring, pictured above, is estimated to sell for $600-$800.
Also up for sale is Ludden’s matching wedding band, which is gold and engraved with their wedding date, “6-14-63,” and the words “I really do.” Ludden’s band is also estimated at $600 to $800.
One of the highest valued lots in the auction is a vintage gold Van Cleef & Arpels flower brooch set with brilliant-cut diamonds and sapphires.
Believed to be a gift from Ludden, who died in 1981, White was photographed wearing the pin on numerous occasions beginning in 2010, Julien’s said. It is estimated to sell for $14,000-$16,000.
Stay Golden: See Some of the Items Up for Auction
The 14-karat gold timepiece is engraved with “T.C.W. 12-25-40,” the initials of her mother, Tess Curtis White.
“Property from the Life and Career of Betty White” will take place in person Sept. 23-25 at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills and online at JuliensAuctions.com.
Special exhibitions of selected items from the auctions are scheduled for May 12 to July 4 at Museo de la Moda in Santiago, Chile; Aug. 1 to Sept. 11 at The Museum of Style Icons at Newbridge Silverware in Kildare, Ireland; and at Julien’s in Beverly Hills from Sept. 19 to 22.
The Sept. 20 exhibition at Julien’s will include a screening of the PBS documentary “Betty White: First Lady of Television.”
In addition, Julien’s is partnering with cruise line Cunard to take White’s possessions on a transatlantic trek.
Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 will set sail from New York on Aug. 5 and arrive in Southampton in the U.K. on Aug. 12.
During the cruise, guests will get to view a daily rotating exhibition of White’s items and attend a Q&A with Julien’s executives Darren Julien and Martin Nolan.
More information on the auction is available on the Julien’s website.
The Latest

Acquired in 2021, the brand’s high jewelry sales have doubled and its new “Lock” collection was an instant hit.

Executives from Fred Meyer Jewelers and Riddles Jewelers have filled the roles.

The Victorian-inspired design is a functional lock and key.

De Beers Institute of Diamonds provides the very best in diamond verification, education and diamond services.

For over 100 years, JA New York has played an integral role in facilitating the evolution of our industry, while also honoring past traditions.


The trend forecaster and her guests explored unconventional jewelry designs, NFTs, AI art, and more during her Trendvision presentation.

The Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative provides diamond credit and mentorship to young brands helmed by BIPOC designers.

De Beers is sharing over 130 years of experience and expertise through the De Beers Institute of Diamonds with a selection of courses.

It will be located in San Antonio’s Alamo Quarry Market and will be Lee Michaels’ third location in the city.

Stephanie Gottlieb, Jewelers Mutual’s Mike Alexander, and Craig Rottenberg of Long’s Jewelers are among the new board members.

Rolex remained No. 1 while a brand known for its pilot watches slipped into the No. 5 spot.

Luxury retail executive Frédéric Levy has taken on the role.

Jewelry designers have until early February to apply to take part in Couture's Diversity Action Council program.

Morgan P. Richardson joins from La Perla.

The new portal will share information on responsible platinum sourcing and how it’s used beyond jewelry.

Purchased directly from Rio Tinto, the collection consists of pinks, purples and one red, none larger than 1.52 carats.

Sherry Smith breaks down retailers’ performance last year, including how natural diamonds fared vs. lab-grown.

The AGS Ideal Report by GIA is a digital-only addition to GIA diamond reports.

The seven newcomers include executives from David Yurman, De Beers, and GIA.

The designer finds the modernity in classic motifs and family heirloom jewels.

She has more than 20 years’ experience in watches and jewelry, and says sustainability is the “greatest single issue” facing the industry.
Its focus are words like “sustainability,” “ethics,” and “responsible sourcing.”

Another “Designer to Watch” and Kim Kardashian’s auction purchase were among our most-read stories.

Herco President Reuven Itelman is retiring and selling the company, which will relocate to Ohio from California.

She was previously the executive director of sales and marketing for the De Beers Group-owned company.

It’s from a new collection of charms designed to go in the brand’s signature lockets.

Lonnie Iannazzo of Vincent Anthony Jewelers is the 2022 William (Wag) Wagner Business Excellence Award recipient.