AuctionsNov 16, 2023
Audrey Hepburn’s ‘Roman Holiday’ Choker Pulled From Auction AuctionsNov 28, 2023
Mary Tyler Moore’s Jewelry Is Up For Auction
You can have this jewelry, why don’t you take it?
Actress Mary Tyler Moore and her famous, and controversial, trousers on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” in the ‘60s, left, and a pair of Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. “Bone Cuffs” owned by the award-winning actress. Moore’s jewelry is going up for auction at Sotheby’s.
New York—Early next month, Sotheby’s will auction jewelry that once belonged to groundbreaking actress Mary Tyler Moore.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1936 and raised in California, Moore rose to fame in the 1960s on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” playing Van Dyke’s wife, Laura Petrie.
Moore played a homemaker on the show but she was allowed to be funny, have opinions and assert herself, which, according to “Being Mary Tyler Moore,” the 2023 HBO documentary on the actress, was almost unheard of at the time.
She also did something else revolutionary as a woman on TV in the ‘60s—she wore pants, fitted capris, to be exact.
It was her next role, however, that made her an icon and inspired generations of women.
From 1970-1977, Moore played Mary Richards on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”
Richards was a 30-year-old woman who moved to Minneapolis on her own following a broken engagement and landed a job as an associate producer at a news station.
She was single and, perhaps more shockingly, more focused on her career than getting married.
The Mary Tyler Moore show won 29 Emmy awards in its seven-year run, including three for Moore as Best Actress in a Comedy Series.
All told, she racked up seven Emmys, one Tony Award and three Golden Globes over the course of her career. She also received one Oscar nomination (1981, for “Ordinary People”).
The Screen Actors Guild presented her its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
Moore died in 2017 at age 80.
Related stories will be right here …
Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1936 and raised in California, Moore rose to fame in the 1960s on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” playing Van Dyke’s wife, Laura Petrie.
Moore played a homemaker on the show but she was allowed to be funny, have opinions and assert herself, which, according to “Being Mary Tyler Moore,” the 2023 HBO documentary on the actress, was almost unheard of at the time.
She also did something else revolutionary as a woman on TV in the ‘60s—she wore pants, fitted capris, to be exact.
It was her next role, however, that made her an icon and inspired generations of women.
From 1970-1977, Moore played Mary Richards on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”
Richards was a 30-year-old woman who moved to Minneapolis on her own following a broken engagement and landed a job as an associate producer at a news station.
She was single and, perhaps more shockingly, more focused on her career than getting married.
The Mary Tyler Moore show won 29 Emmy awards in its seven-year run, including three for Moore as Best Actress in a Comedy Series.
All told, she racked up seven Emmys, one Tony Award and three Golden Globes over the course of her career. She also received one Oscar nomination (1981, for “Ordinary People”).
The Screen Actors Guild presented her its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
Moore died in 2017 at age 80.
Sotheby’s is selling 21 pieces of jewelry belonging to the late actress, including designs from Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co., and Audemars Piguet.
They will be divided up between two sales, Magnificent Jewels on Dec. 5 (10 lots), and the online-only Fine Jewels (11 lots), which opens for bidding today and continues through Dec. 7.
Frank Everett, vice chairman of Sotheby’s Jewelry, described Moore as a passionate collector whose jewelry “highlight[s] her understated elegance” and “mirror[s] the style of the beloved, modern characters she portrayed on screen.”
Mary Tyler Moore’s collection of gold Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. “Mesh” jewelry includes, at left, an open heart pendant-necklace and a pair of earrings with bezel-set round diamonds and, at right, a “Scarf” necklace, and two pairs of earrings.
A pair of Moore’s Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. “Bone Cuffs” in silver (pictured at top of article) are estimated to sell for $500 to $1,000 at the online Fine Jewels sale.
Sotheby’s said it is “fitting” that Mary Tyler Moore would own a pair of Peretti’s silver bone cuffs, as they are symbols of feminist empowerment from the 1970s, the same decade in which Moore changed society’s views on independent, working women, and changed the way they saw themselves.
Moore also owned a collection of Peretti’s gold “Mesh” jewelry, which her third and last husband, Dr. S. Robert Levine, described as being reflective of the actress—“very graceful, very attentive to detail, but always in motion.”
Also part of Fine Jewels, the Mesh jewelry is estimated to sell for $4,000 to $6,000.
Moore’s second husband, Grant Tinker, gave her this hammered gold Van Cleef & Arpels cuff and matching ear clips for her 39th birthday in 1975. It’s estimated to sell for $10,000 to $15,000.
Dr. S. Robert Levine gave this gold Bulgari “Monete” necklace to Moore when the pair got married in 1983. Expected to sell for $25,000-$35,000, it features rubies, diamonds, and an ancient Greek coin the pair picked out together at the Bulgari store on Fifth Avenue in New York.
Levine also gave Moore this steel and diamond Jaeger-LeCoultre “Rendez-Vous Classic Night and Day” watch (estimate $4,000 to $6,000). He gifted this to her as her eyesight was deteriorating due to complications from diabetes; the bigger numbers allowed her to tell the time. It is part of the Fine Jewels sale.
While Sotheby’s noted that Moore bought a lot of her own jewelry, the auction includes pieces given to her by Levine as well as her second husband, the late NBC executive Grant Tinker.
Levine commissioned a gold, diamond, and ruby Bulgari “Monete” necklace featuring an ancient Greek coin as a wedding president for Moore in 1983.
Tinker gave her a gold Etruscan-style cuff and matching ear clips from Van Cleef & Arpels when she turned 39. The interior of the cuff is engraved with “Can you believe - 12-29-75” and love “G.A.T.”
Both pieces are part of the Magnificent Jewels sale.
Highlights from Moore’s collection will be on display at Sotheby’s in New York beginning Dec. 1 as part of Luxury Week.
Proceeds from the 21 pieces will benefit The Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative, a nonprofit that seeks to preserve and restore vision in people with diabetes.
Moore was first diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 1969 when she was 30 years old. She later became an advocate for diabetes research and served as international chair for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
For more information on Moore’s jewelry as well as other pieces up for sale at Sotheby’s next month, visit the auction house’s website.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Auctions
The Latest
TrendsFeb 11, 2026
Halle Berry’s Retro Engagement Ring Is a Sapphire-Set StunnerSourced by For Future Reference Vintage, the yellow gold ring has a round center stone surrounded by step-cut sapphires.
MajorsFeb 11, 2026
Francesca’s Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy AgainThe clothing and accessories chain announced last month it would be closing all of its stores.
CollectionsFeb 11, 2026
Zales Turns Sweethearts Into Jewelry for Valentine’s Day CollectionThe “Zales x Sweethearts” collection features three mystery heart charms engraved with classic sayings seen on the Valentine’s Day candies.
Brought to you by
The MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program: Attracting & Training the Next Generation of Bench JewelersLaunched in 2023, the program will help the passing of knowledge between generations and alleviate the shortage of bench jewelers.
TechnologyFeb 11, 2026
Gemvision Symposium 2026 Slated for AprilThe event will include panel discussions, hands-on demonstrations of new digital manufacturing tools, and a jewelry design contest.
Weekly QuizFeb 05, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsFeb 11, 2026
TJS Announces Roundtable, Launches New AppRegistration is now open for The Jewelry Symposium, set to take place in Detroit from May 16-19.
SourcingFeb 10, 2026
At Meeting in South Africa, Support for Natural Diamonds Picks Up Steam Namibia has formally signed the Luanda Accord, while two key industry organizations pledged to join the Natural Diamond Council.
Brought to you by
How Jewelers Can Fight Back Against Cell JammersCriminals are using cell jammers to disable alarms, but new technology like JamAlert™ can stop them.
TrendsFeb 10, 2026
Bad Bunny Wears Football-Shaped ‘Desert Diamond’ for Halftime PerformanceLady Gaga, Cardi B, and Karol G also went with diamond jewelry for Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show honoring Puerto Rico.
SurveysFeb 10, 2026
Shoppers to Spend Big on Jewelry This Valentine’s Day, Says NRFJewelry is expected to be the No. 1 gift this year in terms of dollars spent.
FinancialsFeb 10, 2026
Kering Plans Transformation as 2025 Sales Sink 13%As star brand Gucci continues to struggle, the luxury titan plans to announce a new roadmap to return to growth.
SourcingFeb 10, 2026
AGTA To Debut ‘Stuller Color of the Year’ Spectrum Awards CategoryThe new category asks entrants for “exceptional” interpretations of the supplier’s 2026 color of the year, which is “Signature Red.”
Policies & IssuesFeb 09, 2026
U.S., India Trade Deal One Step Closer to Being FinalizedThe White House issued an official statement on the deal, which will eliminate tariffs on loose natural diamonds and gemstones from India.
Events & AwardsFeb 09, 2026
JA Now Accepting Entries for 2026 CASE AwardsEntries for the jewelry design competition will be accepted through March 20.
IndependentsFeb 09, 2026
James Free Jewelers Unveils Revamped FlagshipThe Ohio jeweler’s new layout features a curated collection of brand boutiques to promote storytelling and host in-store events.
TrendsFeb 09, 2026
These 14 Jewels Will Melt Your Heart This Valentine’s DayFrom heart motifs to pink pearls, Valentine’s Day is filled with jewelry imbued with love.
CrimeFeb 06, 2026
Florida Man Sentenced After Selling Fake Native American Jewelry for a Decade Prosecutors say the man attended arts and craft fairs claiming he was a third-generation jeweler who was a member of the Pueblo tribe.
FinancialsFeb 06, 2026
Pandora’s North America GM Departs Amid Executive ChangesNew CEO Berta de Pablos-Barbier shared her priorities for the Danish jewelry company this year as part of its fourth-quarter results.
TrendsFeb 06, 2026
Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi Wear Matching Cece Jewellery Signet RingsOur Piece of the Week picks are these bespoke rings the “Wuthering Heights” stars have been spotted wearing during the film’s press tour.
MajorsFeb 05, 2026
Pandora to Begin Selling Platinum-Plated JewelryThe introduction of platinum plating will reduce its reliance on silver amid volatile price swings, said Pandora.
SourcingFeb 05, 2026
De Beers Lowers Production Guidance for 2026, Anglo Mulls Another WritedownIt would be the third impairment charge in three years on De Beers Group, which continues to grapple with a “challenging” diamond market.
IndependentsFeb 05, 2026
Borsheims to Undergo Massive Renovation in the Spring The Omaha jewelry store’s multi-million-dollar renovation is scheduled to begin in mid-May and take about six months.
CollectionsFeb 05, 2026
Marco Bicego’s Amethyst Collection Travels to a Purple ParadiseThe “Paradise Amethyst” collection focuses on amethyst, pink tourmaline, garnet, and 18-karat yellow gold beads.
FinancialsFeb 05, 2026
Watches of Switzerland Reports Strong Holiday Results in Q3The retailer credited its Roberto Coin campaign, in part, for boosting its North America sales.
ColumnistsFeb 04, 2026
January Jewelry Sales: More Dollars Spent, Fewer Units Sold Sherry Smith unpacks independent retailers’ January performance and gives tips for navigating the slow-growth year ahead.
MajorsFeb 04, 2026
What Designers Should Know About Saks Global’s BankruptcyFrom how to get an invoice paid to getting merchandise returned, JVC’s Sara Yood answers some complex questions.
TrendsFeb 04, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: February Birthstone BlissAmethyst, the birthstone for February, is a gemstone to watch this year with its rich purple hue and affordable price point.
