Elizabeth Taylor didn't just wear jewelry; she lived it. When she launched Diamonds & Sapphires by Elizabeth Taylor in 1993, the fragrance world was already reeling from the massive success of White Diamonds. Everyone expected a sequel. What they got was something a bit more complicated, a bit more aquatic, and honestly, a lot more polarizing than the powdery floral bombs of the era.
It's a weird one.
People often lump it in with the rest of her "House of Taylor" collection, but if you actually spray it, you realize it’s trying to do something very specific with the 90s obsession with "water" notes. It isn't just a perfume; it’s a time capsule of a moment when the world’s most glamorous woman decided she wanted to smell like a fruit orchard next to a waterfall.
The Reality of the Scent Profile
If you go into this expecting a heavy, vintage "grandma" perfume, you’re going to be confused. Diamonds & Sapphires by Elizabeth Taylor is a floral fruity fragrance, but it leans heavily into the melon.
Like, really heavily.
The top notes are a punch of melon, peach, galbanum, and lily-of-the-valley. It’s sweet, but the galbanum gives it this sharp, green edge that keeps it from being a sugary mess. Most people describe the initial blast as "bright." Some call it "sharp." I think it feels like walking into a florist's fridge where someone accidentally left a sliced cantaloupe. It’s crisp. It’s cold.
As it settles, the white florals start to show up. You get jasmine, rose, and ylang-ylang, which are the Taylor staples. But they don't dominate here like they do in her other scents. They sort of float on top of a watery base.
✨ Don't miss: Bed and Breakfast Wedding Venues: Why Smaller Might Actually Be Better
The dry down is where the "Sapphire" part of the name makes sense. It feels cooler. The musk, amber, and sandalwood provide a base, but there’s a vetiver note that keeps it grounded and slightly earthy. It doesn't get "warm" in the way White Diamonds does. It stays breezy.
Why 1993 Was a Strange Year for Taylor
You have to look at the context of when Elizabeth Taylor Fragrances (under the Elizabeth Arden umbrella) put this out. White Diamonds had launched in 1991 and was basically printing money. It was the first true celebrity fragrance blockbuster.
So, why go with Sapphires next?
Liz was obsessed with her gems. We know this. She had the Richard Burton Sapphire, a 52.72-carat cabochon she wore on a Trombino ring. She had the Bulgari sautoir with the 50-carat sapphire pendant. To her, sapphires weren't just stones; they were symbols of calm and depth.
The fragrance was meant to capture that "blue" feeling. In the early 90s, the industry was shifting away from the heavy spice of the 80s (think Opium or Poison) and moving toward "transparent" scents. Diamonds & Sapphires by Elizabeth Taylor was her attempt to play in that sandbox while keeping the opulence her fans demanded.
It’s a bit of a contradiction.
🔗 Read more: Virgo Love Horoscope for Today and Tomorrow: Why You Need to Stop Fixing People
How do you make an "airy" scent for a woman who is the personification of "heavy" glamour? You end up with Diamonds & Sapphires. It’s louder than most modern aquatics but quieter than its sisters, Emeralds and Rubies.
Common Misconceptions About the "House of Taylor"
A lot of perfume "snobs" dismiss Elizabeth Taylor’s line because it’s sold in drugstores now.
That’s a mistake.
These weren't "cheap" scents when they launched. They were formulated by top-tier noses. While the exact perfumer for Diamonds & Sapphires isn't always cited in the same way Sophia Grojsman is for White Diamonds, the quality of the juice remains surprisingly high for the price point.
One thing people get wrong: they think all her "Diamond" flankers smell the same.
They don't.
- Diamonds and Rubies is a spicy, powdery carnation and peach dream.
- Diamonds and Emeralds is a thick, tuberose-heavy white floral.
- Diamonds & Sapphires is the "clean" one.
If you hate heavy florals, you might actually like this one. If you hate melon, stay far, far away. The melon note is the polarizing factor. On some skin chemistry, it smells like fresh morning dew. On others? It can lean a bit toward "overripe fruit." It's definitely a "try before you buy" situation, or at least a "spray with caution" one.
💡 You might also like: Lo que nadie te dice sobre la moda verano 2025 mujer y por qué tu armario va a cambiar por completo
Longevity and Performance
Let’s be real: Elizabeth Taylor fragrances are nuclear.
Even the "light" ones like Diamonds & Sapphires have incredible staying power. We're talking 6 to 8 hours on skin and potentially days on clothes. It’s an Eau de Toilette, but it performs like an Eau de Parfum from a modern luxury brand.
Because of that green galbanum and the melon, it can become cloying in high heat. It’s marketed as a "refreshing" scent, but don't overspray it on a 90-degree day. You’ll choke out the person sitting next to you on the bus. It’s better suited for a crisp spring morning or a rainy afternoon. It has a "wet" quality to it that matches a rainy day perfectly.
The Bottle Design and Collectibility
The bottle is classic 90s vanity decor. It features the signature "diamond" encrusted plastic band around the cap, with the liquid having a slight golden hue. It looks good on a tray.
Is it "expensive" looking? Kinda. In a campy, retro way.
For collectors, Diamonds & Sapphires is usually the third piece of the "gemstone" trio. While it hasn't maintained the cult status of Rubies or the sheer sales volume of the original White Diamonds, it has a dedicated following among people who miss the 1990s "water floral" trend but want something with more "oomph" than a modern skin scent.
Actionable Insights for Buying and Wearing
If you're looking to add Diamonds & Sapphires by Elizabeth Taylor to your collection, or if you've just found a bottle at the back of a cabinet, here is how to handle it:
- Check the liquid color: If the juice has turned a dark, murky brown, the top notes (especially that delicate melon and lily) have likely gone off. It should be a pale gold or straw color.
- Layering hack: If the melon is too sharp for you, try layering it with a simple vanilla body lotion. The creaminess of the vanilla rounds out the "green" edges of the galbanum and makes the dry down feel more like a modern gourmand-floral.
- Application tip: Spray it at least 20 minutes before you leave the house. The opening is very loud and "perfumy." It needs time to breathe and settle into the muskier, sapphire-like base.
- Where to find it: Don't pay "vintage" prices on eBay unless you're looking for a specific early-90s formulation. This is still in production and can usually be found at discounters like Marshalls, TJ Maxx, or FragranceNet for under $20.
- Best Season: This is a quintessential spring scent. It mimics the smell of blooming flowers and wet grass.
Diamonds & Sapphires is a reminder of a time when celebrity scents weren't just quick cash grabs. Elizabeth Taylor was involved in the process. She wanted these scents to reflect her life. This specific bottle reflects her "cool" side—the side that sat by the pool in Bel Air, dripping in blue stones, looking at the water. It’s not for everyone, but for those who get it, it’s a masterpiece of 90s perfumery.