Shirley Bassey to auction £2m-worth of jewellery

Dame Shirley Bassey says she sang Diamond Are Forever 'because it rang true to me and the way I felt about diamonds then and now'

One big spender could get their hands on Dame Shirley Bassey's diamonds forever with the singer set to auction some of her jewellery.

The extensive jewellery collection up for grabs, estimated to be worth up to £2 million, includes a diamond ring gifted to her from Sir Elton John.

Dame Shirley, who grew up in Cardiff's Tiger Bay, famously sang about diamonds in the title track the 1971 James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever starring Sir Sean Connery.

She said she accepted the offer to sing the track as the lyrics "rang true" to her.

More than 80 pieces of jewellery will be exhibited at Sotheby's in Paris from 4 October before being auctioned on 10 October.

Dame Shirley, whose other hits include Big Spender and Goldfinger, said: "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.

"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."

Shirley Bassey's aquamarine, sapphire, diamond and gem set, estimated to sell for between 60,000 and 70,000 EUR at Sotheby's, Paris, on 10 October

She added: "Collecting jewellery for me is like collecting memories and this collection is full of them.

"All the pieces are meaningful and have a story to tell, whether I bought them for myself or they were gifted to me."

The collection includes the ring gifted to Dame Shirley from Sir Elton John

"There is this beautiful 1960s vintage Van Cleef & Arpels ring covered in white diamonds that Elton John gave me after I sang at one of his Aids gala evenings and which I've worn so many times.

"Or the ruby and diamond heart parure I spotted in a fine jeweller's window during a stopover in Bangkok on my way to my very first concert tour of Australia.

"And perhaps one of the most special pieces in the collection is this emerald parure I bought myself to commemorate my very first Royal Variety performance in front of the late Queen."

The superstar said: "Collecting jewellery for me is like collecting memories and this collection is full of them"

Her collection includes a diamond necklace, estimated to sell for between £232,420 and £275,460, and a diamond and gold parure created by Cartier estimated to fetch between £172,170 and £215,210.

There is also a yellow diamond ring, which could fetch between £142,030 and £172,150, and an aquamarine, sapphire, diamond and gem set estimated to sell for between £51,640 and £60,250.

The proceeds will go to Dame Shirley's chosen charities after the auction.