The “Elizabeth Taylor Diamond,” which realized $8.8 million at auction, was a gift from Richard Burton in 1968.

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New York--Christie’s first auction for “The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor,” an evening sale of the late actress’ legendary jewels held Tuesday, achieved a total of $115.9 million, making it the most valuable private collection of jewels ever sold at auction.

The auction sold 100 percent by lot and by value, with 24 of the 80 jewels realizing more than $1 million, and six jewels realizing more than $5 million.

Seven new world auction records were established at the sale, including price per carat for a colorless diamond as well as records for a ruby, a pair of natural pearl ear pendants, a pearl jewel, an Indian jewel and an emerald jewel.

The top lot of the sale was the 16th century pearl the “La Peregrina,” which was purchased by an anonymous buyer for $11.8 million after a pre-sale high estimate of $3 million. The lot set two world auction records: for a historic pearl, against the previous record of $2.5 million, and for a pearl jewel, surpassing the $7 million record.

Dating from the 16th century and once part of the crown jewels of Spain, the La Peregrina (below) is a pearl of 203 grains in size, the equivalent of 50 carats, and was discovered in the Gulf of Panama in the 1500s. Richard Burton gave Taylor the pearl as a gift in 1969, paying $37,000 for the jewel at auction. Taylor then worked with Al Durante of Cartier to design a ruby and diamond necklace fitting of what she called “the most perfect pearl in the world.”

The " Elizabeth Taylor Diamond,” a rectangular-cut, 33.19-carat D-color stone, sold for $8.8 million to a private Asian buyer, well exceeding its top pre-sale estimate of $3.5 million. The sale of the Elizabeth Taylor Diamond, which was originally known as the Krupp Diamond, set a world auction record for a colorless diamond at $265,697 per carat.

The circa 1627 Taj Mahal diamond (below), set on a gold and ruby chain by Cartier, sold to an anonymous buyer for $8.8 million, topping its highest pre-sale estimate of $500,000 and setting a new world record for an Indian jewel against the previous record of $5.2 million.

“Elizabeth Taylor’s magnificent collection of jewels has captivated the auction world this fall, resulting in worldwide bidding and this first landmark result,” Chairman and President of Christie’s Americas Marc Porter said. “Without a doubt the greatest private collection of jewelry ever assembled, this sale marked the powerful start of Christie’s historic week of sales auctioning the jewelry, fashion, accessories and memorabilia from The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor.”

Rounding out the top five lots sold on Tuesday was an 18.26-carat emerald and diamond pendant brooch by Bulgari (below) which sold for $6.6 million, or $360,268 per carat, after a pre-sale high estimate of $700,000.

An 8.24-carat ruby and diamond ring by Van Cleef & Arpels realized $4.2 million, topping its pre-sale estimate of $1.5 million. The ring set a new world auction record for a ruby at $512,925 per carat.

A full list of results from Tuesday’s auction can be found here.

In keeping with Taylor’s lifelong devotion to humanitarian causes, a portion of proceeds generated by admissions, events and select publications related to the sales will be donated to The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF). Founded in 1991, ETAF provides funding to AIDS service organizations.

The sale of The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor will continue this week, with the remainder of her jewelry being sold at Christie’s today. The online-only auction of The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor, which includes fine as well as costume jewelry, will run until Dec. 17.