It was the film that was begging to be made - Elizabeth Taylor’s extraordinary life is explored through the auction of her iconic jewellery collection in Channel 4’s must-view documentary Elizabeth Taylor: Auction of a Lifetime.

The feature, set to air tonight (18 April) at 9pm, centres on Christie’s landmark Elizabeth Taylor Collection auction last December, where frenetic bidders shifted over £74 million in a single night, making it the most valuable private collection of jewels to ever sell at auction.

Not only is the actress's love affair with jewellery examined, the people central to her life are also explored with exclusive interviews with Joan Collins, Liza Minnelli, Mickey Rooney and designers like Bulgari, Cartier and Valentino.

So, in the spirit of Liz’s "Crown Jewels of Hollywood," we’ve trawled the archives to find the five most expensive gems ever to have sold at auction...