Jewels of “Too Beautiful” British Model Head to Auction

By Annie Davidson Watson | March 02, 2026

The personal jewelry collection of the late Margaret Audrey White—a 1950s British fashion icon famously rejected by the BBC for being “too beautiful”—is coming to the block at Noonans Mayfair on March 10.

After her modeling career, White married Christopher Henry Beaumont Pease, 2nd Baron Wardington, and was then known as Lady Wardington. The 364 lots in the Noonans sale are consigned by her direct descendants and offer a look at the midcentury glamour of a woman whose face once defined British fashion.

Highlights from Lady Wardington’s collection include a 13+ ct. diamond bracelet by Searle & Co. from the early 1950s, a pair of emerald and diamond drop earrings, and a striking multicolor gem-set brooch that can be worn as a pendant.

noonans bracelet — *Searle & Co. circa 1950 geometric bracelet with 1.3 ct. central diamond and approximately 12 cts. t.w. diamonds, estimate £15,000–£20,000 ($20,000–$26,000)*

Scouted as a model while working at an Elizabeth Arden salon, White became a national sensation in 1951 when she was turned down for a BBC announcer role by executives who feared her “severely beautiful” appearance would distract viewers and “alarm timid men.” The story was reported under a “Too Beautiful!” headline.

White was “a well-known face in the newspapers of the early 1950s, appearing as a bride in a series of National Savings posters and taking small parts in a handful of films,” according to her 2014 obituary in U.K. paper The Telegraph. She later transitioned into fashion journalism before marrying Lord Wardington, a stockbroker and bibliophile.

noonans earrings — *Ear pendants with 4.5 ct. and 4.2 ct. Colombian emeralds and diamonds, estimate £8,000–£12,000 ($10,000–$16,000)*

Noonans’ head of jewelry, Frances Noble, said many of the jewels to be auctioned were gifts from Lord Wardington, as evidenced by their original cases from prestigious City of London jewelers located near his offices.

noonans brooch — *Cluster brooch/pendant with yellow and blue sapphires, emeralds, aquamarine, rubies, and 0.75 ct. t.w. old brilliant-cut diamonds, estimate £4,000–£6,000 ($5,300–$8,000)*

Beyond the glitz, Lady Wardington’s jewelry is part of the legacy of a woman who used her public profile later in life to champion financial independence for women, creating a money management course for them. The Noonans auction featuring her collection, Jewellery, Watches, Silver and Objects of Vertu, marks a significant opportunity for collectors of mid-20th-century provenance.

Top: Margaret Audrey White, the future Lady Wardington (photos courtesy of Noonans)

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