Anne de Courcy

From Cleopatra to Elizabeth Taylor, women have found jewels irresistible

Helen Molesworth has produced a magnificent history of gemstones – their symbolism, provenance, and the legends surrounding the best ones

Elizabeth Taylor in Paris in 1968. [Getty Images] 
issue 25 May 2024
  • Comments

  • Precious: The History and Mystery of Gems Across Time

    Helen Molesworth

    Doubleday, pp. 336, £30

When workmen demolished an ancient building in Cheapside in 1912 they saw something glinting out of a broken wooden box. They had stumbled on what became known as the Cheapside Hoard – a collection of jewels dating from around 1600, its star, the Cheapside Emerald, a wonderful stone holding a miniature watch.

GIF Image

Disagree with half of it, enjoy reading all of it

TRY A MONTH FREE
Our magazine articles are for subscribers only. Try a month of Britain’s best writing, absolutely free.

Read next

Trending

Limor Simhony Philpott

Trump and Netanyahu go their separate ways

The release of Edan Alexander, the last living American-Israeli hostage held by Hamas, was a moment of profound relief for his family and a rare flicker of hope for war-fatigued Israelis. The 21-year-old soldier, kidnapped on 7 October 2023, walked free on 12 May 2025 after 584 days in hell.  The jubilation was quickly muddied by political

More on cleopatra

Also by Anne de Courcy

Latest

Comments

Join the debate, free for a month

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first month free.

Already a subscriber? Log in