Precious: The History and Mystery of Gems Across Time
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Discover a dazzling deep-dive into the history of the world through a totally new lens, as told by the V&A’s Senior Jewellery Curator.
'Engaging and illuminating, Precious is a masterclass in the history of gems. It’s also great fun to read - one of those books where the learning is effortless'
- Francesca Cartier Brickell, author of The Cartiers.
Travelling through moments in history and layers of soil and sediment, this is world history as you have never seen it before. This is the story of precious gems, from emeralds and rubies, to sapphires and pearls.
Explore their history and geology, as well as their famous owners, from Elizabeth I to Elizabeth Taylor, Marie Antoinette to Marilyn Monroe, Coco Chanel to Beyoncé. Discover the fragile emerald watch that survived cross-continental journeys and centuries under the floorboards of a London house. Journey back through the generations of women who wore pearls as a signifier of femininity and marvel at the role these glistening objects have played in changing depictions of feminism.
Learn of the Burmese warriors who believed so strongly in the connection between rubies and lifeblood that they embedded them into their skin before battle to protect them from harm. In this sumptuous and sweeping history of humanity's love affair with jewels, the V&A’s Senior Jewellery Curator, Helen Molesworth, takes you behind the curtain of museums and auction houses, showcasing some of history's most incredible and iconic jewels and the deeply human stories that lie behind them.
Author/Artist/Designer
Helen MolesworthPages
336
Dimensions
16 x 24.2cm
ISBN
9780857529091
Product code
168398
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