‘A magnificent compendium of everything one could ever want to know about jewels: their symbolism, physical construction, worth and history.’ – Spectator

‘A sumptuous and sweeping history of humanity’s love affair with jewels.’ – Vogue

‘From Princess Margaret’s pearls to the priciest of diamonds, gemmologist Helen Molesworth has seen them all’ – Daily Mail You Magazine

‘All the jewelry and gem history you’ve ever wondered about’ – Forbes

‘What shines through here in Molesworth’s deep love of her subject and the tactile joy of wearing such gems’ – Mail on Sunday

‘This is – fittingly – a gem of a book. Rich descriptions, fascinating histories and, at times, just pure, dazzling bling. A joy to read.’ – Tracy Borman, author of Elizabeth’s Women, Thomas Cromwell and The Private Lives of the Tudors’

——-

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 1 to Elizabeth Taylor, Marie Antoinette to Marilyn Monroe, Coco Chanel to Beyonce.

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.

——-

‘Beautifully written and superbly interesting, Helen Molesworth tells a compelling, global story of gems – their unending allure and continuing impact on human history. – Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A, author of The Radical Potter

‘Reading Precious is like opening history’s treasure chest, to discover a trove of fascinating information.’ – Jane Robinson, author of Trailblazer, Hearts and Minds, and Bluestockings

The world is moving towards replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy. But building electric vehicles, solar panels, and millions of other devices requires digging more mines. Critical minerals are vital to many sustainable technologies, and the competition for them is intensifying.

Nations aspiring to energy independence are ever more intertwined: a hedge fund manager’s attempt to revive rare earths mining in California needs Chinese expertise, and global reliance on Africa’s mining sector persists despite child labour concerns. Meanwhile, ecological dilemmas abound: a proposed lithium mine in Nevada may help car manufacturers slash their dependence on fossil fuels, but developing the mine may cause the extinction of a flower found nowhere else on the planet.

As investors attempt to predict how resource extraction’s geopolitics will unfold, this is a story of industry giants, researchers, and policymakers at the forefront of the new energy wars.

‘A compelling narrative of the human story’ TIM MARSHALL, author of Prisoners of Geography

‘Lively, rich and exciting… full of surprises’ PETER FRANKOPAN, author of The Silk Roads
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Sand, salt, iron, copper, oil and lithium. They built our world, and they will transform our future.

These are the six most crucial substances in human history. They took us from the Dark Ages to the present day. They power our computers and phones, build our homes and offices, and create life-saving medicines. But most of us take them completely for granted.

In Material World, Ed Conway travels the globe – from the sweltering depths of the deepest mine in Europe, to spotless silicon chip factories in Taiwan, to the eerie green pools where lithium originates – to uncover a secret world we rarely see. Revealing the true marvel of these substances, he follows the mind-boggling journeys, miraculous processes and little-known companies that turn the raw materials we all need into products of astonishing complexity.

As we wrestle with climate change, energy crises and the threat of new global conflict, Conway shows why these substances matter more than ever before, and how the hidden battle to control them will shape our geopolitical future. This is the story of civilisation – our ambitions and glory, innovations and appetites – from a new perspective: literally from the ground up.

‘A magnificent compendium of everything one could ever want to know about jewels: their symbolism, physical construction, worth and history.’ Spectator

‘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

‘This is – fittingly – a gem of a book. Rich descriptions, fascinating histories and, at times, just pure, dazzling bling. A joy to read.’ – Tracy Borman, author of Elizabeth’s Women, Thomas Cromwell and The Private Lives of the Tudors’

——-

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 1 to Elizabeth Taylor, Marie Antoinette to Marilyn Monroe, Coco Chanel to Beyonce.

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.

——-

Beautifully written and superbly interesting, Helen Molesworth tells a compelling, global story of gems – their unending allure and continuing impact on human history. – Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A, author of The Radical Potter

‘Reading Precious is like opening history’s treasure chest, to discover a trove of fascinating information.’ – Jane Robinson, author of Trailblazer, Hearts and Minds, and Bluestockings

‘Lively, rich and exciting… full of surprises’ PETER FRANKOPAN, author of The Silk Roads
_____________

Sand, salt, iron, copper, oil and lithium. They built our world, and they will transform our future.

These are the six most crucial substances in human history. They took us from the Dark Ages to the present day. They power our computers and phones, build our homes and offices, and create life-saving medicines. But most of us take them completely for granted.

In Material World, Ed Conway travels the globe – from the sweltering depths of the deepest mine in Europe, to spotless silicon chip factories in Taiwan, to the eerie green pools where lithium originates – to uncover a secret world we rarely see. Revealing the true marvel of these substances, he follows the mind-boggling journeys, miraculous processes and little-known companies that turn the raw materials we all need into products of astonishing complexity.

As we wrestle with climate change, energy crises and the threat of new global conflict, Conway shows why these substances matter more than ever before, and how the hidden battle to control them will shape our geopolitical future. This is the story of civilisation – our ambitions and glory, innovations and appetites – from a new perspective: literally from the ground up.