Tells the stories behind famous diamonds, rubies, ermeralds, sapphires, opals, and pearls, and recounts how gemstones were mined

"Gems still exert a powerful influence on the modern world, enlightened though it is said to be: once poverty-stricken, Botswana has recently found sudden wealt

An entertaining and well-researched history of the Hope diamond Since its discovery in seventeenth-century India, the Hope diamond, a glimmering deep blue gem w