Sarah Hue-Williams and Raymond Sancroft-Baker have spent decades working in the jewelry industry, from assessing historical gems to selling some of the most important, rare, and unusual pieces of jewelry ever to come on the market.

?In this book, they turn that experience into forty lavishly illustrated true stories from the world of gems and jewelry. Drawing from a wide range of periods, cultures, and countries, the authors take us behind the scenes, showing us the fascinating origins and secret histories of some unforgettable creations—and the lives of the people who desired and won them, loved and lost them. Even in a world of luxury, there’s nothing quite so dramatic as a beautiful piece of finely crafted jewelry; the stories in this book remind us why.