SKU: 85517735867

Jewels: A Secret History

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Description

Jewels: A Secret HistoryThroughout history, precious stones have inspired passions and poetry, quests and curses, sacred writings and unsacred actions. In this scintillating book, journalist Victoria Finlay embarks on her own globe circling search for the real stories behind some of the gems we prize most. Blending adventure travel, geology, exciting new research, and her own irresistible charm, Finlay has fashioned a treasure hunt for some of the most valuable, glamorous,

Throughout history, precious stones have inspired passions and poetry, quests and curses, sacred writings and unsacred actions. In this scintillating book, journalist Victoria Finlay embarks on her own globe-circling search for the real stories behind some of the gems we prize most. Blending adventure travel, geology, exciting new research, and her own irresistible charm, Finlay has fashioned a treasure hunt for some of the most valuable, glamorous, and mysterious substances on earth.

With the same intense curiosity and narrative flair she displayed in her widely-praised book Color, Finlay journeys from the underground opal churches of outback Australia to the once pearl-rich rivers of Scotland; from the peridot mines on an Apache reservation in Arizona to the remote ruby mines in the mountains of northern Burma. She risks confronting scorpions to crawl through Cleopatra's long-deserted emerald mines, tries her hand at gem cutting in the dusty Sri Lankan city where Marco Polo bartered for sapphires, and investigates a rumor that fifty years ago most of the world's amber was mined by prisoners in a Soviet gulag.

Jewels is a unique and often exhilarating voyage through history, across cultures, deep into the earth's mantle, and up to the glittering heights of fame, power, and wealth. From the fabled curse of the Hope Diamond, to the disturbing truths about how pearls are cultured, to the peasants who were once executed for carrying amber to the centuries-old quest by magicians and scientists to make a perfect diamond, Jewels tells dazzling stories with a wonderment and brilliance truly worthy of its subjects.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Random House Trade
Published: 08/14/2007
ISBN: 9780345466952
Pages: 472
Weight: 0.97lbs
Size: 8.23h x 5.57w x 1.06d
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SKU: 85517735867

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patricia
Chelsea, US
★★★★★ 5
Nice tray
Color: Black 1 Pack, Size: 8" x 11" x 1.8"
Using it in the coffee table for remote contrls and headphone. Keeps organized and looks good. Perfect size.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2026
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Kindle Customer
Waukegan, US
★★★★★ 5
Very nice
Color: White 1 Pack, Size: 8" x 8" x 1.8"
Very nice! It organized stuff in my moms room to look more put together.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2026
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Omayra Cintron
Boise, US
★★★★★ 5
Tray
Color: Beige 1 Pack, Size: 8" x 11" x 1.8", Color: Beige 1 Pack, Size: 8" x 11" x 1.8"
Perfect as small coffee table tray! Nice and elegant looking!
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Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2026
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John Georges
Cuba, US
★★★★★ 4
Nice product
Color: Gray 1 Pack, Size: 8" x 8" x 1.8"
Why did you pick this product vs others?: Works well and looks good. Not the highest quality but good for the money. 
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Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2025
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Mark S
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 5
Fantastic and elegant looking nightstand or bathroom tray
Color: White 1 Pack, Size: 8" x 8" x 1.8"
I absolutely love this nightstand tray! The elegant gold trim gives it a luxurious look that instantly elevates my nightstand decor. It works perfectly as a perfume or cologne organizer and keeps all my bottles beautifully displayed. I’ve also used one as a dresser organizer countertop to hold jewelry and skincare, and another as a stylish key tray or key holder bowl by the front door. The quality is excellent and the design is both functional and beautiful. I love it so much, I’ll definitely be buying a few more to stack it up in a couple of my rooms. Highly recommend!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2025

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