The author delves into the captivating journeys of gemstones — from their humble unearthing to their dazzling transformation into exquisite masterpieces coveted by oligarchs and royalty. She covers emeralds sapphires, and more gemstone. The pictures of the gemstones are gorgeous.
It’s a fascinating and educational about gemstones. I was completely enthralled while reading this book. I also wanted to have the gemstones! It’s a ok to treasure. I wil be buying my own copy and also buy copies of this book for gifts. It’s a delightful book to read.

I enjoyed this book overall. I was more interested in the history than some of the personal anecdotes but I was entertained and left with new knowledge all the same. However, I think this book could’ve been a bit shorter/more streamlined because it felt endless at times. The author has a unique style and voice that drew me back in several times though.

I found this book to be absolutely fascinating and immersive. Helen Molesworth cleverly partitioned the chapters to focus on a particular gem and then dove deeper with regards to specific geological anomalies that were cause for their creation, mining practices, famous examples and also personal encounters. Reading about the extraordinary lengths that it takes to mine gems as well as the luck (and often serendipity) required, allows the reader to better appreciate the rarity and expense that is associated with gems of all sizes.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Ballantine for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it in your local and online bookstores and libraries on September 17, 2024.

Helen Molesworth’s Precious: The History and Mystery of Gems Across Time is a treat for anyone fascinated by the beauty, history, and cultural significance of gemstones. Molesworth, a jewelry expert with decades of experience, takes readers from ancient Egypt to modern-day auctions, unraveling the stories behind some of the world’s most famous jewels. She focuses on the human experience--her own and others--but also provides a lot of technical information. It's like taking a college class with a chatty professor, which might be hard for some readers to get into, but if you love jewels, give it a shot!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

“Gems speak a universal language of human belief and behavior through history: they illuminate a treasure map of what people did and thought thousands of years ago, and why in so many cases we continue to do and think the same things today. Far more than being objects to look at, they have so much to teach us: a shortcut into whole swaths of human history, beckoning us to understand all the cultures that existed before us, and how close the connections are with our world today.”

Precious is about so much more than the gems around which Helen Molesworth organizes this book. She covers geology, of course, as our earth births these magnificent signifiers of culture and wealth. The geological timescale vis a vis our mortal lifespans is beyond comprehension, and this book gives us moments to reflect on this. The millions of years it takes to move and align minerals, heat and pressure them, and nudge them to the surface for discovery is a staggering concept, a “freak of nature,” Molesworth says.

Then there is the historical framework in which these stones were discovered, mined, and evolved as cultural symbols. She covers the business aspects of this industry and touches on early trade practices and the daring merchants who traveled to distant nations in search of gems. Molesworth will follow the paths of these early traders to visit mining regions, sometimes at the risk of life and limb such as one trip to Myanmar. On a lighter note, there are fun tidbits such as the story about the 45+carat blue Hope Diamond being delivered to the Smithsonian Museum by U.S. mail. Great read!

Many thanks to Random House—Ballantine and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

The author writes convincingly about how moved she is by gems. She REALLY loves them and holding a special specimen in her hands gives her quite a buzz. I don't share this feeling (I guess - maybe I've just never been around any special jewlery) but I am interested in most things and the way gems are created, discovered and mined is something I knew very little about. The book also tells the surprising history of what different gems have represented though the years, and how the prestige and value of gem types has risen and fallen. There were also human stories of specific gems and the people who have owned them. This was a fun, quick read and I loved how passionate and knowledgeable Molesworth is about her subject.

I enjoyed learning about some of my favorite gems Rubies, Emeralds, and Sapphires and how they are created, where they can be found and why they are so valuable and expensive. I also liked learning about how some people will pay anything to have these rare gems and how other people attach meaning and superstitions to them. because of events that surround these stones, like the Hope diamond. Finally, I learned information about gems that use to be important to the world like the Garnet, Quartz and Jade, and fell out of favor which surprised me, I would have never guessed that any of them were valuable even though I think they are beautiful, and I never heard of Spinel before which seems to have an interesting history.
On last part of the book I liked was hearing about all the interesting characters that the author met along the way and how they taught her a lot about they gems, the stories were pretty funny.


I want to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this story about precious gems.

Precious by Helen Molesworth is a non-fiction work describing one woman’s love affair with priceless gems. She is thorough in the descriptions of the gems as well as their providence and their history. It is far too much for one reader to absorb, although it was interesting and well-written. Her descriptions were vivid and engaging. It was an enjoyable book to read, although beyond an overall impression, I’m not sure how much I absorbed.

I was invited to read Precious by Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley RandomHousePublishingGroupBallantine #HelenMolesworth #Precious

Each chapter showcases a different gem culminating with jade. There was a tremendous amount of research done in finishing the book. The author is certainly passionate and knowledgeable about gemstones. I liked the different anecdotes of a stone's history but was kind of bored with the chemical compositions. I think this book would be perfect with colored pictures of all the famous jewels she wrote about instead of looking them up online.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for providing me with a digital copy.

I was given an advance reading copy (arc) of this book from the publisher and NetGalley.com in exchange for a fair review. I so wanted to like this book, but it was more like a textbook written about various gems (think diamonds, emeralds, pearls, etc.). The author gave what seemed like a detailed (and boring) account of how these gems came to be in the geological sense. More interesting were her comments about certain aspects of famous gems and their owners throughout history. Author Helen Molesworth has had a unique career working with these jewels. Unfortunately, her experiences were not only hard to identify with, but most of her diatribe was long-winded and boring. I was expecting so much more. Holding jewels and touching them did little to impress me. Visiting mines in far flung places should have been more interesting, but it all seemed so dull. At the very least, I can say I was disappointed. Molesworth's unique role should have made a great read. Instead, it was hard to get through.

Am ambitious and accessible look at 10 different gemstones. Molesworth weaves her own life and experiences into the stories of these stones-not only the better known ones such as diamonds and sapphires but also those we don't see as often such as spinels and garnets. Some of this might be familiar (especially with regard to diamonds) but it's the spin she adds that makes this an entertaining read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This might be most enjoyed in hard copy to more fully appreciate the photographs that accompany the text.

This is a fascinating and absorbing book on gems, including many famous pieces that we’ve heard and read about. From the science of gemstones, mining, marketing and value to their historical, cultural and religious significance, this book covers it all. The author has done a wonderful job covering the breadth of the gemology world in a writing style that is interesting, engaging and relatable. She clearly loves what she does and her interest and passion for gemology continues despite her vast experience and work in the industry. I love how she shared her experience and knowledge while continuing to be excited about future discoveries in the gemology world. Just over a week ago, the second largest ever diamond in the world - at 2,492 carats - was discovered in a mine in Botswana. It’s the biggest diamond found since 1905. I’m sure this was just the kind of future discovery that keeps life interesting for Ms. Molesworth! Overall, this book was a great read and I definitely recommend it. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I love jewels and was delighted to be able to read and review this book. I thought it would be fascinating to read and learn about so many famous and outstanding gems throughout history. But, in reality, I found this to be a very slow read and it was so highly detailed that I lost interest. I thought the author thoroughly researched the subject and was eager to share all she had learned but it read to me like a college class and my eyes glazed over with the sheer volume of information. It just did not hold my interest. I really wanted to love this. The cover of the book is outstanding and really grabbed my attention.

I wish to thank Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Molesworth does a decent job of describing and telling the stories of the world’s most precious gems and jewellery with personal commentary, and some history and facts.

This was not entirely what I had hoped for in design and in its facts and storytelling, but glad to have come across it. It is truly inspiring and comprehensive.

Precious by Helen Molesworth was a very informative and interesting book about gems. I never gave them much thought to the history of them but after reading this book I now have so much more respect for gems.
This is a perfect book for anyone who has thought of gems as just pieces of the jewelry they own. The description on the cover that says it is about the history and mystery of gems caught my attention and seeing the gorgeous necklace on the cover was magnificent.
Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and Helen Molesworth for the book #Precious. This is my personal review.

What an interesting book! I found the histories of the various gemstones, both as categories and in specific famous named-stone instances, to be full of magic, intrigue, and fun facts. It wasn't a book to read straight through for me, as the format followed in each chapter started to feel a little repetitive, but it was definitely an informative and engaging book to come back to for handfuls of stones at a time. I enjoyed the mix of history, mythology, and drama that surrounded each of the types of stones, but definitely found the intrigue surrounding the named stones to be the most engaging part of the book for me personally.

This is an expansive book on exquisite gems with a description of colors, movements, patterns and beauty. When one can’t see the pieces up close, this is the next best thing to visualize photos and learn about them.

The book is organized well and readers are educated with how the stones were originally found. Helen Molesworth has done a remarkable job with researching precious gemstones. She shares her knowledge in chapters of the emerald, ruby, sapphire, garnet, pearl, spinel, quartz, jade and, of course, the diamond.

I especially enjoyed reading about those of great wealth who have enjoyed having these pieces in jewelry, fashions and art. The list of women seen with rare gems includes Elizabeth Taylor, Marie Antoinette, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy and Princess Margaret.

The author shares some insight with how her personal life in the auction business has given her rare opportunities to see and handle some of these pieces. Since her childhood, she has loved these precious, stunning stones. She says every piece is different which makes it a fun challenge.

This would be an ideal gift for someone who loves gems or an educational tool for a jeweler. The history is fascinating and I learned some interesting facts. Yet, it was a lot of information for me to personally digest. I think it will benefit readers to also see stunning photos when the book is released as it’s such a visual subject.

My thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of September 17, 2024.

Great book on a topic that has fascinated me for as long as I can remember. Helen Molesworth has written a beautiful book with a lot of information on gems. Overall, it was a great book. I would have loved to see more pictures.

I would've enjoyed this book more if it were less about the author's personal anecdotes in her field as a gemologist, and more about the gems themselves.

In that, the subheader for this book is a bit misleading. Whilst it does indeed include some history, it's in the form of tidbits and often personal commentary and opinion than history plain and simple. The assortment of stories and trivia about celebrities and royalty in relation to jewels were both already known and not very interesting to me. And Molesworth's at-work anecdotes as a jewellery expert for an auction house were even less interesting. I suppose that, if you are into stuff like learning what expensive jewellery a star like Liz Taylor got from her husbands, or want to know insider gossip and family anecdotes from a Christie's or Sotheby's resident gemology expert, you'd find the book's content and style more to your liking.

But I wanted the history of the gems, not more of what I already know. I've been looking for a book about the history and cultural impact of precious stones that includes all the heavy hitters, because there are books for single stones (rubies and emeralds and pearls, I have two such books) or even individual gemstones (I have a book about the Koh-i-Noor), and "Precious" seemed to tick all the boxes.

It doesn't. But it did have things I liked, for example: the inclusion of stones that aren't considered "precious" in the West. I had noticed before that in Eastern cultures, stones like the spinel and garnet were precious, and had wondered about this difference with the West. Molesworth goes into that, which is appreciated. I think the chapters dedicated to these stones that aren't universally precious were the most interesting, and what saved the book for me. It includes also quartz and jade, that also have more value outside the Western sphere, so that makes a total of six chapters dedicated to universally precious gems (ruby, emerald, sapphire, pearl, diamond, and coloured diamonds) and four to culture-specific precious gems (spinel, garnet, quartz, and jade). I'm somewhat surprised at the absence of opal, though, and also lament the oversight of certain stones no longer considered precious but that were very appreciated in past centuries, such as Lapiz lazuli, turquoise, amethyst...

So, it's not a thorough or particularly in-depth book about gemstones. If you read this, you should be aware that it's mostly generalities and personal input, and don't expect much more than that.