Rocks, Ice and Dirty Stones

King of stones, valued since antiquity for their unrivalled hardness, diamonds today are both desired and deplored. Once faceted and polished they glitter on the fingers of brides-to-be and in the ornaments of the super-rich, but their extraction in some of the world’s poorest countries remains conten­­tious. Immensely valuable for their size, stones can be easily hidden and transported, and so are favoured by those fleeing persecution as well as by criminals wanting to launder cash. Diamonds have been widely used in industry since the nineteenth century, and have long been valued for their pharmaceutical and prophylactic properties.This probing, entertaining and richly illustrated book examines the history of the diamond trade through the centuries from India and Brazil to South Africa and Europe, and investigates what happens to diamonds once they reach the cutters and polishers. Marcia Pointon takes the reader on a unique tour of the ways in which the quadrahedron diamond shape has inspired design, architecture and painting, from the symbolism of medieval manuscripts to modern-day graffiti. She questions the etiquette of engagement rings, from the multi-million-dollar ‘rock’ to the high-street brilliant. Finally, she reminds us why and how lost, stolen or cursed diamonds create suspense in so much classic fiction and film.This compelling and fascinating account of the history of ‘sparklers’ around the world will appeal to all who covet, as well as all who despise, the unparalleled brilliance and glitter of the diamond.