Billerica Public Library

Brilliance and fire, a biography of diamonds, Rachelle Bergstein

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 323-352) and index

platesillustrations

index present

non fiction

Brilliance and fire

bibliography

921864768

Rachelle Bergstein

a biography of diamonds

"Sheds new light on the enticing, often surprising, story of our society's enduring obsession with the hardest gemstone, offering a fascinating history of its origins and revealing its greatest champions and most colorful enthusiasts. 25,000 first printing, "--NoveList

The buyers: how the American rich came to love diamonds -- The seekers: how one sickly Englishman took over the diamond industry -- The lovers: how young women came to expect diamond rings, part I -- The show-offs: how a single stone bewitched its owners, and captivated America -- The optimists: how the industry survived two World Wars and the Great Depression -- The sellers: how young women came to expect diamond rings, part II -- The queens: how Wallis Simpson earned her diamonds -- The stars: how an advertising agency got diamonds ready for their close-up -- The winners: how Elizabeth Taylor learned to speak Italian -- The meddlers: how little stones got big -- The inventors: how to make a diamond (and provoke De Beers) -- The illusionists: how the magicians protected their tricks -- The masters: how the Australians democratized diamonds -- The stunners: how tough guys started wearing diamonds -- The critics: how a global crisis changed the meaning of 'forever' -- The innovators: how to sell diamonds in a (more) enlightened world