01 Apr 2026
Authors, Newsletter, Talks 38 Comments
1 April 2026 Susannah

Jewels in Literature

Elegant diamond necklace

It is generally considered that one of the greatest short stories ever written is The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant (La Parure in French, published in 1884). Concise, vivid, superbly characterised, and with a fabulous twist at the end, it really is the perfect example of what a short story should be. The main character, Madame Loisel, longs for finery and pretty things, but her husband doesn’t earn enough to provide diamonds to hang around her neck. When invited to an important party, she borrows a necklace from a friend, with disastrous results. It’s a brilliant tale of greed, envy, disappointment and marriage. I’ve previously written about this superb story; you can find it here.

With the big Cartier exhibition coming to Melbourne this year, I’ve been pondering jewels in literature in preparation for a talk at a special event there. Of course, the fantastic Maupassant story will be included in my talk, as will Trollope’s superb novel The Eustace Diamonds, about greedy and foolish Lizzie Eustace’s desperate attempts to hold on to a diamond necklace that belongs to her dead husband’s estate and not to her. There’s the Sherlock Holmes story The Blue Carbuncle (such a jewel does not actually exist), the Henry James story Paste, the delightful episode concerning Marilla’s amethyst brooch in Anne of Green Gables, and a stolen jewel in Wilkie Collins’ The Moonstone. I’ve always loved Mrs Merdle in Dickens’ Little Dorrit who displays huge jewels on her capacious bosom in order to show off her husband’s wealth. But I’d love my newsletter readers to put on their thinking caps and let me know of other excellent examples from literature where fine jewels provoke greed, lust, theft or desire. Please send in your suggestions?

The House of Cartier is one of the most famous jewellery houses in the world, renowned for gorgeous designs. It was founded in Paris in 1847. The exhibition in Melbourne runs from 12 June to 4 October, and it will display over 300 sparkling items from necklaces, earrings, brooches and parures, to handbags, clocks and watches. Australians Studying Abroad is hosting a special day with talks on Jewels in Literature, Jewels in Art, the Jewels of Helen of Troy, and the history of Cartier. It will end with a delightful concert and a glass of bubbles. It has been said that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. If you love diamonds too, do think of booking for this one-off special event, ‘A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever’.

And don’t forget to help me out with jewel ideas from favourite books – I’m relying on you all! Tell me in a comment.

Comments (38)

  1. Helen

    Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier. About Vermeer, based in his famous painting.

  2. Sally

    I thought I’d start with Jane Austen. Who else? I don’t think she refers to jewellery very often but the references I’ve remembered seem very significant.
    Sense and Sensibility – Eleanor pawns her mother’s jewels? and meets up with Robert Ferrars in the shop who is deliberating over a very frivolous purchase (was it a toothpick case? I’d have to check).
    Edward’s ring with the mysterious hair – Eleanor’s or Lucy’s?
    Mansfield Park – (already referred to above) – the topaz cross and the two gold chains.

    • Susannah Fullerton

      Yes some great jewel examples there, especially the wonderful symbolism of Edmund’s cross not fitting on to Henry’s chain.

  3. Helen

    The Love of Stones by Tobias Hill.

    An historic thriller involving a modern-day search for the Three Brethren, a medieval jewel, interspersed with the story of the brooch’s journey from creation, through ownership by historic figures including Duke John of Burgundy and Elizabeth I.

    • Susannah Fullerton

      Thanks, Helen. I have not heard of the book or the author, so another book to add to my reading list.

  4. Harriet Veitch

    Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos. So much about jewellery, including, but not limited to, a tiara. “A kiss on the hand may make you feel very nice, but a diamond and sapphire bracelet lasts forever.”

  5. Harriet Veitch

    In The Great Gatsby, Tom gives Daisy the wedding gift of a pearl necklace worth $350,000 at the time. Daisy tries to give it back but eventually takes it and Tom back, thus being leashed to Tom and taking money over true love

    • Susannah Fullerton

      A chain of pearls, binding her to Tom. Harriet, you are being so helpful!

  6. Cheryl H

    The Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley has an underlying story of a diamond from the Russian Royalty. Plus some of the individual tales of each sister uses a piece of jewellery as a clue to their ancestry.
    I thoroughly enjoyed the whole series.

    • Susannah Fullerton

      Thanks, Cheryl, I have read the fist book in the series, but had forgotten the jewellery theme.

  7. Christine Stevenson

    Remember the pearls Lucia inherits from Pepino’s aunt in E F Benson’s ‘Lucia in London’? They have Georgie and Daisy speculating on their value as they enthusiastically calculate just how much Lucia and Pepino’s inheritance might be.

    • Susannah Fullerton

      I really need to reread all the fabulous Mapp and Lucia books. I do so love them. Thanks for reminding me about the pearls.

  8. Camilla Hubbard

    Joni Earickson-Tada became a paraplegic as a young woman, but although totally dependent on others hAS SUCH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND HAS WRITTEN MANY BOOKS INCLUDING DIAMONDS IN THE DUST
    WHIICH WAS LATER PUBLISHED AS A DAILY DEVOTIONAL. I ATTENDED A TALK BY HER IN 2000, JUST AFTER THE SYDNEY OLYMPICS, AND SHE DANCED ON STAGE IN HER WHEELCHAIR! SUCH AN EMOTIONAL MOMENT.
    HER BOOKS ARE TRULY INSPIRING.

  9. Donna Fletcher Crow

    In The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, first in the Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley, she melts her mother’s pearls in a science experiment which shows her voracious curiosity and determination to follow her ideas–even when they are bad ones.

  10. Harriet Veitch

    Further to Heyer, Horry’s lost brooch in The Convenient Marriage and Lady Denville’s jewels in False Colours tthat she thinks are pastte but her rich boyfriend has only pretended to have them copied so she can keep them.

    • Susannah Fullerton

      Two of the ones I don’t reread so foten, which is why I had forgotten the ejwels.
      Many thanks, Harriet.

  11. Fiona Martin

    The Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer. The first Heyer book I ever read.

    • Susannah Fullerton

      Yes, I think there must be lots of jewels in Heyer, so will have to have a closer look.
      Thanks!

  12. Harriet Veitch

    Again, a jewel rather than jewellery, The Moonstone by Wilke Collins. The moonstone of the title is a large diamond

  13. Harriet Veitch

    Not jewellery as such, but large jewels in Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle and Lord Peter Wimsey in The Piscatorial Farce of the Stolen Stomach.

    • Susannah Fullerton

      I had the Sherlock Holmes one, but not the Lord Peter one – thanks.

  14. Marina Marangos

    The Koohinor Diamond. Anita Anand and William Dalrymple. All the best Marina

    • Susannah Fullerton

      I’m looking at fiction rather than non-fiction, but thanks.

  15. Rosemary Shaw

    O Henry – The Gift of the Magi
    Della’s hair more beautiful than the Queen”s jewels, the gold watch and chain, the jewelled hair combs.

    John Steinbeck The Pearl

    Surely you’ll get those Mansfield Park topaz crosses in

    And not a favourite… Tolkien’s LOTR.

    • Susannah Fullerton

      I had the Steinbeck and of course the crosses in Mansfield Park, but many thanks for the others. I am not a LOTR fan either, but while in NZ I did visit the shop that made the ring that featured in the film!

  16. Julie Sweeten

    The Forsyte Saga – symbolism of Irene’s jewellery as possession by Soames

    Poldark. – Ross’s gift to Demelza for her status in society

  18. eileen hayse

    Hi Susannah

    4 Agatha Christie novels come to mind
    The Adventure of the Western Star
    Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan
    The Mystery of the Blue Train
    Cat among the Pigeons
    Published in 1923, 1923, 1928 &1959

    Thanks for your interesting newsletters

    Eileen Hayse

    • Susannah Fullerton

      I should have remember Cat Among the Pigeons as it is one of my favourite Christie novels. But I can’t remember what sort of jewel it is that is hidden in the handle of the tennis racquet – must look it up.
      Many thanks!

  19. Harriet Veitch

    The Attenbury Emeralds by Jill Paton Walsh as a further book in Dorothy L Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey books. Also the emerald necklace in Dorothy L Sayers’ book The Nine Tailors

    • Susannah Fullerton

      Now that’s a good reasons to reread The Nine Tailors and the Jill Paton Walsh one. It’s many years since I read either of them.
      Thanks!

  20. Jennifer

    Just finished reading the marvellous Scarlet Pimpernel in which beautiful Marguerite Blakeney wears rubies and diamonds that echo the famous little flower which is the emblem of that mysterious hero who has saved so many French aristocrats from the guillotine. Gorgeous jewels and an important clue in the story!

    • Susannah Fullerton

      Thanks for the reminder – I love that book, and the film with Anthony Andrews.

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