The Hidden Gem

Geologist and gem hunter Brian Cook joins Laurent Cartier to talk about a life spent chasing crystals in Brazil — and about being one of the first people outside the country to see Paraíba tourmaline. From a chrysocolla pebble given to a high-school girlfriend, to emerald pits in the Bahian outback, to a dinner plate of electric blue stones in a remote town in Rio Grande do Norte, Brian tells the story of a discovery that changed the gem world — and explains why, after four decades, the artisanal mining communities behind the stones matter to him as much as...

Jewellery historian and gemmologist Helen Molesworth joins Laurent Cartier at the V&A in London to explore why gems have captivated humanity for thousands of years. From a childhood geode that broke her leg to curating the museum's blockbuster Cartier exhibition, Helen makes the case that no other subject sits at the crossroads of science, history, art and emotion quite like this one.

Fourth-generation coral specialist Enzo Liverino joins Laurent Cartier to talk about precious coral — a material humans have prized for thousands of years, from Mediterranean fishermen to Tibet and the kings of Benin. From learning to read a coral branch as a boy in his father's factory in Torre del Greco, to buying rough material in Japan and Taiwan in his twenties, Enzo shares a lifetime of knowledge — and makes the case that what really matters is the culture and heritage we pass on.

Jewellery historian and Antiques Roadshow specialist Joanna Hardy joins Laurent Cartier at Goldsmiths' Hall in London to talk about a career built on curiosity — from a childhood spent surrounded by her godmother's mineral cabinets, to sorting rough diamonds at De Beers in the 1980s, to writing definitive books on ruby, sapphire and emerald. Joanna reflects on what it took to find her way in a male-dominated trade, why trust and reputation still sit at the heart of the gemstone world, and why — even in an age of AI and synthetic stones — the craft, the human stories, and...