Emeralds on the Cheap

 Last week whilst waiting for a tube at Charing Cross my wandering eyes found a poster for a new and intriguing jewellery and watch exhibition at the Museum of London: Sometime between 1640 and 1666, some interesting character hid hundreds of Jacobean and Elizabethan jewels in an unremarkable cellar in London’s Cheapside.

Whether or not the hoarder forgot about the collection or was otherwise inhibited from retrieving them, no one really knows. The good news is however, that this month for the first time since the collection was discovered in 1912, the whole load will go on display from the 11^th of October through to April 27^th giving magpies and Jewell enthusiasts a chance to see the collection up close.

 Amongst the jewels, which alone will be an amazing sight, is an extremely rare and priceless 350 year old Colombian emerald watch. The watch itself sits within an emerald case, the gemstone cut so that the play of light on the facets makes the watch appear to glow a gorgeous deep green. The lid is so translucent that the watch face can still be seen when it is closed. Beautiful.

The reason this piece is so valuable is because no other comparable items from this time period have yet been discovered. Visually it is a remarkable pieces and would not look out of place in the Emerald City of Oz.

I am lucky enough to live in London and try to make the most of all the museums and exhibitions on offer and next to the V&A's Pearl Exhibition, the Cheapside Hoard is top of the list. Happy exploring, fellow magpies.