Precious memories ; Judy Garland's brooch, Dior's Disney rings and plastic pearls from Venice: Susie Boyt recalls the jewels she's hungered for, dreamed of and worn

Summary

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Growing up, I always thought the desire for jewellery in a person was a bad sign. I was quite strict about it. People hankered after baubles because there was something else missing in their lives. Only someone who had never had a good friend could think that diamonds were preferable. Will a diamond cross town in the middle of the night with half a bottle of whisky and a bunch of tulips and listen to you pouring your heart out for an hour and a half? No, it will not.

And as for the men who gave jewellery... I thought they were creepy. You gave jewellery when there was something else you didn't want to give - ie, your heart. Dukes gave jewellery to chorus girls when they should have been at home with their wives, at least they did on Upstairs, Downstairs. Or it was a pay-off for bad behaviour, an unsavoury transaction between a man and a woman when a gift was given to ensure a blind eye was turned. Bought forgiveness. Gilt from guilt.

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Precious memories ; Judy Garland's brooch, Dior's Disney rings and plastic pearls from Venice: Susie Boyt recalls the jewels she's hungered for, dreamed of and worn

A friend of the family who was turning 50 tried to explain to me how a really lovely piece of jewellery can take the sting out of an unwanted birthday: a heart-shaped diamond had diluted the sense of embarrassment and outrage she felt at hitting the big five-o. A woman of a certain age ought to have a stone or two, she reasoned. How silly I thought her.

Besides, if an expen...

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