This review is based on a DRC. King of Diamonds – Harry Winston, The Definitive Biography of an American Icon by Ronald Winston and William Stadiem is both a biography of the legendary jeweler Harry Winston and an autobiography by his elder son Ronald. The biography portion of the book is a fascinating look at Harry Winston’s life, from his early years in New York City, the son of Ukrainian Jewish immigrants, to his death at in 1978 at age 82. In his lifetime he built an empire based on the acquisition and sale of diamonds and among the famous stones he acquired was the Hope Diamond, which he donated, along with other diamonds, to the Smithsonian Museum. His expertise with gems was evident early; at age twelve, while working in his father’s small New York jewelry store, he noticed a ring with a green stone in a pawn shop and purchased it for 25 cents. He sold the two-carat emerald a few days later for $800 (about $27,000 in 2023 dollars). He opened his first store in 1932 and was well known for buying large collections of estate jewelry. He sold jewelry to the wealthy and famous and was the first to loan expensive items to be worn on the Oscar red carpet. At one point his diamond business, which included both cut and set jewels and rough stones, rivaled the De Beers monopoly. His story is the quintessential poor boy’s success and the glittering road to that success is an intriguing read.
The more challenging portion of the book is the autobiographical material by show more Ronald Winston that is interleaved with Harry’s biography. Ronald Winston, who reluctantly took over the business his father built, is a Harvard educated chemist who would have preferred to work on rocket propulsion rather than buying and selling gems. His exploits, as well as his father’s, in the pursuit of diamonds are interesting reading, but he spends a portion of the book laying out in detail who is not to be trusted or liked, including his younger brother Bruce, with whom he had a decades-long feud over the business. Also, the authors’ inclination to overwrite hinders the flow of the narrative at times. That tone and phrases like “I had become the Eloise of that grand caravansary” and “they were pretending they were classy, sophisticated Gothamites” detract from the readable, well researched main subject – a history of diamonds and Harry Winston’s prominent role in it. show less
The more challenging portion of the book is the autobiographical material by show more Ronald Winston that is interleaved with Harry’s biography. Ronald Winston, who reluctantly took over the business his father built, is a Harvard educated chemist who would have preferred to work on rocket propulsion rather than buying and selling gems. His exploits, as well as his father’s, in the pursuit of diamonds are interesting reading, but he spends a portion of the book laying out in detail who is not to be trusted or liked, including his younger brother Bruce, with whom he had a decades-long feud over the business. Also, the authors’ inclination to overwrite hinders the flow of the narrative at times. That tone and phrases like “I had become the Eloise of that grand caravansary” and “they were pretending they were classy, sophisticated Gothamites” detract from the readable, well researched main subject – a history of diamonds and Harry Winston’s prominent role in it. show less