Never before has the full history of Hatton Garden and its diamond and jewellery trade been revealed in such detail.

Stories of individuals who made the community what it is today and events that are usually hidden from the public’s eye have been compiled by one of the Garden’s best-known jewellers, Vivian Watson FGA, who joined the family business in the 1960s, becoming the third generation of his family to work there. With a unique network of contacts, he has interviewed the great and the good.

Richly illustrated from a private collection of hundreds of images and maps, this book will inform and entertain the reader on the secret world of diamonds and gems. Many will feel compelled to read it from cover to cover and others will enjoy dipping in and out.

‘Vivian’s research is comprehensive. He has brought alive the minutiae of a neighbourhood, the tragedies and successes, and how it became synonymous with the craft Vivian’s family are a crucial part of.’

Feature/extract in The Londonist

VIVIAN WATSON joined the family business in Hatton Garden in the 1960s and has had the opportunity to witness over 50 years of change. He qualified as a gemmologist early in his career, becoming a Fellow of the Gemmological Association, and is able to use the coveted professional qualification FGA after his name. He went on to study diamonds, jewellery retailing and more, achieving distinctions in his exams. He served as a director, and chairman of the Gemmological Association. He was invited by De Beers to join their prestigious Carat Club and became a Liveryman of the Goldsmiths Company in 1995.