Helen Molesworth
Helen Molesworth is a jewellery historian and gemmologist whose 25-year career has spanned the global jewellery industry from auction houses to academic posts. She spent 10 years as a specialist at Christie’s and Sotheby’s where she managed such important sales as that of HRH Princess Margaret in 2006. Helen has travelled to mine sites and salerooms all over the world in search of gems. She is now the Senior Jewellery Curator at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, UK, where she curated the Cartier exhibition in 2025, and her book – Precious, The History and Mystery of Gems Across Time – was released in 2024.
Largest green diamond
The largest natural green diamond ever found is the Dresden Green, at 40.7 carats. It was purchased in 1743 by Frederick Augustus II and is now permanently housed at the New Green Vault within the Royal Palace in Dresden, Saxony, Germany. It is believed to originate from the diamond mines in the district of Golconda, Andhra Pradesh, India.
The colour of green diamonds is caused by irradiation; naturally occurring ones are very rare, particularly at such a large size and high quality as the Dresden Green.