Discusses the specific ways in which jewelry fashions reflected the socio-political changes of the last century, citing such periods as the affluent 1920s, the war years, and the technological advances that enabled new design innovations.

For more than 200 years, buyers and sellers have sought advice from Christie's specialists. For the first time, Christie's shares this knowledge in an easy-to-use guide to jewellery with stunning color photographs. Christie's Guide to Jewellery provides essential facts and advice on how to appreciate and understand jewels. What should you look for in a gem? Which artificial enhancements should you be aware of when choosing a stone? Why is spinel one of the most underrated gems today? Offering everything from a description of the four "C" categories to an explanation of the origin of the word "carat, " Christie's Guide to Jewellery is a must-have book for both serious and amateur collectors.

- Compiled with full access to Christie's famous archives - Reveals the romance, drama, intrigue - even danger - attached to some of the world's most storied jewels - Expertly curating Christie's extensive archives, Vincent Meylan has drawn out the key details of each momentous sale - Stories of the world's great jewelry collections For centuries, the stories of the world's great jewelry collections have lain hidden within the archives of Christie's, the celebrated auctioneers. From the tragic European queens, Mary, Queen of Scots and Marie Antoinette - both beheaded - to Hollywood royalty such as Elizabeth Taylor, the vaults sparkle with the most famous (and occasionally notorious) names of the last 250 years. Following on from the success of his books on Boucheron: The Secret Archives, Van Cleef & Arpels: Treasures and Legends and Mellerio: Jewellers to the Queens of Europe, author Vincent Meylan explores these remarkable jewelry archives, revealing the mysteries within for the first time. Each sale had its intrigue, each its story to tell. The first auction of jewelry from the British royal family took place at Christie's in 1773, after the death of the Princess of Wales, mother of George III. As the archives reveal, in the subsequent centuries, Christie's has been party to the sale of jewelry by several further generations of British royals, from Lady Patricia Ramsay and the Countess of Southesk through to Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. And, in the wake of revolution and regicide further afield, the crown jewels of France, Russia, Bavaria, Serbia, Egypt, India and Spain were all sold at Christie's. Aside from Elizabeth Taylor, the legendary movie star collections of Merle Oberon and Gloria Swanson are also revealed here, as well as the most famous pearls and diamonds in the world; each explored within the context of their owners' remarkable lives. Expertly curating the extensive archives, Vincent Meylan has drawn out the key details of each momentous sale. Original documents from the vaults are reproduced in the book, alongside hundreds of color illustrations of the jewels and their owners.

The 4th edition of Warman's Jewelry: Fine & Costume Jewelry price guide is for any jewelry lover interested in jadeite, pearls, diamonds, figurals, Art Deco, Art Nouveau, sterling silver, beads, rhinestones, avant-garde, designer, antique Victorian-Edwardian-Georgian, couture, plastics including Bakelite and Lucite, gold, and even more exceptional jewelry categories. The book features a fresh and fun redesign with more than 1,000 all-new images. Scholarly information and helpful hints guide the collector on an amusing journey through costume and fine jewelry from the 18th to 21st centuries. The easy-to-follow format allows collectors to quickly identify their jewelry, plus concise and informative intro shorts tell the readers specifically what to look for within categories. The book is an indispensable addition to any jewelry library. Learn about jewelry without the usual tedium of non-fiction for a read that goes fast from the first word to the closing paragraph. Plus, read short interviews with category specialists. All in all, you'll learn a lot without realizing you've been ... studying.

The impact of Art Deco was felt in every sphere of the decorative arts. This volume examines one of the most important period of design in the 20th century, and relates the story of every aspect of this movement of the 1920's and 30's.

Spectacularly beautiful, this authoritative book presents jewelry designs of this century. With almost two hundred full-color photographs specially commissioned for this book and archival pictures of pieces that have disappeared into private collections, the volume features the finest artworks in precious metals and jewels from collections around the world, including creations by Lalique, Cartier, Boucheron, Bulgari, Tiffany, and David Webb. The fascinating text surveys the glittering world of gems with an illustrated introductory essay investigating the development of jewelry design at the end of the 1800s, and the shift from Victorian and Art Nouveau works to pieces stamped with the personality and vision of a single designer. The next chapter thoroughly examines the successive revolutions in style of the twentieth century. The balance of the book is a cornucopia of photographs portraying pieces from the beginning of the century through the 1960s: the grand era of commissions and patrons. Here you will find the Duchess of Windsor's famous necklace of diamonds and rubies as well as a fabulous pin in the shape of a World War II tank, and a veritable menagerie of diamond-studded elephants, enameled tigers, and jade dragons. This thorough history is a dazzling jewelbox of a book.