Jewels and Jewelry (V&A Museum)

An exquisite and accessible history of jewels and jewelry from the Middle Ages to today, Jewels and Jewelry features exceptional photography from the V&A’s unmatched collection. 

Jewels and Jewelry examines splendid items of jewelry ranging from early medieval pieces and superb examples of Renaissance jewelry, to arts and crafts, Art Nouveau, and twenty-first-century designs, which make up the Victoria and Albert Museum’s exceptional jewelry collection. Exquisite photography reveals both rare and precious stones as well as the elaborate techniques of the jewelry craft, such as chasing, enameling, and cameo.

Author Clare Phillips organizes this volume of Western jewelry into three parts: the materials used by jewelers to create their stunning designs; the development of various jewelry styles, ranging from the Middle Ages to today; and the ways in which jewelry has been distributed and used over the centuries. Also included are famous jewels, such as the Beauharnais Emeralds, gifted by Napoleon to his adopted daughter, and jeweled pendants given by Queen Elizabeth I to her courtiers, alongside rings, brooches, earrings, and tiaras.

An impeccably researched and insightful look into the evolution of jewelry through the ages, Jewels and Jewelry is a treasured resource for students, professionals, collectors, and lovers of jewelry alike.