The Master Jewelers

Towards the end of the 19th century, the master jewelers of the Western world began to shed the 18th-century anonymity under which such artist-craftsmen had generally worked.

They emerged as individual voices, discarding the bland, predictable standards of the earlier era in jewelry design in favour of evocative new creations.

The renowned designers whose work is featured in this book can be instantly identified by their particular interests and discoveries.

Carl Faberge emphasized originality of design and the quality of craftsmanship, rather than the intrinsic value of the materials used.

Castellani is known for his nostalgic glances back at Etruscan gold work; Rene Lalique was irresistibly fascinated by the strange forms he adapted from nature.

The searching, critical eye of a Cartier or a Boucheron lent chic to their beloved abstract patterns.

In fifteen chapters each written by leading experts in the field, the world of fine jewelry, encompassing its social, aesthetic and business aspects from around 1850 to the present day, springs to life. The magnificent illustrations display extraordinary confections of gold, silver and platinum, gems cut and polished in every conceivable fashion, and enamels, translucent, opaque or as clear as stained-glass windows - all designed and executed to enhance the allure of the people fortunate enough to wear them.