The Jewelry Book published by Phaidon was conceived with the ambitious aim of taking a deep dive into the last 200 years of the fabulous world of jewellery. Richly illustrated with large-scale photographs, the 328 pages reveal the wealth of characters, creativity, eccentricity, genius and exuberance that define the last two centuries of jewellery.
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The Jewelry Book follows on from Phaidon’s previous category-busting titles The Art Book and The Fashion Book, which, given the breadth of entries, are a valuable resource for anyone looking to delve into these topics and no doubt will enter the archives of institutes as a keystone publication.
Diana Vreeland wearing her signature warrior-style cuffs, 1982 Photograph by Priscilla Rattazzi. Image credit: Priscilla Rattazzi
Encyclopaedic in its reach, over thirty expert writers were commissioned to write 250-word entries on 300 entities and personalities from the world of jewellery, present and past. The book captures both the zeitgeist of C21st jewellery and key historical influencers, collectors, and personalities who shaped the jewellery landscape.
My contributions included the fabulously louche self-appointed ‘Baron’ Enrico Apuzzo di Portanova, the artistic genius of Kevin Coates, the original disruptor Frida Kahlo, Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, king of Ashanti, and the contemporary elegance of Alessandro Sabbatini.
Bina Goenka Butterfly necklace with more than 2,900 diamonds and 5,900 natural white clam pearls, and Clam Ear Creepers with natural white clam pearls and over 130 natural pearls and 800 diamonds, 2024. Photograph by Jatin Kampani. Image credit: Courtesy Bina Goenka
Editor Melanie Grant explains her inspiration: “What makes this book so different is the eclectic mix of entries. Jewellery books tend to be focused on a brand, an era, a designer or a style of jewellery, and this book merges all of these. There are also some surprising entries, such as pages dedicated to royalty, collectors, galleries, gem cutters, museums, style icons and designers, making for a complete combination of elements. The book echoes my philosophy of dispensing with the hierarchies in art, with jewellery languishing at the bottom as ‘decorative art’. Creativity embodies equality, because today anyone can wear anything, and that is to be celebrated. We need the idea of freedom more than ever. Jewellery is often likened to armour, but for me, it is more about amplification, as it influences huge amounts of people just by being worn.”
The Jewelry Book launches in New York on 10 September and in London on 24 September 2025.
Bina Goenka Butterfly necklace with more than 2,900 diamonds and 5,900 natural white clam pearls, and Clam Ear Creepers with natural white clam pearls and over 130 natural pearls and 800 diamonds, 2024. Photograph by Jatin Kampani. Image credit: Courtesy Bina Goenka
Diana Vreeland wearing her signature warrior-style cuffs, 1982 Photograph by Priscilla Rattazzi. Image credit: Priscilla Rattazzi
Sabba, est. Paris, France, 2014, jet and diamond earrings in titanium and yellow gold, set with two marquise-cut diamonds, 202. Image credit: Courtesy FD Gallery, New York
Aurora Anthony wears the Johnny Nelson 4 Fingers of Def and Her Freedom four-finger rings, 2020. Image credit: Photo Danita Bethea
Fernando Jorge Galaxy earrings in 18-carat gold set with brilliant-cut diamonds in hand-carved milky aquamarine Image credit: Photo: Baker & Evans
Wallace Chan the Cosmos brooch depicts two intertwined carps with a dragon in flight above and a suspended, free-moving pendulum below set with diamonds, sapphires, rubies, tsavorite garnets, and jadeite slices, and a 5.84-carat irregularly shaped diamond. Image credit: DeMarcus Allen
Phaidon’s The Jewelry Book is a seminal publication that covers the diverse and rich world of jewels over the past 200 years.