Diamond Jewelry

Diamond Jewelry

Author: Diana Scarisbrick

Publisher: National Geographic Books

Published: 2019-10-15

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 0500021503

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A gloriously illustrated social history of diamond jewelry, told through the stories of the European rulers and socialites who commissioned and wore them. Diamonds have long symbolized political power and authority in Europe. This book explores the individuals who commissioned and wore extraordinarily precious diamond ornaments from the mid-fourteenth century to the present day. Exquisite paintings and breathtaking photography highlight the diamonds of figures as enduring as Louis XIV of France and Queen Elizabeth I of Great Britain, as well as screen icons such as Elizabeth Taylor. From Lisbon to London and Stockholm to St. Petersburg, these figures used diamond jewelry to reinforce their power. Like royal dress, diamonds were worn to dazzle and impress—at weddings, coronations, christenings, and state visits—and were presented as gifts, which often proved remarkably successful as instruments of diplomacy. More than three hundred illustrations capture the changing styles of diamond jewelry that mirror the trends of the time: late Gothic naturalism, the culture of the Renaissance, Baroque splendor, Rococo elegance and the imperial grandeur of the First and Second Napoleonic Empires. This book offers a fascinating overview of one of the world’s most iconic gems.


Diamonds and Scoundrels

Diamonds and Scoundrels

Author: Adrienne Rubin

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2019-09-17

Total Pages: 293

ISBN-13: 163152514X

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When Adrienne Rubin enters into the jewelry business in 1970s Los Angeles, she is a maverick in a world dominated by men. She soon meets a young hotshot salesman who doesn’t seem to struggle at all, and when he asks her to be his partner, she is excited to join him. She doesn’t know him well, but she does know his father, and she believes he is as trustworthy as the day is long . . . Diamonds and Scoundrels shows us how a woman in a man’s world, with tenacity and sheer determination, can earn respect and obtain a true sense of accomplishment. Following Rubin’s experiences in the jewelry industry through the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s—with the ups and downs, good guys and bad—this is a tale of personal growth, of how to overcome challenges with courage and resilience. It’s a story for the woman today who, in addition to a rich family life, seeks a self-realized, fulfilling path toward a life well lived.


Jewelry Concepts & Technology

Jewelry Concepts & Technology

Author: Oppi Untracht

Publisher: Doubleday

Published: 2011-01-26

Total Pages: 2225

ISBN-13: 0307784118

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The definitive reference for jewelry makers of all levels of ability--a complete, profusely illustrated guide to design, materials, and techniques, as well as a fascinating exploration of jewelry-making throughout history.


Once Upon a Diamond

Once Upon a Diamond

Author: Prince Dimitri

Publisher: Rizzoli Publications

Published: 2020-09-08

Total Pages: 390

ISBN-13: 0847866912

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A remarkable history of jewelry told through the beguiling stories of the royal families of Italy, Greece, Belgium, Russia, and Yugoslavia. Renowned jewelry designer Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia recounts the enthralling exploits of his beloved family members and describes their extraordinary jewelry collections. Among the many royals whose stories are richly illustrated in this volume are his paternal grandparents Prince Regent Paul and Princess Olga of Yugoslavia; Grand Duke Vladimir and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia; his great-grandparents Prince Nicolas and Princess Helen of Greece as well as his maternal grandparents King Umberto II and Queen Marie-José of Italy. The exquisite photography and family albums of Grand Duchess Elena of Russia (later Princess of Greece and Prince Dimitri's great-grandmother) present remarkable never-before-seen images of prerevolutionary life of the Russian imperial family, their court, and their many European royal family members and friends. This luxurious tome also includes exclusive and previously unpublished designs by Prince Dimitri, which juxtapose uncommon materials and color in imaginative yet timeless forms.


Graff

Graff

Author: Vivienne Becker

Publisher: Rizzoli Publications

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 273

ISBN-13: 0847844811

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A look into the exclusive world of Graff, the British-owned luxury purveyor of unique jewels, one-of-a-kind statement pieces, and the most famous diamonds in the world. The House of Graff is synonymous with the pinnacle of luxurious, sophisticated style, the exclusive glamour and exquisite craftsmanship of its creations a singular complement to the world-famous gemstones that have passed through its master craftsmen's hands. Laurence Graff's gift of releasing the hidden beauty within gems of unprecedented size and brilliance has led to Graff being renowned as home to "the most fabulous jewels in the world." Spotlighted are famed stones such as the 603-carat Lesotho Promise, which Graff daringly cut into a necklace of 26 perfect stones; the largest square Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond in the world, the 118.08-carat Delaire Sunrise; and the largest D Flawless round diamond in the world, the Graff Constellation, at 102.79 carats. This volume showcases the best of the House of Graff--the most dramatic, the most mesmerizing, and the most exceptional jewels in the world. Included is the story of the creation of Graff, portrayed through archival photos and the words of founder Laurence Graff.


Diamonds

Diamonds

Author: Jack Ogden

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2018-05-08

Total Pages: 403

ISBN-13: 0300235518

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A lavishly illustrated, in-depth early history covering two thousand years of diamond jewelry and commerce, from the Indian mines to European merchants, courts, and workshops This richly illustrated history of diamonds illuminates myriad facets of the “king of gems,” including a cast of larger-than-life characters such as Alexander the Great, the Mughal emperor Jahangir, and East India Company adventurers. It’s an in-depth study tracing the story of diamonds from their early mining and trade more than two thousand years ago to the 1700s, when Brazil displaced India as the world’s primary diamond supplier. Jack Ogden, a historian and gemologist specializing in ancient gems and jewelry, describes the early history of diamond jewelry, the development of diamond cutting, and how diamonds were assessed and valued. The book includes more than one hundred captivating images, from close-up full-color photographs of historic diamond-set jewelry (some previously unpublished), to photomicrographs of individual gems and illustrations of medieval manuscripts, as well as diagrams depicting historical methods of cutting and polishing diamonds.


The Cartiers

The Cartiers

Author: Francesca Cartier Brickell

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Published: 2021-06-08

Total Pages: 673

ISBN-13: 0525621636

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“A dynamic group biography studded with design history and high-society dash . . . [This] elegantly wrought narrative bears the Cartier hallmark.”—The Economist The “astounding” (André Leon Talley) story of the family behind the Cartier empire and the three brothers who turned their grandfather’s humble Parisian jewelry store into a global luxury icon—as told by a great-granddaughter with exclusive access to long-lost family archives “Ms. Cartier Brickell has done her grandfather proud.”—The Wall Street Journal The Cartiers is the revealing tale of a jewelry dynasty—four generations, from revolutionary France to the 1970s. At its heart are the three Cartier brothers whose motto was “Never copy, only create” and who made their family firm internationally famous in the early days of the twentieth century, thanks to their unique and complementary talents: Louis, the visionary designer who created the first men’s wristwatch to help an aviator friend tell the time without taking his hands off the controls of his flying machine; Pierre, the master dealmaker who bought the New York headquarters on Fifth Avenue for a double-stranded natural pearl necklace; and Jacques, the globe-trotting gemstone expert whose travels to India gave Cartier access to the world’s best rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, inspiring the celebrated Tutti Frutti jewelry. Francesca Cartier Brickell, whose great-grandfather was the youngest of the brothers, has traveled the world researching her family’s history, tracking down those connected with her ancestors and discovering long-lost pieces of the puzzle along the way. Now she reveals never-before-told dramas, romances, intrigues, betrayals, and more. The Cartiers also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the firm’s most iconic jewelry—the notoriously cursed Hope Diamond, the Romanov emeralds, the classic panther pieces—and the long line of stars from the worlds of fashion, film, and royalty who wore them, from Indian maharajas and Russian grand duchesses to Wallis Simpson, Coco Chanel, and Elizabeth Taylor. Published in the two-hundredth anniversary year of the birth of the dynasty’s founder, Louis-François Cartier, this book is a magnificent, definitive, epic social history shown through the deeply personal lens of one legendary family.


Diamond Handbook

Diamond Handbook

Author: Renée Newman

Publisher:

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780929975368

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Packed with close-up photographs, this reference shows you how to judge diamonds on the basis of how they look, rather than just on how they are graded. This handbook expands on the information provided in Newman's companion book, The Diamond Ring Buying Guide and covers additional topics requested by the readers.


Diamonds

Diamonds

Author: Renee Newman

Publisher: Firefly Books

Published: 2021-10

Total Pages: 304

ISBN-13: 9780228103318

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The beauty and sparkle and mystique of diamonds is unmatched by that of any other gem in the world. Since early times, diamonds have been treasured as good luck charms, remarkable tools and status symbols and have been worn, collected and presented as lavish gifts. Today, diamonds remain among the most sought-after gemstones and continue to hold their value through good times and bad. In Diamonds, author Renée Newman, a graduate gemologist and author of many trade-level handbooks on gemstones, invites the reader on a journey into the fascinating world of diamonds. This lavishly illustrated guide -- which features hundreds of photos, maps and diagrams -- covers everything from mining, cutting and evaluating diamonds to the romantic histories of some of the world's most valuable stones. Diamonds includes chapters on: What a diamond is -- its significance from antiquity to the present day and what it represents from different perspectives The process and history of mining diamonds -- the locations (both modern and historical) as well as the techniques used to mine diamonds The evolution of diamond cutting -- how a diamond is processed and what are the key cuts and shapes to know Diamond jewelry through the ages -- how diamonds have been used in jewelry from pre-Georgian times to today Evaluating and pricing diamonds -- how diamonds are priced based on their many value factors, such as color, carat weight, cut, clarity, and so on Man-made diamonds The remarkable benefits of diamonds. As beautiful as they are precious and as useful as they are decorative, diamonds continue to fascinate and allure. Diamonds will be a welcome guide for anyone who has felt the romance and power of these fascinating gems. It will also be a useful resource for professionals in the jewelry trade.


The Queen's Diamonds

The Queen's Diamonds

Author: Hugh Roberts

Publisher:

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781905686384

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Published on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, this book tells the story of the royal inheritance of diamonds from the time of Queen Adelaide in the 1830s to Elizabeth II.