Beyond Diamond Rings
Beyond Diamond Rings

Author: Kusum Choppra

Publisher: Pustak Mahal

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 151

ISBN-13: 8122310893

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Beyond Diamond Rings is a book that spans five generations. Yet it is not a story of generations that encapsulates a family history. Instead the book touches upon the lives of a women-centric Sindhi family of the Bhaibund community. The story revolves around the family's post-partition rehabilitation experiences and presents a panorama of relationships between the women. The book follows them from pre-partition times to ours. The Bhaibunds were the Merchant Princes of Sindh, who celebrated their success with fabulous homes and flamboyant weddings, Sindhi roots streaked with the colours of the world. Post-partition's major sociological development was a break with the ancient tradition of Bhaibund men leaving their families at home to live and work abroad, very often fathering a brood there. Genetically programmed almost to live with minimal male interference in their day-to-day functioning, the womenfolk blossomed on their own, taking hold of their lives. Living together with their men made for gender discomforts, in sharp contrast to the flair for living displayed by those lone women whose best was brought out by absent husbands or widowhood. This book is about the women of those Merchant Princes, how they coped with the trauma and the freedom of this lifestyle, individually and collectively in locales as varied as Pune, Jakarta, Singapore, Dubai, the West Indies and Canary Islands.

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.

Beyond Fabergé
Beyond Fabergé

Author: Marie Betteley

Publisher:

Published: 2020-10-28

Total Pages: 384

ISBN-13: 9780764360435

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A rare look at the exquisite world of Russian treasures that lies beyond Fabergé. Imperial Russia evokes images of a vanished courts unparalleled splendor: magnificent tiaras, gem-encrusted necklaces, snuff boxes and other diamond-studded baubles of the tsars and tsarinas. During that time, jewelry symbolized power and wealth, and no one knew this better than the Romanovs. The era marked the high point of the Russian jewelers' art. Beginning with Catherine I's reign in 1725, in the century when women ruled Russia, until the Russian Revolution of 1917, the imperial capital's goldsmiths perfected their craft, and soon the quality of Russias jewelry equaled, if not surpassed, the best that Europes capitals could offer. Who created these jewels that helped make the Russian Court the richest in Europe? Hint: it wasn't Carl Fabergé. This is the first systematic survey in any language of all the leading jewelers and silver masters of Imperial Russia. The authors skillfully unfold for us the lives, histories, creations, and makers marks of the artisans whose jewels and silver masterworks bedazzled the tsars. The previously unheralded names include Pauzié, Bolin, Hahn, Koechli, Seftigen, Marshak, Morozov, Nicholls & Plincke, Grachev, Sazikov, and many others. The market for these exquisite masterworks is also explored, from its beginnings to today's auction world and collector demand. More than 600 stunning photos reacquaint the world with the master artisans and their creations.

Diamond Ring Buying Guide
Diamond Ring Buying Guide

Author: Renée Newman

Publisher:

Published: 2020

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780929975542

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This updated and revised 8th Edition provides concise yet detailed information on diamond quality evaluation, lab-grown diamonds, fakes, gem treatments, cutting styles, gold, platinum, palladium, silver, alternative metals, settings, ring selection, diamond grading reports, gem care and buying tips. Its a visual guide that helps you select the best diamonds and mounting for your budget and needs. Written in clear, everyday English, with lots of colour photos, the book shows you step-by-step how to evaluate diamonds and settings. It has helped thousands of diamond buyers make smart choices and is a useful reference for jewelry salespeople when answering customers questions about diamonds, precious metals and settings. A Gems & Gemology review described the previous edition of the Diamond Ring Buying Guide as An entire course on judging diamonds in 155 pages of well-organised information ... the book serves as a checklist for the purchase, mounting and care of a diamond. The photos are excellent. Brides magazine wrote: "Want to feel truly confident in the jewelry store? Read the Diamond Ring Buying Guide by an industry insider, which will teach you how to judge a quality diamond. What We Love: The seriously savvy shopping tips and the massive colour photos that reveal what diamonds look like under a loupe".

Diamond Quilts & Beyond
Diamond Quilts & Beyond

Author: Jan Krentz

Publisher: C&T Publishing Inc

Published: 2005-06-01

Total Pages: 132

ISBN-13: 1607052253

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4 gorgeous projects feature shimmering diamonds. Lots of inspirational photos and a breathtaking gallery.

Gem
Gem

Author: DK

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2023-03-07

Total Pages: 442

ISBN-13: 0744084873

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Prepare to be dazzled by this shining and sumptuous visual guide to the world's greatest treasures. Feast your eyes on glittering gemstones, kaleidoscopic minerals, and famous trinkets in this comprehensive exploration of Earth's finest jewels. Following a foreword from Aja Raden, hundreds of pages take a lavish look at precious stones, precious metals, and organic gems in all their natural wonder. From agate to zoisite, everything under the Sun is encapsulated in spectacular photography and accessible text. Trace the history of gemmology and get the inside story on our planet's most famous and fabulous gems, including the mysterious Hope Diamond, the stunning Koh-i-Noor of the Crown Jewels, and exquisite Fabergé eggs. Find out their physical properties, check the price tags, and discover the most remarkable record-breakers. This exceptionally extravagant book is a picture-packed, fact-filled celebration guaranteed to bring sparkle to your life and your library.

Stuff They Don't Want You to Know
Stuff They Don't Want You to Know

Author: Ben Bowlin

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Published: 2022-10-11

Total Pages: 311

ISBN-13: 1250268575

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“Interesting...Bowlin's calmly rational approach to the subject of conspiracy theories shows the importance of logic and evidence.”—Booklist "A page-turning book to give to someone who believes in pizza pedophilia or that the Illuminati rule the world."—Kirkus Reviews The co-hosts of the hit podcast Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know, Ben Bowlin, Matthew Frederick, & Noel Brown, discern conspiracy fact from fiction in this sharp, humorous, compulsively readable, and gorgeously illustrated book. In times of chaos and uncertainty, when trust is low and economic disparity is high, when political institutions are crumbling and cultural animosities are building, conspiracy theories find fertile ground. Many are wild, most are untrue, a few are hard to ignore, but all of them share one vital trait: there’s a seed of truth at their center. That seed carries the sordid, conspiracy-riddled history of our institutions and corporations woven into its DNA. Ben Bowlin, Matt Frederick, and Noel Brown host the popular iHeart Media podcast, Stuff They Don’t Want You To Know. They are experts at exploring, explaining, and interrogating today’s emergent conspiracies—from chem trails and biological testing to the secrets of lobbying and the indisputable evidence of UFOs. Written in a smart, witty, and conversational style, elevated with amazing illustrations, Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know is a vital book in understanding the nature of conspiracy and using truth as a powerful weapon against ignorance, misinformation, and lies.

The Heartless Stone
The Heartless Stone

Author: Tom Zoellner

Publisher: Macmillan

Published: 2007-06-12

Total Pages: 356

ISBN-13: 9780312339708

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An American Library Association Notable Book When he proposed to his girlfriend, Tom Zoellner gave what is expected of every American man--a diamond engagement ring. But when the relationship broke apart, he was left with a used diamond that began to haunt him. His obsession carried him around the globe; from the "blood diamond" rings of Africa; to the sweltering polishing factories of India; to mines above the Arctic Circle; to illegal diggings in Brazil; to the London headquarters of De Beers, the secretive global colossus that has dominated the industry for more than a century and permanently carved the phrase "A diamond is forever" on the psyche. An adventure story in the tradition of Susan Orlean's The Orchid Thief, The Heartless Stone is a voyage into the cold heart of the world's most unyielding gem.

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.

Bejeweled
Bejeweled

Author: Kyle Roderick

Publisher: Rizzoli Publications

Published: 2019-09-10

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 0847865886

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Jewelry, long associated with luxury, is also becoming a medium for social responsibility and ethical values. Kyle Roderick, an authority on ethical jewelry, profiles fifteen designers who are at the forefront of refashioning the medium for today's consumers. In the wake of Charles Leavitt's insightful 2006 movie Blood Diamond, which told how conflict diamonds fund civil wars, the buying and wearing of ethically sourced and sustainably mined jewelry has become a priority in today's luxury market. Bejeweled is the first book to cover this timely subject. Profiling leading international designers who are at the forefront of the ethical jewelry movement, this beautifully photographed publication examines how an ancient art is powering a green revolution in chic jewelry for everyone. Included are renowned designers such as Pippa Small, an early user of fair-mined gold, who employs local artisans to fabricate her one-of-a-kind pieces; Dewey Nelson, a Native American Hopi who incorporates 1,000-year-old tribal motifs in his reclaimed-silver pieces; and Loren Nicole, whose jewelry features intricate hand-carved gemstones and 22-karat gold alloyed in the same formula used by ancient Roman goldsmiths. Illustrated with exquisite photographs of individual pieces, featured both alone and on celebrities, who are turning the red carpet "green" by wearing ethically sourced jewelry, Bejeweled is for all gemstone and design fans.