No comments about Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair with Jewelry.

No comments about Boucheron.

2 comments about On Jewelry and Gems: Contemporary Jewelry and Object-Design at the Department of Gem-And Jewelry Design of the Fachhochschule Idar-Oberstein.

1. The preface states that this book is actually a catalogue produced to accompany the exhibition "On Jewelry and Gems" 1996. It depicts works submitted for diploma in the Department of Gem and Jewelry-Design at Fachhochschule Idar-Oberstein. Viewed in this light, it is understandable that the works featured tend towards the more avant-garde.
   
   At the writing of this review, the book is already over a decade old. Understandably, some of the designs look a bit dated. Yet others appear quite timeless. It is the innovation and unusual approach to Jewelry and design that makes this a wonderful reference book. The pieces are beautifully executed and well photographed. Innovative materials are used along side the traditional.
   
   Chapter headings include such lofty titles as: Designing a Unique piece of jewelry, Designing Series-produced jewelry, Designing Utensils and Objects of Art, On Stone and forms, The quadrature of the Circle and the homo ludens, The Arabesques of Modernity, Thoughts on Form, "I think there is much of me contained in it...", Fundamentals of Artistic Design Drawing and painting, "What I like...",
   
   The book includes many large, full color photos. Often a single page is devoted to one or two pieces. Written in both German and English, the text in each chapter is fairly limited, usually just a few paragraphs. Student/Designers and the University staff are also featured with a photo and brief text.
   
   As the chapter heading indicate, the wording leans more towards the poetic and inspirational. This is understandable given the context of the publication as a documentation of advance student work. If you can see past some of the more dated designs and appreciate the quality of the craftsmanship and the creativity expressed in the objects, then this publication is a worthwhile addition.



2. Although the faculty photos and some of the text are a little corny, this is still a great book for anyone interested in contemporary jewelry. Although some of the artists are really only familiar to europeans, the works all reach a level of excellence.

No comments about Costume Jewelry (Dk Collector's Guides).

3 comments about The Spectroscope and Gemmology.

1. This book is very disappointing. Although it goes into good depth, that depth is on a very, very limited number of stones/minerals. On top of that, there isn't a single color illustration in the whole book! This appears to be a book that was written decades ago, due to the B&W and the fact that it's missing many, many modern stones. It will be a fair resource for very common stones, but my quest for a color, modern, fairly complete reference regarding the spectra of stones continues. I strongly advise you to make sure that you buy this from Amazon or a seller with a good return policy...you will most likely be disappointed like I was.



2. If you are interested in the world of gems. This the book for you. It will help you identify and understand the beauty and wonder of gems.



3. If your interest is Gem ID with a Spectroscope, Then this book is a must have. It covers in great detail spectroscopy as it applies to gemstones. The illustrations are in B/W.

No comments about The Earrings.

2 comments about Golden Years of Faberge: Drawings and Objects from the Wigstrom Workshop.

1. If you are looking for drawings this book has Wigstrom drawings. He only produced a small part of the Faberge objects. He was not the main designer and artist. There are a few small photos of actual items. If you want to see the range of Faberge items this is not the book for you.



2. This is an amazing book. The original drawings of the objects, especially when shown near the finished works, help to illustrate the attention to detail that Faberge paid to his work. These illustrations, along with the information on the history, style, and clientele of the firm, put Faberge's work in context and provide a greater understanding of it than most books, which just deal with the completed objects. I highly reccommend this book to anyone who has any interest in Faberge or Imperial Russia.

No comments about Mode Und Modeschmuck 1920-1970 / Fashion and Jewelry 1920-1970.

3 comments about Van Cleef & Arpels.

1. So small but so wonderfull.



2. If you are interested in learning about jewelry design, or seeing a comprehensive set of examples of a jeweler's most fabulous pieces, don't bother with this book. The subtitle "Universe of Design" is most misleading as regards this member of the set--I have not read the others, so I can't review them. The book is simply a puff piece about Van Cleef and Arpels: names various members of the family, discusses some ongoing motifs in design, and does a lot of name-dropping. The color illustrations are mostly copies of ad photos. Very skimpy for a "universal" book!



3. When I saw this book for the first time, it seems like I found some thing that I has been waiting for a long time. Since I was young, I am interesting in this jewelry maker because my mother tell me that the Van Cleef jewelry is the most beautiful jewelry in the world. So, I would like to know more about this adorable jewelry maker and this book is really fulfill my need. It consist of the history and the technic of them, Van Cleef & Arpel. The book also contain lots of beautiful images of the legendary jewelry product from Van Cleef such as the crown and jewel of the Empress of Iran. This book is a highly recommended book. After you finish you will realize that the value of this book is more than its price on the cover.

No comments about Hunting for Treasure.