Title: Books: I Love Those Earrings: A Popular History from Ancient to Modern Abstract: By Jane Merrill with Chris Filstrup, 224 pp., hardcover, illus., publ. by Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., Atglen, PA, 2014. US$59.99.

              Earrings have proven to be a cultural touchpoint through the ages, treasures that transcend time and social value. Mythological characters depicted in Renaissance paintings and Hollywood legends like Catherine Deneuve wear them, as do Barbie dolls and pirates. In her inappropriately scaled and produced compendium, Jane Merrill traces the Western timeline of earring history. From the ancient Dacians to the modern era, she unwinds the cultural value of these portable jewels and adds a lively dash of pop culture.

Merrill’s is a wonderful viewpoint, one that offers a fresh translation of the history of jewelry. She pays special attention to the context and significance of earrings and other jewelry, often working from an art historian’s perspective. She covers an impressive expanse of time and geography with a collection of observations and stories arranged chronologically in an effort to humanize a subject that’s often associated with royalty and fame. Merrill mixes her own cultured experiences with those of the noble and storied to link ordinary people with celebrities and goddesses.

As virtuous as this inspired ambition may be, the message presented in the title and summary of the book does not play out in harmony. Merrill’s introductory invitation to “…raid the jewelry boxes of the prestigious and the more representative women of history…” suggests an exclusive, and visual, view of famous collections, a private and privileged peek into the boudoirs of queens and dressing rooms of movie stars. Disappointingly, this happens only once, with the inclusion of one painting of Jane Stanford’s auction collection, circa 1898.

By title and summary alone, the reader might also expect to find impressive photography of famous pairs of earrings, large in size and with great resolution. This is not the case. Most images are smaller in scale and arranged and captioned irregularly. Images that would support the text are not shown. Several stories would benefit from a series of timelines or maps, but these are not included.

Similarly, the format and layout are not representative of the sentiment and scholarship inside. While the percentage of white space on each page, the paper, and the printing quality promise vibrant, large-scale images and precise editing, this is not what is found within the pages. The background color of excerpts (light pink) is irritating at best, and worse, oversized images of earrings are often partially hidden by these dedicated boxes.

The most memorable musings and thought-provoking examinations in the book include the dynamic statements and comprehensive reflections throughout, such as the powerful call to recognize how meaningful earrings, like all pieces of jewelry, are. There’s plenty of evidence that they have been crafted, worn and celebrated the same way for thousands of years. Additionally, Merrill’s personal stories, those about her coauthor Chris Filstrup and the collection of prose and poetry at the end of the book—dedicated to lost earrings and lost loves—are the most memorable moments of the text. These high points and intriguing theories would have been better served by a revised title, theme, and size. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Art Nouveau: Jewels and Jewelers Abstract: The Art Nouveau movement, with its startling concepts in design, swept through Europe and the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The asymmetrical whiplash line which typifies Art Nouveau was manifested in art, architecture, metalwork, textiles, and interior design. Perhaps its most concentrated and refined expression can be seen in the spectacular Art Nouveau jewels, which incorporated more unusual gems and gem materials such as moonstones, horn, ivory, opal, turquoise, and tourmalines into a host of fanciful designs. This article discusses the origins of Art Nouveau and outlines the distinctive interpretations and contributions made by significant Art Nouveau jewelers. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Electroformed Gold Bracelet Abstract: Figure 1. The electroformed gold bracelet submitted as 14K solid gold. Photo by Rambod Bahadory.
GIA has provided a service for validating mounted gemstones in jewelry for decades. Recently, these services have been expanded to include precious metal items (rings, necklaces, and bracelets) to ensure their authenticity and ensure the metal is as stated. The service is intended to protect both buyer and seller.

Figure 2. The hallmark is not actually stamped onto the metal but is on a separate disk adhered to the inside of the bracelet. Photo by Rambod Bahadory.
As part of this service, a gold bracelet measuring 8 inches in circumference and 1.25 inches wide and weighing 41 g was recently examined in the Carlsbad laboratory (figure 1). It was submitted as 14K solid gold, but initial observations raised suspicion. The bracelet felt too light and almost hollow, and there was a significant contrast in textures: a matte finish on the inside surface of the bracelet compared with the wavy, shiny exterior surface. The bracelet had a 14K hallmark, which appeared to be stamped or engraved onto a different metal piece that was glued or otherwise adhered to the bracelet (figure 2).

Figure 3. An area where the gold plating has flaked off from the bracelet is shown in the circled region. Photo by Rambod Bahadory.
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis of the shiny exterior surface gave a result of 17.99K gold, and no subsurface material was detected that would indicate plating. Additional testing of another smooth surface yielded a result of 22.47K. Further analysis under brighter lighting conditions revealed areas where gold plating had flaked off from the piece (figure 3). We believe this wavy texture of the gold was used intentionally to hide the poor quality of the finish and the flaking gold plating, as shadows can often mask imperfections on initial sight.
A wax or resin material was observed under the plating, and we concluded that the bracelet had been created using electrodeposition to electroform the piece. Electroforming is a method of adding a thick gold plating, sometimes as thick as 200 microns, to a wax, resin, ceramic, or organic material base. Thick plating and electroforming may not be detected by XRF methods alone, and additional testing may be necessary to detect the application of these processes. We believe this wax- or resin-filled electroformed bracelet was being sold as solid 14K gold with the intention to deceive the buyer. This example demonstrates the importance of testing and verification services such as GIA’s jewelry verification service. Source: GIA @topic:10


Title: Blue Sapphire Lord of the Rings Pendant Abstract: Platinum pendant with a 19.30 ct unheated light blue Sri Lankan sapphire briolette and 177 round brilliant diamonds, 0.86 carats total. Photo by Robert Weldon; courtesy of Jeffrey Bilgore.
At the AGTA show, Jeffrey Bilgore of New York exhibited a sapphire, diamond, and platinum pendant (see above) inspired by The Lord of the Rings. From initial inspiration to delivery of the just-finished pendant midweek at the show, the piece was 15 years in the making.
“I read it in high school,” Bilgore said of the beloved trilogy. “I read it again in college. Then I read it to my son when he was little, and when he was older he read it to me.”
The 19.30 ct unheated light blue Sri Lankan sapphire briolette rotates within the platinum setting, accented by 177 round Flawless to VVS round brilliant diamonds (0.86 carats total). The pendant is modeled after the Phial (vial) of Galadriel, which the elf queen Lady Galadriel gives to hobbit Frodo Baggins for light and protection during his journey to Mordor. The vial contains water from her fountain, which holds the light and power of the elves’ cherished star Eärendil.
“The Star of Eärendil is the North Star at night and the star you see in the dawn,” Bilgore said. “It gives you hope in the darkness and brings you strength.” He said the pendant “symbolizes all the good energies of hope and faith that add light to the world and protect those that it shines on.”
The concept for the pendant came to Bilgore when he bought a diamond briolette in 2004, a year after establishing his own business. Prior to that, he spent 16 years as the primary gem buyer for Oscar Heyman. He began sketching the design but then sold the diamond. Over the next decade, he continued to refine the design. He eventually acquired a pair of light blue sapphires and began developing the piece with a jeweler about five months before the AGTA show.
“The Lord of the Rings is a story about our world, the power of faith, and good vs. evil,” Bilgore said after the show. “Today, with all that is going on in Ukraine, it seems even more meaningful. The story shows how wars destroy everything and put groups against groups for no good reason. That only trust and faith in each other and in the positive powers of love and respect can conquer all.” He added that the story—with its elves, dwarves, hobbits, and other beings—is also about diversity. “No matter your size, shape, color, or type, everyone has value and strengths.”
“Others have attempted to replicate the Phial of Galadriel, but not quite like this,” he said. “If you have anything going on in your life, put it around your neck and you’ll be protected. You’ll get through it.” Source: GIA @topic:10


Title: Amber History and Lore Abstract: Gierlowska's lizard from the collection of the Gdansk Amber Museum, Gdansk, Poland.

                      Amber is probably best known for its insect and other types of inclusions. Millions of years ago, when amber oozed from countless plants, the substance acted as a sticky trap for ants, bees, termites, and other insects. Flower parts, leaves, and pine needles are also typical amber inclusions, along with gas bubbles.

Amber containing larger animals like scorpions, snails, frogs, and lizards can be very valuable—especially if the animal “inclusions” are preserved intact.

	The fossilized extinct lizard trapped in this piece of amber from the Dominican Republic is over a million years old. - Dr. Edward J. Gubelin
Insects embedded in amber formed the basis of the movie “Jurassic Park.” The story centered around the cloning of dinosaurs from DNA found in dinosaur blood sucked up by prehistoric mosquitoes that were subsequently preserved in amber. The movie generated great interest in the gem. Source: GIA @topic:12


Title: Opal History and Lore Abstract: Even today, opal invokes a feeling of magic and mystery. - Gift of Paula Crevoshay

                      Writers have compared opals to volcanoes, galaxies, and fireworks. Admirers gave extraordinary opals poetic names like Pandora, Light of the World, and Empress. In ancient Rome, this gem symbolized love and hope. The Romans gave it a name—opalus—that was synonymous with “precious stone.”

In 75 AD, the Roman scholar Pliny observed, “Some opali carry such a play within them that they equal the deepest and richest colors of painters. Others…simulate the flaming fire of burning sulphur and even the bright blaze of burning oil.” He marveled that this kaleidoscopic gem encompassed the red of ruby, the green of emerald, the yellow of topaz, the blue of sapphire, and the purple of amethyst.

Many cultures have credited opal with supernatural origins and powers. Arabic legends say it falls from the heavens in flashes of lightning. The ancient Greeks believed opals gave their owners the gift of prophecy and guarded them from disease. Europeans have long considered the gem a symbol of hope, purity, and truth.

Opal is considered an October birthstone. Some people think it’s unlucky for anyone born in another month to wear an opal. But that particular superstition comes from a novel written in the 1800s (Anne of Geierstein by Sir Walter Scott), and not from any ancient belief or experience. In fact, throughout most of history, opal has been regarded as the luckiest and most magical of all gems because it can show all colors. Once, it was thought to have the power to preserve the life and color of blond hair. Source: GIA @topic:11


Title: Garnet History and Lore Abstract: Antique Pyrope Hairpin in the collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History - Chip Clark, courtesy Smithsonian Institution

                      Thousands of years ago, red garnet necklaces adorned the necks of Egypt’s pharaohs, and were entombed with their mummified corpses as prized possessions for the afterlife. In ancient Rome, signet rings with carved garnets were used to stamp the wax that secured important documents.

The term carbuncle was often used in ancient times to refer to red garnets, although it was used for almost any red stone. Carbuncle was thought to be one of the four precious stones given to King Solomon by God.

Centuries later, in Roman scholar Pliny’s time (23 to 79 AD), red garnets were among the most widely traded gems. In the Middle Ages (about 475 to 1450 AD), red garnet was favored by clergy and nobility.

Red garnet’s availability increased with the discovery of the famous Bohemian garnet deposits in central Europe around 1500. This source became the nucleus of a regional jewelry industry that reached its peak in the late 1800s. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Aquamarine History and Lore Abstract: The Dom Pedro aquamarine obelisk by gem sculptor Bernd Munsteiner is the largest cut aquamarine. - Eric Welch, courtesy Smithsonian Institution

                      The name “aquamarine” is derived from two Latin words: aqua, meaning “water,” and marina, meaning “of the sea.”

It has been said that the mineral beryl gives the wearer protection against foes in battle or litigation. It makes the wearer unconquerable and amiable, and also quickens the intellect.

Aquamarine is the birthstone for March. Source: GIA @topic:3


Title: Moonstone History and Lore Abstract: Moonstone’s mysterious, billowy, glow has fascinated people for centuries.

                      According to Hindu mythology, moonstone is made of solidified moonbeams. Many other cultures also associate this gem with moonlight, and it’s easy to see why. Its internal structure scatters the light that strikes it, creating a phenomenon known as adularescence. The visual effect is reminiscent of the full moon shining through a veil of thin, high clouds.

	Moonstone has long been associated with the moon. - © GIA & Tino Hammid, courtesy 23rd St. Shop, Santa Monica
Legends say that moonstone brings good luck. Many believed that you could see the future if you held a moonstone in your mouth during a full moon.

Adularescent moonstone was once called “adularia.” The name originated with a city in Switzerland, Mt. Adular (now St. Gotthard), that was one of the first sources of fine-quality moonstone.

Great designers of the romantic Art Nouveau era, such as René Lalique and Louis Comfort Tiffany, featured the pale gem in custom jewelry. Moonstone was also a favorite among artisans of the Arts and Crafts era in the last half of the nineteenth century, who used it in handcrafted silver items.

During the 1960s “flower child” movement, moonstone provided its wearers with the desired ethereal look, and designers of the 1990s New Age movement again turned to moonstone’s natural beauty for inspiration. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Jadeite Jade Quality Factors Abstract: Jadeite comes in a wide range of colors. The most valuable is an intense green called Imperial. - Courtesy Mason-Kay Fine Jade Jewelry

                      To understand the value of jade, you have to look beyond its durability and its role as a gemstone and beautiful adornment. Jade is a spiritual stone with significant meaning that’s intricately woven into the Chinese culture.

The price for fine-quality jadeite has risen dramatically along with China’s economic rise. The demand from those who can newly afford it has significantly outpaced the supply of this rare material.

The Chinese have revered jadeite’s fine green color since its discovery in Burma. Top-quality jadeite is rare. Vivid, sleek, and translucent, magnificent jadeite commands some of the highest prices among gems in today’s international market.

Jadeite’s three most important qualities, in order of their impact on its market value, are color, transparency, and texture.

When jadeite buyers evaluate fashioned jadeite, they consider many factors. First, they judge its color under both fluorescent and incandescent light sources. They check its level of transparency. They look for even coloration or a pleasing mottling of colors. They also look for fine polish and undistorted surface reflections. Clarity is important, too, because any fractures can strongly affect value.

Color
Color is jadeite’s most important value factor. Because consumers traditionally associate jadeite with the color green, it surprises some people to learn that it comes in other colors as well—lavender, red, orange, yellow, brown, white, black, and gray. All of these colors can be attractive. But jadeite’s most desirable color is, in fact, a very specific shade of green.

	Jadeite jade comes in a variety of colors. Green is the most valuable. - Courtesy Mason-Kay Fine Jade Jewelry
The finest-quality jadeite—almost transparent with a vibrant emerald-green color—is known as “Imperial jade.” The royal court of China once had a standing order for all available material of this kind, and it’s one of the world’s most expensive gems.

The green that can command millions of dollars in the marketplace is pure and penetrating, a vivid hue with no hint of gray that looks intense even from a distance. It ranges from pure green to a slightly bluish green or a slightly yellowish green.

Other highly valued jade varieties include “kingfisher jade,” with a green color that’s only slightly less vivid than Imperial; “apple jade,” which is an intense yellowish green; and “moss-in-snow jade,” which is translucent white with bright green veining, patches, or spots. The most outstanding examples of these are almost always bought and sold in the Asian market.

Lavender is the next most valuable color. Intense colors command a substantial premium over lighter and weaker colors. Black jade is also popular, along with orange to reddish jade, especially when these colors are not brownish.

Transparency
Jadeite’s transparency ranges from completely opaque to semitransparent. The best jadeite is semitransparent, meaning the text you can read through it would be slightly blurred. Because light penetrates below the surface, semitransparent jadeite has an alluring brilliance. It almost appears to glow, increasing the charm of a lush green or rich lavender hue. The least desirable jadeites are completely opaque or have opaque or cloudy patches that break up their transparency.

	Some jadeite is transparent enough to allow the observer to see into the stone, revealing the gem’s depth of color and giving it higher value. - Gift of Sophie Leu
To judge transparency, some buyers place a thin jadeite slice on a printed page and try to read the print through the gem. If the transparency is excellent, the viewer can see the print easily, even if the jadeite is dark green. Good transparency can sometimes compensate for lack of uniform color or low color saturation.

Texture
Jadeite has a smooth, even texture that makes people want to touch and hold it. Jadeite’s texture can be fine, medium, or coarse, depending on variations in crystal size and hardness. These texture categories are sometimes called, respectively, old mine, relatively old mine, and new mine.

	When jadeite’s structure is fine-grained, the gem has smooth texture and high luster. - Courtesy Mason-Kay Fine Jade Jewelry
The same crystal structure that contributes to jadeite’s texture also contributes to its exceptional toughness. Jadeite’s interlocking crystals, also called grains, produce a tightly inter-grown, compact mass that bonds together and resists breaking. In the early days of its history, when it was used to fashion tools and weapons, jadeite’s ability to withstand breakage was one of its major advantages.

Cut
China is the world’s main polishing center for jadeite. Some jadeite from Myanmar is fashioned near its source, in cutting workshops near the open jade markets of Hpakan, Lonkin, Mogaung, and Mandalay. Many cutters there still polish jadeite the ancient way, using a hollow bamboo lathe treated with sand and water.

Manufacturers fashion jadeite into a handful of distinctive, traditional jewelry forms. Some are hololiths, carved entirely from a single piece of rough. Hololiths include bangles, rings, and pendants.

	Cabochons of various shapes, bangle bracelets, and round or carved beads are the most common jadeite jewelry styles. The deep, even, green color of this cabochon is far from common, however. - Gift of Sophie Leu
The finest-quality jadeite is usually cut into cabochons for use in rings and other jewelry. When buyers judge cabochons, they consider symmetry, proportion, and thickness. Calibration is not as important for top-quality material as it is for more commercial qualities. The finest jadeite cabochons are rarely cut to calibrated sizes because the cutter’s goal is to save rough weight.

Fine-quality jadeite might also be cut into round beads, which are carefully selected and strung into strands. Color and texture are the most important factors for matching jadeite beads. Manufacturers also match transparency, size, and symmetry of cut. Because matching is difficult, especially for color, longer strands or larger beads can sell for extremely high prices.

The jade bangle, first carved in China from nephrite, is a style thought to date back at least four thousand years. A smooth circle of bright jadeite wrapping the wrist is thought, even today, to bring peace and protection to its wearer. Jadeite bangles can be highly important pieces of jewelry.

Some bangles are hololiths. When a cutter fashions a bangle from a single piece of rough, a great deal of weight loss results. For this reason, hololith bangles cost more than bangles that consist of several pieces joined together by precious-metal hinges.

The Chinese eternity symbol, or bi, bears great spiritual significance for many jadeite connoisseurs. The shape is simple: a convex or plump disk with a round hole in its center. Ideally, the jadeite should be more than twice as wide as the hole.

Jadeite rings are often simple all-jadeite bands. The finest bands show uniform color all the way around. A variation on this is the saddle ring, a solid band with a carved rectangular-shaped top.

Size and Weight
Jadeite size is commonly expressed in millimeters. The value of cabochons, beads, and bangle bracelets rises with an increase in size, all other quality factors being equal. With top-quality imperial jadeite, slight differences in size can make large differences in value. With nephrite, larger sizes do not raise the value dramatically in most cases.

	Jadeite is available in a wide range of sizes for jewelry as well as carvings. - Gift of Sophie Leu Source: GIA @topic:12


Title: Emerald History and Lore Abstract: The 75.47-carat Hooker Emerald was worn by Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II, the last sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Photo by Chip Clark, courtesy Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History.

                      Emerald’s lush green has soothed souls and excited imaginations since antiquity. Its name comes from the ancient Greek word for green, “smaragdus.” Rome’s Pliny the Elder described emerald in his Natural History, published in the first century AD: “…nothing greens greener” was his verdict. He described the use of emerald by early lapidaries, who “have no better method of restoring their eyes than by looking at the emerald, its soft, green color comforting and removing their weariness and lassitude.” Even today, the color green is known to relieve stress and eye strain.

There are other green gems, like tourmaline and peridot, but emerald is the one that’s always associated with the lushest landscapes and the richest greens. Ireland is the Emerald Isle. Seattle, in the US state of Washington, is the Emerald City. Thailand’s most sacred religious icon is called the Emerald Buddha, even though it’s carved from green jadeite.

The first known emerald mines were in Egypt, dating from at least 330 BC into the 1700s. Cleopatra was known to have a passion for emerald, and used it in her royal adornments.

Emeralds from what is now Colombia were part of the plunder when sixteenth-century Spanish explorers invaded the New World. The Incas had already been using emeralds in their jewelry and religious ceremonies for 500 years. The Spanish, who treasured gold and silver far more than gems, traded emeralds for precious metals. Their trades opened the eyes of European and Asian royalty to emerald’s majesty.

Emerald is the most famous member of the beryl family. Legends endowed the wearer with the ability to foresee the future when emerald was placed under the tongue, as well as to reveal truth and be protected against evil spells. Emerald was once also believed to cure diseases like cholera and malaria. Wearing an emerald was believed to reveal the truth or falseness of a lover’s oath as well as make one an eloquent speaker.

Legend also states that emerald was one of the four precious stones given by God to King Solomon. These four stones were said to have endowed the king with power over all creation.

Its color reflects new spring growth, which makes it the perfect choice of a birthstone for the month of May. It’s also the gemstone for twentieth and thirty-fifth wedding anniversaries. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Fabergé Symposium Abstract: Fabergé’s Kelch Rocaille Egg (1902), featuring green translucent enamel, diamonds, and yellow gold rocaille ornament, is part of the McFerrin Foundation Collection. Photo by Hank Gillette/CC BY-SA 4.0.

	“The Wonder of Fabergé: A Study of The McFerrin Collection” was the title of the Fabergé Symposium held at the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences (HMNS) November 3–4. Comprised of over 600 objects including the egg in the image above, the collection of Artie and Dorothy McFerrin is the largest privately owned assortment of Fabergé objects and Russian decorative art in the United States. (Worldwide, only the Fabergé Museum in St. Petersburg and Queen Elizabeth II have larger collections.) It has now been the focus of two Fabergé symposiums, the first in 2013. Photos from the McFerrin Collection were incorporated into all of the talks.

	Researcher Dr. Ulla Tillander-Godenhielm (Helsinki) presented “Fabergé in the Light of 20th Century European Jewelry,” which covered the years 1881–1915. In 1881, Carl Fabergé took over the family business from his father Gustav and, along with his younger brother Agathon, began building their brand. The Fabergé brothers opened shops in other cities and became court jewelers to Russia’s imperial family, but 1915 marked the end of the successful enterprise. The outbreak of World War I in 1914 increased the cost of materials and sent many goldsmiths off to the front lines. In 1917, along with the end of the 300-year reign of the Romanovs, the House of Fabergé was closed. Many of Fabergé’s workmen and their families emigrated to Finland to work for the A. Tillander firm in Helsinki. The speaker came to know these individuals as a young girl.

Dr. Galina Korneva (Russia) spoke on “Imperial Gifts Created by Fabergé for the Coronation of Nicholas II: New Archival Research.” Dr. Korneva and her sister Tatiana Cheboksarova have discovered and reviewed thousands of handwritten archival documents. The coronation of Nicholas II was celebrated May 6–26, 1896. Fabergé gifts from Nicholas II included a yellow and white diamond brooch in the shape of a rose given to his wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorvona; a brooch and the Lilies of the Valley basket for his mother, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna; 18 brooches in the shape of crowns for the Grand Duchesses; pectoral crosses for the clergy; plate and salt cellars; and bracelets, brooches, pins, snuffboxes, and cigarette cases for members of the imperial court and other dignitaries. Fabergé marked the occasion a year later with the Imperial Coronation Egg, which now resides in the Fabergé Museum.

	Art historians Timothy Adams (San Diego, California) and Christel Ludewig McCanless (Fabergé Research Newsletter, Huntsville, Alabama) discussed “Fabergé Smoking Accessories: Materials and Techniques of a New Art Form.” With the popularity of smoking in the first half of the 19th century and the demand for smoking accessories, the Fabergé firm had a production line for these items. In one studio, ten men made nothing but cigarette cases. These items were large, with a tinder cord and a vesta compartment that held matches, which were very expensive. The cigarette case became more streamlined with the invention of the cigarette lighter in the late 1800s, making the bulky tinder cord and vesta compartment unnecessary.

	Researcher Mark Moehrke (New York City) lectured on “Fabergé Silver-Mounted Art Glass.” These objects are both functional and decorative. Neo-classical in style, most of them are colorless cut glass, but they were also made from hardstones, metals, and ceramics with applied silver bases, handles, and stoppers. Included in the discussion were three objects from the McFerrin Collection: a Louis Comfort Tiffany favrile glass vase with Fabergé silver base, made by workmaster Victor Aarne; a Louis Comfort Tiffany favrile glass scent bottle with silver stopper, handles set with natural pearls, and a silver base; and a rectangular Lötz glass lamp with silver mounts, including a base of stylized dolphins and scrolls to imitate ocean waves, also by Victor Aarne.

	In “Collector Tales,” Artie and Dorothy McFerrin (Houston) described how they started accumulating Russian decorative arts. Their first purchase turned out to be an imposter egg, or “Fauxbergé,” which is on display in the museum. They also discussed their favorite pieces and took questions from the attendees.

Dr. Wilfried Zeisler (Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, Washington, D.C.) presented “From Canvas to Silver: Enameled and Repoussé ‘Paintings’ in Russian Jewelry at the Turn of the 20th Century.” Dr. Zeisler used examples from both the Marjorie Merriweather Post and McFerrin collections to illustrate how paintings were reinterpreted as art objects. The subject of a painting would find its way onto small boxes, caskets, and cigarette cases by way of engraving, enameling, or lithograph. Feodor Rückert, an enamel master from Moscow, supplied such items to Fabergé from 1886 to 1917.

Mikhail Ovchinnikov (Fabergé Museum, St. Petersburg) discussed “Fabergé’s Renaissance Style Objects in the Context of 19th Century European Revival Jewelry.” Fabergé was inspired by the pieces exhibited at the museums he visited on his grand tour of Europe. Objects made using the pietra dura method influenced his hardstone figures. Fabergé also worked in the Hermitage examining and repairing ancient jewelry, which would influence his later designs. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Book Review: Geology: A Very Short Introduction Abstract: By Jan Zalasiewicz, paperback, 168 pp., illus., publ. by Oxford Academic Press, Oxford, England, 2018, US$11.95.

Geology–it’s a fairly large subject to take on in a pocket-sized book. The entire 4.54-billion-year history of the earth—the ceaseless shifting of tectonic plates, the rise of multicellular organisms, the shaping of the planet that would one day be called home by us homo sapiens—all captured in a mere 168 pages. As a geologist, I approached Geology: A Very Short Introduction cautiously, hoping the topic could be faithfully represented in a book whose size doesn’t embody the enormous complexity of the subject. I was pleasantly surprised as the author wove his way through not only the history of the earth, but also the history of the study of the history of the earth, deftly moving from one geological development to the next, finding the common theme in all these stories to bring it together into a coherent narrative. The book is an approachable introduction to the earth and humankind’s endeavors to better understand its rocky abode through scientific examination. Yet the content is engaging and thorough enough that professional geologists might find themselves transported back to the airy university lecture halls of their youth where their passion for geology was once uncovered.
After a brief introductory chapter, Zalasiewicz delves into the historical underpinnings of modern geology in chapters 2 and 3. This engrossing history is neatly summarized. From the study of fossils to the development of the first geological maps, readers are given a view into the minds of the first serious thinkers who pursued the study of the earth and formed the foundation of geology as we know it. Zalasiewicz tends to favor the study of fossils and stratigraphy in his coverage, although this might be fair given the early importance of those fields in forming our understanding of earth processes.
The rest of the book focuses on more specific topics within the field of geology, from the deep earth (chapter 4) to the surface (chapter 5), from man’s search for natural resources (chapter 7) to the environmental repercussions that sometimes result (chapter 8). Zalasiewicz keeps readers’ interest by emphasizing human connection in the advancement of the study of Earth. The pages abound with stories of the scientific luminaries who uncovered many of the earth’s mysteries. Understanding the motivations and passions of these geological pioneers helps make their great scientific achievements more approachable and puts the historic progression of geological thought into perspective.
The book is a quick but interesting read, and its small size makes it a convenient travel partner. Zalasiewicz’s writing is familiar and engaging, never too technical but also never shying away from taking on important yet uncomfortable topics such as humankind’s sometimes negative impacts on the environment. The book is graced by 40 illustrations, maps, and photographs. These are generally of very high quality and complement the text even though they are printed in black and white. While Zalasiewicz’s coverage in this (very) introductory text is only skin-deep, he provides excellent suggestions for further reading for the reader who needs to dig in deeper. Ultimately, Geology: A Very Short Introduction should serve as a superb read for a wide spectrum of readers, from the most erudite professional geologists to those with almost no prior interest in geology. Source: GIA @topic:7


Title: Book Review: Symphony of Jewels: Anna Hu Opus 2 Abstract: By Janet Zapata with Sarah Davis, hardcover, 192 pp., illus., publ. by Vendome Press, New York, 2019, US$75.00.

Seven years after Symphony of Jewels: Anna Hu Opus 1, New York–based jewelry designer Anna Hu is back with Opus 2. This collection of 100 of her designs from 2013 to 2018 is the second of ten planned Opuses that are a tribute to her idol, Beethoven. The Taiwanese-born designer calls her creations symphonies—she draws much of her inspiration from music. The daughter of a gem dealer, Hu was a cellist from ages 13 to 20, when an injury ended her musical career and she turned to jewelry design. She studied at GIA, the Parsons School of Design, Columbia University, and the Fashion Institute of Technology, and worked at Van Cleef & Arpels and Harry Winston, before founding Anna Hu Haute Joaillerie in 2007.
The years since Opus 1 have seen Anna Hu Haute Joaillerie grow in prominence. Hu now has boutiques in Shanghai and Taipei. In 2013, at Christie’s Hong Kong, her Orpheus jadeite ring broke the world record for a Chinese contemporary jewelry artist, with a final bid of $2.59 million, more than three times the high pre-sale estimate. At Christie’s Geneva that year, her Cote d’Azur brooch garnered the highest per-carat price for a Burmese sapphire ($78,400). In September 2017 she exhibited at La Biennale Paris for the first time, showing pieces from Opus 1. And in May 2018, Hu was the first modern Asian jewelry designer to not only exhibit at the State Historical Museum of Moscow but also have a piece in its permanent collection (her China Red Magpie Brooch, a version of Opus 1’s Blue Formosan Magpie Brooch).
Opus 2 begins with a foreword by François Curiel, chairman of Christie’s Europe and Asia. Curiel remarks on Hu’s transformations: from cellist to jewelry designer at the time of an internship at Christie’s, to successful designer with her own brand and multiple awards. He notes the evolution of her design from “bold and confident” in its first decade to one of “sophisticated aesthetics” and “contemporary elegance” in the second. “Her music never stops,” he writes.
The introduction, by jewelry historian Janet Zapata and jewelry expert Sarah Davis, describes the themes and symbolism of Hu’s jewelry: Chinese and Western art, music, and culture; water and sea life; the universe; and butterflies inspired by music and goddesses. (Hu has created one butterfly jewel annually since 2008; her last name means “butterfly.”) They note that the influence of music is evident in the sense of movement in her designs. Hu sees the jewelry that arises from her creation process like a phoenix rising from ashes, Zapata and Davis write, which to her symbolizes the creative fire of women.
In the preface, Hu describes her fascination with gemstones as a child—and a startling dream at ten years old in which a D-Flawless diamond was implanted in her heart, which inspired her to make jewelry to “bring happiness to people and brighten their souls.” Her jewels are not decorative objects, she says, but modern art with cultural relevance to both East and West.
Opus 2 is divided into five chapters: Ballerina Faeries, Chinese Inspiration, Duet and Trio, Contemporary Art, and Butterfly. Each one begins with an overview of the influences and inspirations for the jewelry within, with commentary on select pieces, along with a photo of a featured piece and several small photos of the craftsmanship process. The majority of the book consists of full-page photographs of Hu’s brooches, necklaces, bracelets, rings, and cuff links. The impression of movement is enhanced within the photos by shadows, reflections of light, mirror images of the jewels, and larger-than-life flowers and butterfly wings. Illustrations are used sparingly. The chapters close with details of each piece’s gemstones and metals, inspirations, and symbolism, along with its Chinese name; technique is only lightly touched upon.
Hu’s designs are exquisitely intricate. A 5.145 ct conch pearl “egg” rests in a nest of rose gold wire in the Red Magpie Brooch (the third in the series that began in Opus 1). The tiny diamond briolettes of the Enchanted Orchid Earrings move when worn, creating sound and reflections of light. A ribbon of diamond and white gold interweaves with petals of diamond and rose gold to create the effect of a flower in the Pétales de’Amour rings. The selection of gemstones is exceptional. Highlights include fancy-color sapphire and diamond, Golconda diamond, Kashmir sapphire, Burmese ruby, jadeite, Colombian emerald, Sri Lankan and Burmese star sapphire, tsavorite, Paraíba tourmaline, black and fire opals, pearls, and a 33.65 ct cat’s-eye alexandrite.
The index, while useful for its thumbnail-sized photos, lists only the page of each piece’s main photo rather than all pages where it appears. A second minor criticism also involves page numbers: they are absent except for on pages with substantial text. For example, page 63 shows the Pétales d’Amour Trio and directs the reader to pages 92–93 for more, but only one page in between is numbered, so the reader has to turn backward from page 98 or count the pages. This choice was likely intended to avoid detracting from the artistry of the full-page photographs—each one already has the piece’s name and number—but a better choice would have been to give the piece number rather than page number on page 63 and others like it.
Jewelry designers will enjoy Symphony of Jewels: Anna Hu Opus 2 for its extraordinary designs and modern East-meets-West aesthetic. Gemologists will appreciate the stunning gemstones. But the book is more than a study of beautiful jewelry. It also offers substance on the themes of her creations, from Greek mythology to Chinese culture and the Art Deco era. The reader could spend many hours with this book and find a new appreciation for the art, nature, and culture that are Hu’s muses. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Exhibition Review: Illuminations, from Earth to Jewel Abstract: Figure 1. Jessie brooch. Yellow gold, pink and yellow sapphire, diamond, and peridot. Photo courtesy of Paula Crevoshay.

For more than 33 years, American jewelry artist Paula Crevoshay has been known her ability to mix unusual and rare gemstones into impressive and colorful jewels as brooches, earrings and cocktail rings. She is known in the jewelry industry as the “Queen of Color” because of her work. This fall, the Museum of Mineralogy at the ParisTech School of Mines exhibited Illuminations, from Earth to Jewel, where select pieces of Crevoshay’s impressive contemporary jewelry was displayed alongside the museum’s specimen collection. The exhibition offers a dazzling tribute to nature, Crevoshay’s favorite source of inspiration. It highlights gems rarely used by French jewelers, such as apatite, chrysocolla, spinel, and atypical garnets.

A former painter, Crevoshay approaches each piece like a painting, combining techniques and choosing gems to create shades than our eyes will perceive as striking in her bugs, leaves, and landscapes. Five display cases invite the visitor to admire a selection of thirty-two jewels, culled from private collections. These include orchid-inspired pieces, marine animals, and abstract creations. It’s difficult for this reviewer to select favorite pieces from the show. Two impressive flower brooches, Jessie and Maia’s Gift are notable for their colorful contrasts. The mix of pink and yellow sapphires with peridots in the former (figure 1) and tsavorite garnets, pink and yellow sapphires, and diamonds in the latter (figure 2) make these two pieces stand out. These mix of bright, pure color mixtures are far from traditional, but they ultimately work. The result is bold and joyful. And Crevoshay shows her audience how important and innovative it is to make unexpected choices outside of diamonds and the classic “Big Three” of sapphire, ruby, and emerald, as in her Tsaritsa earrings (figure 3). These feature azurite-malachite cabochons as center stones accentuated by tsavorites.

Figure 2. Maia’s Gift brooch. Yellow gold, tsavorite garnet, pink and yellow sapphire, and
diamond. Photo courtesy of Paula Crevoshay.

Figure 3. Tsaritsa earrings. Yellow gold, opal, tsavorite garnet, and azurite/malachite.
Photo courtesy of Paula Crevoshay.
By providing two rough specimens from the collection per piece, the conservation team of the Museum allows the public to gain a better comprehension of the relationship between mining, cutting, and setting. It’s the perfect place to see how crystallized minerals or gemstones and imagine how gem cutters will give sparkle to the final stones.

Crevoshay’s next vision is to translate into jewelry the origins of the gems used, in order to create beautiful masterpieces that will reflect the gems found in these locations. It’s possible that the bracelet Rainbow over Montana (figure 4) is from this new chapter. This piece enhances all the range of colors found in Montana sapphires, from a strong blue to a greenish grey, along with different shades of pink. From perfectly transparent stones to material with visible milky inclusions, these unusual stones indicate that a wonderful journey yet awaits us.

Figure 4. Rainbow over Montana bracelet. Yellow gold and sapphires from Montana. Photo courtesy of Paula Crevoshay.
Illuminations, from Earth to Jewel runs at the Museum of Mineralogy at the ParisTech School of Mines until Wednesday, February 1, 2017. General admission is 6€. Students and seniors are 3€, and children under 12 are free. The museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 1:30 to 6:00 pm and Saturday from 10:00 am to 12:30pm and 2 to 5pm; it is closed on Sunday and Monday. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Exhibition Review: Cartier: The Exhibition Abstract: Figure 1. Once belonging to Hollywood actress Elizabeth Taylor, this necklace was originally created in 1951 and was altered in 1953. The necklace, measuring 37.5 cm in length, comprises Burmese rubies, diamonds, platinum, and gold. Photo by Vincent Wulveryck, courtesy of the Cartier Collection, © Cartier.

According to Simeran Maxwell, curator of international art at Canberra’s National Gallery of Australia, “decorative arts have long been relegated to the bottom of the art history pyramid.” They were aware, however, that the installation of Cartier: The Exhibition “would really excite audiences.” This is the first time ever that such a collection of the world’s most exclusive jewels has been made available for public viewing. The exhibition takes the visitor through fashion trends that reflect socioeconomic changes during the 1900s: the coming together of Old World aristocracy and the nouveau riche of the New World. The exhibition traces how the changing world of fashion is complemented by the timeless beauty of fine jewelry (figure 1). More than 300 items from Maison Cartier items spanning 70 years—from the turn of the 20th century through the 1970s—reflect the changes in both fashion and clientele.

For three years, NGA’s team worked collaboratively with Cartier and external agencies to deliver this exhibition, whichdisplays items from the Cartier Collection and several private collectors, as well as international organizations. Sections include “Defining Moments: 20th Century Icons,” “Royal Style: King of Jewellers and Jeweller of Kings,”’ “New Silhouettes: Art Deco and the Jazz Age,” “Exotic Fantasies: Eastern Inspiration,” and “Masculine Luxury: Effortless Style.” One area is devoted to the design house’s celebrity clientele (figure 2), highlighting Cartier’s talent for reflecting their clients’ personalities while creating memories and exotic stories.

Figure 2. Cartier: The Exhibition includes displays on royalty and other famous clients of Cartier.
 Photo courtesy of the National Gallery of Australia.
As the popularity of theater and film grew through the 1900s, so did the demand for fine jewelry by the stars of those mediums. One such star was Dame Nellie Melba (1861–1931), an internationally famous opera diva and one of Cartier’s best clients. In one year, Melba visited Cartier 25 times during May, her birthday month (S. Maxwell, pers. comm., 2018). The NGA exhibition includes two pieces by Cartier that belonged to Melba: the diamond and pearl devant de corsage (or stomacher) seen in figure 3, and a gem-set evening clutch, both on public display for the first time.

Figure 3. Dame Nellie Melba’s platinum, diamonds, and pearl devant de corsage (1902) has been converted into a necklace. From a private collection; photo courtesy of the National Gallery of Australia.
By the 1920s, Cartier was the leader in Art Deco Jewelry, with their sumptuous “Tutti Frutti” pieces conceived during that time. The jewelry house was also inspired by the treasures of Tutankhamen’s tomb—discovered in 1922—and incorporated references to ancient Egypt into their work. Cartier purchased Egyptian artifacts from Parisian dealers and worked them into contemporary pieces, often using diamonds, onyx, coral, and platinum settings. One piece contains a wonderful antique Egyptian lapis lazuli scarab (figure 4, top). Also on display was a design sketch of a similar piece (figure 4, bottom).

Figure 4. Top: A lapis lazuli scarab belt buckle (1926) features gold, platinum, Egyptian faience, diamonds, sapphires, and enamel. The piece measures 3.8 × 12.8 × 2.1 cm. Photo by Marian Gérard, courtesy of the Cartier Collection, © Cartier. Bottom: A design of a similar scarab belt buckle, also from 1926. Photo © Cartier.
The Great Depression of the 1930s and the World War II period are reflected in more subdued jewelry; the pieces from this era contrast greatly with the exuberance reflected in post-WWII pieces. A perfect example of this is the amethyst and turquoise bib necklace (figure 5) created for and owned by Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor. Other jewels owned by royalty are also on display. Among them are the Halo Tiara (figure 6, left), lent to Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, by Queen Elizabeth II of England for her 2012 wedding, and the engagement ring (figure 6, right) given to Grace Kelly by Prince Rainier III of Monaco.

Figure 5. Wallis Simpson’s 1947 custom-created bib necklace features gold, platinum, diamonds, amethysts, and turquoises. Photo by Vincent Wulveryck, courtesy of the Cartier Collection, © Cartier.

Figure 6. Left: The 1936 platinum and diamond Halo Tiara, measuring 3 × 18 cm, was worn by Catherine Middleton during her 2012 wedding to Prince William. The tiara was lent to the exhibition by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Photo courtesy of the Royal Collection Trust. Right: The platinum and diamond ring given to American actress Grace Kelly by Prince Rainier III of Monaco on their engagement in 1956. Photo by Vincent Wulveryck, © Princely Palace of Monaco.
Of special interest to the gemologist are the gemstones on display. Over the years, some of the most important and exciting gemstones have been brought to Cartier for use in jewelry, while other gorgeous pieces have used smaller, less notable gem materials. These gems are brought to life and beautifully incorporated in exquisite items, such as a Greyhound vanity case (figure 7, left), through Cartier’s design and attention to fine detail. An excellent example is the 1934 Cartier Paris jadeite necklace (figure 7, right) once owned by American socialite Barbara Hutton. To the gemologist, this is one of the most beautiful items on display, featuring 27 imperial jadeite beads along with a Burmese ruby and diamond clasp. The beads were crafted by Cartier and range from 15.4 to 19.2 mm in diameter. The piece’s simplicity and color contrast are divine. To see it in real life is an unforgettable experience.The necklace is a recent acquisition for the Cartier Collection, with the earliest written record of it in the Cartier archives in 1933. The precise origin of the jadeite necklace is impossible to determine.

Figure 7. Left: The 1920 Greyhound vanity case (9.5 × 7.7 × 2 cm) is a custom piece created from platinum, pink gold, onyx, diamonds, emeralds, rubies, citrine, and amethysts. Photo by Marian Gérard, courtesy of the Pierre Cartier Foundation, © Cartier. Right: Barbara Hutton’s 51.5 cm necklace (1934) is crafted of platinum, gold, jadeite, diamonds, and rubies. Photo by Marian Gérard, courtesy of the Cartier Collection, © Cartier.
Another fine gem on display is the 478 ct faceted blue sapphire, measuring 49 × 39 × 25 mm, that once belonged to Queen Marie of Romania (figure 8). Believed to have a Sri Lankan origin, the sapphire was first recorded by Cartier in 1913 and in 1921 was bought by King Ferdinand for his wife. Around 1947, the gemstone became the property of Harry Winston.

Figure 8. Platinum and diamonds complement a 478 ct sapphire—once belonging to Queen Marie of Romania—in this 1913 pendant. Photo courtesy of the National Museum of Qatar.
Of the many diamonds in the exhibition, among the most impressive is the Williamson Pink. The 58 ct rough was found on the surface at the Williamson diamond mine in Mwadui, Tanzania, in 1947. John Williamson, then owner of the mine, presented it to the future Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding gift. The stone was later recut to a 23.60 ct brilliant and set by Cartier at the heart of a flower brooch (figure 9). This piece is regularly worn by the Queen and said to be one of her favorites.

Figure 9. The Williamson Pink diamond brooch (1953) features platinum, diamonds, and pink diamond. The flower-shaped brooch, measuring 10 × 5.5 cm, was a wedding gift to then Princess Elizabeth of England in 1947. The brooch was lent to the exhibition by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Photo courtesy of the Royal Collection Trust.
Historical materials from Maison Cartier are also on display. These include Louis Cartier’s Book of Ideas, detailing his travels and purchases; original design drawings (themselves works of art); and plaster casts of jewelry produced throughout the years. Also shown are the benches of the craftsmen who made the pieces. Often little thought is given to those who crafted the jewelry, so this dedicated space acknowledges the jewelers and designers who made Cartier the jewelry house it is today.

While the chance to view Cartier: The Exhibitionis a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, you can also immerse yourself in the world of Cartier with a captivating virtual reality experience—featuring actress María Félix’s glittering yellow diamond and emerald crocodile necklace—at https://nga.gov.au/cartier/. This will give those who cannot attend a taste of the wonder and fascination of Cartier.

Cartier: The Exhibition is on exhibit at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra until July 22, 2018. Tickets are AUS$27 for adults, AUS$25 for students, and AUS$20 for NGA members; children 16 and under are admitted free with a paying adult. The NGA is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The reviewers would like to thank Simeran Maxwell of the National Gallery of Australia for her insights. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Super Bowl Rings: A Gallery of NFL Championship Rings Abstract: Photo courtesy NFL

                      The Super Bowl is the most popular sporting event in the United States – almost 110 million Americans watched the New England Patriots win a thrilling last-second victory against the Seattle Seahawks in February 2015. So it’s not surprising that the Super Bowl ring is a matter of serious interest.
Super Bowl Rings Through the Years
As the game has grown in popularity, the rings have become fancier: more diamonds and gemstones, more complex designs, and a lot more “wow” factor. Consider the first ring made in 1966 that sported a single one-carat diamond.

The New England Patriots, winners of Super Bowl XLIV, celebrated their victory with a Super Bowl ring that broke all records. Some 205 diamonds weighing 4.85 carats glittered in the NFL championship dazzler (the Patriot’s 2003 Super Bowl ring had 104 diamonds; the 2004 Super Bowl ring had 124 diamonds). Team owner Robert Kraft said he wanted this ring to outdo ones his earlier teams had received, and team officials proclaimed it was the “largest ring ever made.”

A bit more about the Patriot’s XLIV Super Bowl ring: Four marquise-cut diamonds on the ring’s table symbolize the Lombardi Trophy (the team has won four Super Bowls). Some 44 pavé-set round diamonds frame the team’s logo. The phrase “Do Your Job” is engraved on the side, along with the final score of the game (28 - 24).

Jostens, a leading designer and producer of championship rings, has created 32 of the 49 Super Bowl rings, all four of the Patriots’ Super Bowl rings, and dozens of football championship rings. GIA asked Chris Poitras, director, sports marketing and development, to share how Super Bowl rings are designed.
Super Bowl Rings Gallery

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Poitras explained that leaders of the winning team collaborate with Jostens’ master jewelers to design and produce custom championship rings for players and members of their organization.

Poitras described the process: “Our goal is to collaborate with the team. The thing that takes the most time when it comes to creating the rings is designing a piece that tells the story of the team, their great win, and the special season. Depending on their design, it can take anywhere from weeks to months to manufacture the rings from start to finish.”

Jostens uses CAD and rapid prototyping to design the rings. In addition, each ring goes through a lost wax process (a wax model of the ring is made, encased in material, the model burned away, and molten metal poured into the cavity), casting, finishing and polishing, and finally, stone-setting, where diamonds and other stones are hand set.

The New Orleans Saints won its first Super Bowl in 2010. The team’s colors are black and gold, and so is the championship ring. Photo courtesy Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co. has created seven Super Bowl rings, and works with team leaders so that they reflect the championship season and the spirit and history of the franchise. For example, engraved inside the New York Giants ring in 2012 are the words “Finish” and “All In”– two inspirational phrases that rallied the team for the season.

The 2008 New York Giants got to the Super Bowl by winning eleven games on the road – a fact emblazoned on the side of the ring. The victory was the team’s third Super Bowl win. Photo courtesy Tiffany & Co.
Fun Facts About Super Bowl Rings

The NFL gives each team an allowance of $5,000 for 150 rings. Teams typically spend far more than the allotted money.
Lawrence Taylor’s 1991 Super Bowl Ring sold at auction in May 2011 for $230,401 – but most Super Bowl rings sell for far less. Fred “Fuzzy” Thurston’s ring from Super Bowl II sold for $50,788 in 2011.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders were such bitter rivals in the 1970s that the competition extended to their rings. The Raiders Super Bowl XI ring had 27 diamonds; the Steelers one-upped them by putting 30 diamonds in their Super Bowl XIII rings. The Raiders retaliated by putting 33 diamonds in their Super Bowl XV rings (see below).

Photo courtesy NFL
The average male professional sports player’s ring size is 12 or 13. For comparison, the average male non-professional athlete’s ring size is 10½. The largest size Super Bowl Ring ever produced was size 25 for William “Refrigerator” Perry, who played for the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XX. To put it in perspective, a half-dollar coin (30.61mm dia.) could pass through Perry’s ring.
Lore of the Super Bowl Rings
Since Super Bowl rings are the stuff of legend, some incredible stories come with them. John Schmitt, the starting center for the New York Jets, lost his Super Bowl III ring in 1971, while surfing about a quarter mile off Hawaii’s shore. Schmitt grabbed a pair of flippers and a snorkel and dove for three hours, stopping when he was too exhausted to continue.

Photo courtesy Brenda K. Reichel
Some two decades later, Waikiki lifeguard John Ernstberg found the ring. Thinking it was a trinket, he stored it in a box. When Ernstberg passed away, Samuel and Cindy Saffrey (Ernstberg’s great niece) discovered the ring and took it to appraiser Brenda K. Reichel, GIA GG. Reichel saw it had a trademark by LG Balfour (a ring maker), 42 grams of gold and diamonds, as well as a score and a jersey number.

With permission from the Saffreys, Reichel started hunting down the owner. Three days later, she and the Saffrey’s called John Schmitt. Reichel recounts the conversation:

John asked if the Saffreys wanted any money. I told him they only wanted to give him back his ring. John broke down into tears. All of us were deeply moved. As for the ring, if I hadn’t attended GIA, I wouldn’t have known the diamonds were real.

Super Bowl rings have even sparked international incidents. Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, ended up with Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s 4.94-carat Super Bowl ring during a visiting business delegation in 2005. In June 2013, Kraft said Putin “just put it in his pocket.” Putin said he “didn’t remember Kraft or the ring,” but has now promised a replacement. Kraft’s ring, valued at $25,000, remains in the Kremlin’s library. Source: GIA @topic:9


Title: Book Review: Rings Abstract: By Rachel Church, 160 pp., illus., publ. by Thames & Hudson, London, UK, 2017, US$24.95.

Rings by Rachel Church is a well-curated overview of ring history based on the jewelry collection in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Though short, the book is packed with information.
Six chapters move through time from the Middle Ages, when jewelers were unsung and unremembered craftsmen, to the present, when individual jewelers are known and the work of name designers is sought after and collected.
Church writes, “to study rings is to study a miniature history of art and design.” However, each chapter outlines the successively shorter time periods it has taken for culture and society and jewelry design to change. The rings in each section reflect shifts in wedding and betrothal practices, religious beliefs and superstitions, memorial practices, and fashion. Rings denoting particular affiliations—with the church, royalty, and political loyalties—show how sources of power have shifted over centuries.
Chapter One: 1200–1500 explores rings during the Middle Ages, when gifts of rings affirmed the power and status of the giver and rewarded the loyalty and services of the recipient. Rings set with fine gemstones were the prerogative of the clergy, royalty, and the aristocracy. Incised or engraved gems from the ancient world as well as intaglios from the time of the Romans were also revered and set into rings.
As a gift of love, a ring was one of the types of gifts a woman was allowed to properly receive from a lover. Rings could provide talismanic protection when, as they commonly were, engraved with prayers or invocations against illness, accident and evil.
This was the time that magical lore and many beliefs about gemstones came into common knowledge, the result of translating the works of ancient lapidaries. However, not only precious gemstones, but homely materials became valued for their prophylactic properties. Witness the image of a spectacular ring with heavy engraved shank that is set with heart-shaped wolf’s tooth to protect against toothache and inscribed with an invocation against storms. A toadstone, actually the fossilized tooth of a prehistoric fish, was worn as an amulet against spider bites and other venoms.
Chapter Two: 1500–1700 shows that, during the Renaissance, rings were still used for personal protection and prayers but became more decorative and showy, with highly carved and enameled bezels and shoulders. Multi-part, interlocking “gimmel” rings became more prevalent and were sometimes used as wedding rings—the separate but joined rings reflecting the state of marriage. “Posy”—from poesie or poetry—rings also date from this time. These gifts of love, betrothal, and marriage were engraved with short romantic lines. They were so popular that for the unimaginative there were even compendiums of phrases from which to choose one’s verse.
The growing importance of secular, more material society was reflected in the increased presence of signet rings—plain or gemstone set—engraved with a family crest or merchant’s symbol. Extraordinary gold rings, such as the one set with an exceptional emerald and diamonds that is believed to have been given by King James II to his chaplain, were still used to cement loyalty between royalty and those who served them well.
During the Middle Ages, memento mori rings were intended to remind the wearer of the brevity of life with their macabre skulls and other symbols of deaths. However, during the Renaissance, there was a subtle shift away from emphasis on one’s own mortality to the memorialization of someone else’s passing. The rings were usually inscribed with the name of the deceased and their date of death, and they could be very simple or beautifully enameled remembrances. Simple rings were often given to mourners.
The introduction of the new rose cut caused many women to have their diamonds recut and reset into fashionable designs often derived from flowers. Enameled designs might be based on the work of French floral artists. Center stones might be surrounded by smaller stones imitating the petals of a flower.
Chapter Three: 1700–1820 covers the period defined by Rococo and Neoclassical design. During this time, the fashion for floral-based rings grew and became more complex. There was a passion for giardinetti, or “little garden” rings created by setting colored stones into intricate patterns forming baskets and vases of flowers. Diamond rings became a necessary accessory for any gentleman.
Memorial rings, as bequests to friends and gifts to mourners, became so popular that they were a staple of jewelers who “advertised their ability to make mourning rings neatly and expeditiously.” Large mourning rings would often exhibit painted miniatures, hair under crystal, and enameled images. Not only friends and family were memorialized, but political leaders and military heroes, too, were commemorated. Church has included an image of the illustrated memorial ring made in remembrance of Admiral Horatio Nelson, who died at the Battle of Trafalgar (1805).
As society became increasingly secularized, rings symbolizing an affiliation with political party rather than with royalty or aristocracy or church proliferated. Membership in clubs, social, and fraternal organizations, such as the freemasons, was also marked with the wearing of rings that incorporated their emblems.
One interesting societal and legal change impacted the importance of the ring in marriage. Before the mid-1700s, the “lawful basis for a marriage was simply the exchange of vows in the present tense by the two parties, and a wedding could take place at any time of day.” Often the legitimacy of a marriage was determined by the gift of the ring. However, this could result in the kidnapping of a woman—particularly an heiress—who was forced into an unwanted marriage, and perhaps had a ring forced on her legitimizing the union. The Marriage Act of 1753, however, required that weddings take place in an Anglican church, during the day, and only after the publication of the banns. This meant that while rings were still part of the service, the real proof of the marriage lay in the church register and in the testimony of witnesses.
Chapter 4: 1820–1900 describes changes brought about by the Romantic movement, when artists looked to the past as idealized eras. Design ideas from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance were reinterpreted, as well as those from the Rococo and Neoclassical periods. In rings, loving sentiments were spelled out with gemstones, with each letter of a word represented by the first letter of the name of the stone. For those with a longer message to deliver, there was enamel. The book shows a particularly delightful gold ring with small doors that open to reveal sections of a message much like the “She loves me, she loves me not” of a plucked circle of daisy petals. In this case, each door hides “I love you a little/a lot/ passionately/not at all.” A subtler message of eternal love was delivered by an emerald ring in the shape of a snake, given by Prince Albert to Queen Victoria on their engagement.
“Romantic” though this period was, it was also practical. Although the value in a wedding ring is primarily in its sentiment, in 1855, Parliament required that all wedding rings bear hallmarks.
Chapter 5: 1900–1950, raises the curtain on the twentieth century and the dawn of the “Me” and “Look at Me” generations. Gone are rings of power, magic, affiliation, and mourning. The demand for fashion rings, started in the previous century, outstripped just about all other roles except for wedding and engagement. It is during this time that the major jewelry houses emerged.
The Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements led this explosion of design that emphasized originality above almost all else. These designs were often characterized by the use of “semi- precious” stones such as opals, moonstones, and unusual stones such as amber, jadeite, and chalcedony. Art Deco in particular incorporated modern materials such as plastics.
The use of less expensive materials became pronounced as the Great Depression took hold everywhere, and the trend was to “create an atmosphere of luxury with inexpensive materials that everyone can afford.” But with the return of luxury after World War II, gemstones took center stage as never before as film and stage stars began to wear large faceted gemstones such as citrines, aquamarines, and star stones both on the screen and off.
Chapter 6: 1950–Present brings the reader speeding into the art and studio jewelry world, as jewelry makers began to emphasize metalwork in their designs. Large rings, either unset or set with gemstones took over the hand. They began to look more like small sculptures than jewelry. Designers used unusual combinations of gemstones and materials. One image that demonstrates this dramatically is Bernhard Schobinger’s “Uhrfragment.” The ring is made from “braided metal wire” and a jeweled watch movement that looks as if it has been heated with a torch and burned. The rough, blackened textures contrast sharply with the single, luminous round pearl set in the center. This is not a ring anyone would have seen in any previous age.
Individual designers stepped out and became as well known as the celebrities they dressed. Galleries exhibiting studio jewelry opened their doors. The value in a ring might still be intrinsic to the materials used—gold and precious gemstones—but more often the value became attached to the art involved or to the designer’s name. Color, once provided by gemstones and enamel, began to be replaced with acrylics. In short, the only rule in the twentieth century was that just about anything goes.
Such a reference depends on the number, choice, and quality of the images, as well as the pieces selected. In Rings, the quality of both is exceptionally high. Hand-engraved pieces from 800 years ago look as if they were done yesterday. Full-page images allow examination of the smallest detail. In addition, there are paintings and photos of how rings have been worn and by whom in each era. There are also fascinating pages from old design books and jewelers’ ledgers that record finished drawings of pieces next to a coded breakdown of the labor and material costs.
The Notes section is fascinating, showing how far afield the study of jewelry can take you, with references to Old Bailey Proceedings, the study of wills, and personal histories as well as titles such as Mistress, Maids and Men: Baronial Life in the Thirteenth Century and At Home in Renaissance Italy. There is an interview with Dame Edith Sitwell. Even Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey and John Donne’s poetry serve as sources. In addition, there is a glossary, suggestions for further reading, a brief history of the V&A’s collection, and a short list of other major collections featuring rings.
Rings is an excellent resource for antiques researchers or anyone interested in the story of jewelry in human history. As such, it is a wonderful companion to Cycles of Life: Rings from the Benjamin Zucker Family Collection. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Book Review: Jeweled Splendors of the Art Deco Era: The Prince and Princess Sadruddin Aga Khan Collection Abstract: By Sarah Davis, hardcover, 256 pp., illus., publ. by Thames & Hudson, New York, 2017, US$75.00

Jeweled Splendors of the Art Deco Era showcases the art and craft of jewelers, enamelists, lapidaries, and designers. It features 116 Art Deco masterworks, primarily cigarette cases, compacts and lipstick containers, and timepieces. Produced as a catalog for the April–August 2017 exhibition of the same name at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York, Jeweled Splendors is a book for any art collector or connoisseur of the jeweler’s art.

The works pictured are breathtaking in their craftsmanship, their ingenuity, and their astonishing use of color. Many exhibit perfectly smooth and glossy enameled surfaces. These are accented with either colored gemstones or platinum set with diamonds. Other surfaces are inlaid with hardstones and mother–of-pearl in painterly images. Some boxes are cut from a single block of agate or marble. The colors are bold yet harmonious. The term “feast for the eyes” is often overdone yet fitting here. Each image is clear and crisp, as if you could touch the object. The one thing missing is any way to experience the satisfying weight these gold objects must have in the hand.

The glorious items and the lush photography make it almost easy to overlook the three essays interwoven with the images, which are compact histories of Art Deco in general and the place of these objects in that history. The essays might also be overlooked because of the delicacy of the typeface chosen. Although this was probably a deliberate choice, made to allow the images to take center stage, the fineness of the type makes it difficult to read in low light. If there’s any complaint about the book, it is this.

The catalog text, written by Sarah Davis, an editor for the American Society of Jewelry Historians, is separate from the exhibit pieces. This is a welcome effort to avoid distracting readers from the beauty of the works. Yet the text is close at hand, placed at the end of each essay. Each entry is illustrated with a small color image—a pleasure for anyone who has tried to track down pieces at the back of a book by chasing catalog numbers. While Doug Rosa’s 348 magnificent photographs show each piece in exquisite detail and color, and make the book virtually impossible to put down, the three essays by three different curators are fascinating reading.

“East and West: Oriental Exoticism in the Decorative Arts,” by Evelyne Possémé of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris provides a brief history of the European “discovery” of art from the Middle East, India, China, and Japan and how it affected European decorative arts, inspiring designers to first copy and then merge artistic elements from a number of cultures. Chinese motifs and carvings were combined with Islamic garden design and graphic decoration. Japanese inro influenced the shape and style of the vanities that held women’s cosmetics and cigarettes in the Jazz Age. And enameled surfaces echoed the lacquer work of China and Japan. “European artists continued to feast on differences and discoveries, creating an art that constantly renewed and original,” writes Possémé. Eventually the elements of many cultures were refined and combined to such an extent that the style became a new one altogether: Art Deco.

“Feminine Elegance: Jeweled Accessories for the Modern Woman,” by Stephen Harrison at the Cleveland Museum of Art, examines the societal changes after World War I that contributed to demand for the kinds of objects featured in the exhibit. Mass-produced cigarettes became widely available, and cigarette companies promoted them as a sign of sophistication. Women, newly emancipated with their short, sleek fashions and bobbed hair, began frequenting jazz clubs with partners, and there they acquired the smoking habit. In fact, writes Harrison, women quickly became “the mainstay of a burgeoning tobacco industry.” They needed convenient cases, like men, to store and carry their cigarettes. But they also needed vanities to keep their makeup close by for freshening up. Cigarette cases became “artistic symbols of status, wealth and privilege” that embodied “taste, independence, and the means to achieve both.”

For designers, metalsmiths, enamelists, and jewelers, these containers provided much larger creative canvases than could be found in small jewelry pieces, and they pulled out all the stops in using those canvases to showcase “their finest techniques in jewelry setting, composition, artistic design, and mechanical innovation,” writes Harrison.

“Jeweled Innovation: Design and Manufacture in Art Deco Masterpieces,” by Sarah D. Coffin at Cooper Hewitt is a wonderful examination of the use of color, and how the unique mechanisms for opening these objects lent their own mystique and desirability. As the great jewelry houses realized the demand for these accessories, they began to carry them in their showrooms. And they began to compete aggressively for the business of the ultra-wealthy. This meant commissioning works by the finest box makers, or even partnering with or annexing them. The best artists often worked for several of the jewelry houses, frequently signing their work. Coffin relates the greens of enamel and stones such as aventurine to the relatively new creation of public gardens in Paris, and its symbolism of growth, and freshness. Black enamel, as used in these objects, was no longer the color of mourning, but paralleled the “little black dress” worn by women as they “stepped out” in the evenings; it also provided an excellent backdrop to the platinum and diamonds that decorated the works. But as a sign of modernity, and as a result of the competition for novelty between houses, intricate mechanisms were engineered for these pieces. They might be jeweled or hidden in clever ways. Compartments opened or slid from recesses. Lids opened at the push of a button, allowing them to be opened with one hand. (Many a movie from this era shows a sophisticated man opening a case with one hand to offer a cigarette.) Cases opened like envelopes, or drawers. Catches wrapped the edges or pierced lids. It was during this period, too, that Cartier introduced its Mystery clocks, and these are represented in the collection along with pendant watches concealed in elegant necklaces.

Jeweled Splendors of the Art Deco Era also includes an introduction by Princess Catherine Aga Khan, who received these beautiful gifts from Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, and Pierre Rainero, the image and heritage director of Cartier, the firm that created many of these objects. The understated and exquisite book design is by Judith Hudson.

This is a book to return to again and again, a book to treasure. It is a deeply satisfying opportunity to examine, close up, a noteworthy collection. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Book Review: The Classic Goldsmith Abstract: By Mark Maxwell, softcover, 122 pp., illus., publ. by Maxwell Press, Oceanside, CA, 2015, US$29.95.

Benchie… Do you know that term? Well, this is a great little book, by a benchie, for benchies. That doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate it if you aren’t one, but it’s really geared to that demographic. By the way, benchie is an affectionate name for bench jewelers: the folks who take bits and pieces of precious metals and some gemstones and work their magic to create the wonderful delights of ornamentation we call jewelry. They’re also the ones who will take in a treasured jewelry heirloom that has seen better days, and they’ll either breathe life back into it or transform it into something completely new.

	What this book is not: It is not quick and easy, comprehensive, exhaustive, encyclopedic, the beginner’s guide to anything, or a coffee table edition. So how can I call it a great little book? It’s a bit like the old-time baseball player with the high batting average whose motto was, “Hit ’em where they ain’t.” There are numerous books about jewelry that fit into the above categories, but the field is much more open for a book full of projects for intermediate to advanced jewelers, and this is where it shines.

	The book is a collection of projects that were originally published by Mark Maxwell in MJSA Journal’s “At the Bench” column over a period of years. As a trade publication published by Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers of America, it is clearly aimed at insiders. This collection is not a simple reprint, though. This well-illustrated, self-published effort (available through Amazon.com) has expanded upon those articles and added more in-depth instructions and insights.

	Organized into seven chapters of increasing complexity, from sawing and filing to metal inlay and even CAD, it is a guide to instruct you through a range of projects, and also a nudge to go beyond the project at hand. Thinking ahead, planning the work, and precision and accuracy are repeatedly emphasized, so that finished projects will show to their best advantage and function correctly. The assumption here is that as a bench jeweler, you already know how to use your tools, and these projects will broaden your horizons and stretch your abilities. There are no magical skills required, but you must set your standards high to succeed with these projects. There are also optional workflow suggestions, depending on the availability of some advanced tools such as a laser welder.

	Some projects end up as finished jewelry—rings, pendants, earrings, bracelets, and so forth—while others are exquisitely contrived components such as latches, clasps and hinged mechanisms. Being able to fabricate specialized components such as these is another skill that sets apart a master goldsmith.

	The only thing that would be disappointing would be to see a pristine copy of this book. Don’t get me wrong: I love and collect books of all stripes, but this book is meant to be used. It needs to have smudged margins, some gold and silver filings wedged in the spine, and even a few dog-eared pages. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Book Review: New Rings: 500+ Designs Abstract: By Nicolas Estrada, paperback, 272 pp., illus., publ. by Thames & Hudson, London, 2016, $34.95.

	Contemporary art meets handcrafted fashion in Nicolas Estrada’s second edition of New Rings. With the feel of an exhibition catalog, every page of this fascinating book features an arrangement of rings—each example shown is a miniature sculpture. Some are ready-to-wear, and—from the finger to the top of the bureau—all are ready to make a statement.

	For this new edition, Estrada has added new works by Jina Seo, Elvira Golombosi, Polly Horwich, Nancy Newberg, Drilling Lab, Cinnamon Lee, Helen Britton, Cristina Zani, Jorge Castañon and many more pioneering jewelers and designers. Estrada has removed Joanne Haywood’s “Emblems of Alliance” and reorganized the essay selection. Marjorie Simon’s essay has been replaced by a new introduction by Carles Codina Armengol. Estrada has also updated his own work, added his own bio to the index of artists, and included an acknowledgments page at the end.

	While much has changed with this second edition, much also remains the same. The compendium begins with four essays, each illuminating a different point of view about the symbolism of ring wearing. The heart of the book lies in the 233 pages of ring images, divided into five sections: Individuality, Expression, Rebellion, Commitment, and Connection. Each chapter is marked with a hand symbol highlighted by a dot on one finger, as if to indicate the Individuality section relates to the thumb, Expression the pointer finger, and so on. This is where the book could benefit from fuller illumination about each chapter. While the rings speak for themselves in many ways, it would be wonderful to hear more about Estrada’s thought process. For example, how does the pinky finger—and perhaps the pinky ring—relate to the subject of connection? Are the rings in the fifth chapter all pinky rings? While the meaning behind the curation of each section may not be quite so literal, it would be wonderful to hear more about how Estrada selected pieces for each section. Surely he has stories to share about what some or most of these pieces represent.

	Born in Medellin, Colombia, Estrada moved to Barcelona, Spain to work in marketing, but instead turned his attention to jewelry making. He cites his transition to making and admiring contemporary, radical, innovative, and conceptual jewelry stems from a need to free himself from the violence he experienced in his native city. He says he regards these works as both therapy and social critique.

	In addition to New Rings, Estrada also has equally intriguing compendiums of New Earrings (Thames & Hudson, 2013) and New Necklaces (Promopress, 2016). With the selections he gathers and curates in each of his books, it’s easy to recognize a diverse mix of emotions ranging from anguish and rebellion to elation and excitement. It would be so gratifying to hear more of his thoughts from these pages, to hear his voice, to learn more about how his experiences have led him to love or hate these pieces.

	Nevertheless, it’s also easy to see how such transparency may also muffle the mystery that makes Estrada the kind of author-curator he is. And while his experience would be fascinating to read, he doesn’t need to make such a strong appearance here to make a statement. The reader can still be drawn in by the images of the rings rather than the symbolic meanings of the chapters or the author’s point of view. She will pour over the pages, getting lost in her own translation of the dark details of Dauvit Alexander’s Four Cocktail Rings of the Apocalypse, the solid sensuality of Yuyen Chang’s Orifice Rings, the movement of Michael Berger’s Kinetic Rings, the included frog in Mi-Mi Moscow’s rings, and the functional aspects of Tithi Kutchamuch’s Vase Garden. Without a need for explanation, there’s a ring for everyone to admire or abhor within these pages. Herein lies the brilliance of this intersection of art, design, craftsmanship, and fashion. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Book Review: Jeweler: Masters, Mavericks, and Visionaries of Modern Design Abstract: By Stellene Volandes with a foreword by Carolina Herrera, hardcover, 255 pp., illus., publ. by Rizzoli International Publications, New York, 2016, $85.00.

Jeweler: Masters, Mavericks, and Visionaries of Modern Design by Stellene Volandes is a large-format visual feast of jewelry design. Jeweler showcases the work of 17 jewelry designers from around the world: Hemmerle (Munich), Elena Votsi (Athens), Mark Davis (Brooklyn), Nicholas Varney (New York), Wallace Chan (New York), James de Givenchy (New York), Giampiero Bodino (Milan), Judy Geib (Williamsburg, Virginia), Suzanne Syz (Geneva), Bhagat (Mumbai), Sevan Biçakçi (Istanbul), Lydia Courteille (Paris), Muriel Grateau (Paris), Luz Camino (Madrid), Antonia Miletto (Venice), Marie-Helene de Taillac (New York), and Lauren Adriana (London). There is also a foreword by Carolina Herrera, an introduction, and an index of photos by designer.

Jeweler is a very personal selection by Volandes, editor-in-chief at Town & Country magazine, who appears to prefer large, bold work. Yet the drama of the pieces and their impeccable craftsmanship are their only commonalities, as techniques and materials range across the board. There is Miletto’s quiet use of exotic woods, Davis’s repurposing of Bakelite, Biçakçi’s astonishing “inverse intaglio” gemstone carving, Syz’s playful use of enamel and titanium, Bodino’s use of traditional techniques in non-traditional presentations, and the breathtaking setting work of Varney and Chan. All the works feature vividly colored gemstones and enamels, except those by Grateau, who favors black and white. Every piece in Jeweler is a work of art best worn alone with the classic black dress (or black shirt, in the case of Syz’s cufflinks).

	The text touches lightly on each designer’s history and the manufacturing techniques used. There are some lovely passages, such as Volandes’s description of Chan’s “Wallace Cut”: “Equal doses workmanship and wizardry, it was created through endless hours of imagination that turned into years of experimentation.” However, the author’s personal journey is front and center as she discovers the work of each designer, visits their ateliers, and discusses the work at a jazz club or fine restaurant. She recreates for readers her experience of the lush environments in which these pieces are exhibited, often by appointment only.

	It’s impossible to write about Jeweler without mentioning its striking use of typography. Each section opens with one piece, the designer’s name, and a descriptive tagline—such as “The Modern Dynasty” (Hemmerle), “Olympian Talent” (Votsi), or “The Myth Maker” (Courteille)—in a font size so large it bleeds off the page. A quote from the text is spread over the next two pages with another featured piece of jewelry. Finally, opposite the first page text, the initial capital of the designer’s last name is enlarged so much that it is virtually abstract; a third piece of jewelry is wound around, set on, or stacked against the columns and shapes of the letter form. Each of these uses of type reinforces the idea that these designers are giants in their field, larger than life, their work almost too large for the pages. This is further emphasized by the enormous image sizes, often one per 9 × 13-inch page, or one piece spread over two pages.

	Although the name of the book design firm (NR2154) and its principals are credited, the photographer, without whom this book could not have been created, is not. There is also a disappointing lack of acknowledgment of the makers of many of these pieces. Though readers may infer that all the designers were hands-on, it appears that many of them—who may have come from other design or jewelry-related fields—do not have bench training; Volandes mentions when a designer (such as Judy Geib) was trained in jewelry manufacturing. Many of the designers produce drawings that are works of art in themselves (the Varney drawing of a hooded falcon is almost indistinguishable from the final piece next to it), and there is no question about the brilliance of the design concepts. However, the production of these often incredibly complex pieces is the work of talented cutters, setters, wax carvers, fabricators, and polishers. It’s a shame that there is so little recognition of these skilled hands from either the designers or Volandes.

Jeweler is not a book to keep on a shelf. It is meant to be displayed, opened, paged through, admired, and shared, which makes the lack of a dust jacket seem a questionable design decision. The rich, deep blue cloth cover of Jeweler is embellished with gold lettering, which seems almost monochromatic in contrast to the blaze of colors inside. However, over time and through handling, the lettering may wear away, and the magnet-like texture of the binding will collect dust, stains, and pet hair, eventually creating a shopworn appearance at sharp odds with the work inside.

	Overall, Jeweler: Masters, Mavericks, and Visionaries of Modern Design is a joy to behold. As a beautiful object of design in itself, it is a book for collectors of art, design, and jewelry or, really, anyone who appreciates beautiful things. In Jeweler, jewelry makers and designers will find insight into the often rarified world of ultra-high-end international jewelry design and plenty of inspiration for years to come. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Book Review: Wallace Chan: Dream Light Water Abstract: By Juliet Weir De La Rochefoucauld and Wallace Chan, 380 pp., hardcover, illus., publ. by Rizzoli, New York, 2016, US$280.00.

	With the September 2015 release of “A Heritage in Bloom,” the world’s most expensive diamond necklace, Chinese jewelry designer Wallace Chan returned to center stage. The exquisite necklace showcases the 104.27 ct D-color, internally flawless Cullinan Heritage diamond, together with 23 D–IF stones cut from the same rough, pink diamonds, white diamonds of different sizes, mutton-fat nephrite jade, and green jadeite. The piece is considered a milestone for Chow Tai Fook, the world’s largest jewelry retailer; it also symbolizes a new height of his design career, a path outlined in the recently released Wallace Chan: Dream Light Water. Written by Juliet Weir de La Rochefoucauld and Chan himself, the book takes readers on a colorful tour of the designer’s master works over the past 42 years. Through the 86 pieces selected, one reaches a better understanding of Chan’s life and design philosophy.

	Following the title of the book, the authors start with dreams and the theme of butterflies. Zhuan Zi, founder of the Taoist philosophy, had a dream of being transformed into a butterfly. When he woke up, he realized it was a dream yet wondered whether it was him becoming a butterfly or the other way around. While every entry in the book of Zhuangzi has a philosophical point, this has been one of the most widely cited. The story also carries the essential spirit of Taoism, which is simply that all objects in nature are just different forms of one single entity. Unlike Confucianism, Taoism treasures the pursuit of freedom, which was valued by many scholars throughout history and is becoming more popular today. By adopting butterflies as the theme in many of his jewelry pieces, Chan is attempting to free himself and the wearer from the complications of the internal and external world. The butterfly is also one of the themes best suited to colored gems.

	Originally a carver, Chan has devoted most of his energies to the application of carving to jewelry manufacture. In working with transparent colored gems, he is dedicated to better displaying the interaction between light, gem, and viewer. Over the years, he continued perfecting his manufacturing skills and innovated many patented techniques, with the “Wallace Cut” as the best example. This special cut perfectly combines the medieval cameo with intaglio carving to generate a three-dimensional trompe l’oeil effect. As Chan has said, he lives and breathes light. This is vividly illustrated by many master works in this book. The cover features the pendant of his “Now and Always” necklace. The center stone is a piece of aquamarine fashioned as a Wallace Cut. A single Goddess’s face was carved on the back of the stone in intaglio, and the likeness was reflected by the different facets of the stone to create this “goddess with a thousand faces” effect.

	Chan notes at the end of the book that when he works, his creativity flows out of him like water. With its gentle strength, flexibility, and eternal tenacity, flowing water is the highest standard of human behavior in Chinese culture. Fitting in with other people, the environment, and nature is the best way to live. With this in mind, Chan broke the barrier between East and West, between old and new. Through hard work and manufacturing expertise, he invented techniques to set colored gems into jade and create a lit-from-within effect. “Plum Flowers in Snow,” “Tender Is My Skin,” and “A Heritage in Bloom” are the best examples.

	The book is artistically designed, featuring jewelry pieces shown with different angles and special effects to elaborate the details. Looking at these images, it is like gradually zooming in and unveiling the secrets hidden by the designer. Today, Wallace Chan remains completely involved in every step of jewelry making in his business. He believes that while the innovation of manufacture techniques and skills comes from diligent research, continuous experimentation, and daily practice, a humble mind and tenacity are the keys to his stature as a leading jewelry designer. As he puts in the book: “Creativity starts with emptiness and the unknown.”

	Overall, Wallace Chan: Dream Light Water is a very engaging experience, as well as a rich source of inspiration for professional jewelry designers and collectors. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Book Review: Graff Abstract: By Suzy Menkes, Vivienne Becker, Maria Doulton, Joanna Hardy, Nina Hald, Nicholas Foulkes, and Joanne Harris, 270 pp., Rizzoli International Publishing, New York, 2015, $95.00.

	London-based jeweler Graff Diamonds was founded in 1960. Since that time, Graff has become an internationally known and important purveyor of large diamonds of historical renown. With stores around the globe, the Graff name has become synonymous with opulence and rarity in jewelry circles. Graff Diamonds has been awarded the Queen’s Award for International Trade multiple times, and Graff himself was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 2013. This luxurious, large-format book pays homage to the jewelry house in eight lavish chapters.

	Chapter I, titled “Beginnings,” chronicles Laurence Graff’s humble origins. Born into a working-class family on London’s East End, Graff left school at age 15 to become an apprentice in a jewelry shop. After a scant three months, he was let go because he would “never make the grade.” Undeterred, Graff went on to found his own business, which continues to grow through hard work and solid ethics – values he credits to his mother. According to Mr. Graff, his mother continued to “check up” on him until she died at age 98, reminding him to always be “honest in his dealings with other people.”

	Chapter II, called “Image,” shows the building of the Graff brand though reprints of many of their famous ads through the decades. The ads are visually stunning, and graphically bold. Of particular interest in this chapter are ads from the famous “Military Campaign” of the 80s and the “Green Campaign” of the 90s.

	The authors recount the mineral aspects of diamond in chapter III, called “Miracles.” Here, diamond formation and origin is explained for the reader in the most generalized way, with photos showing the mining and sorting of rough crystals. There is also an outline of Graff’s vertically-integrated business, which starts at the mine and moves the diamond through cutting and finally to the creation of the jewelry that shows the stone at its best advantage.

	The uniqueness of the Graff brand is vividly portrayed in chapters IV–VI. “Rarity” features fascinating discussions on some of the famous diamonds that Graff has owned. These include the Graff Pink, the Letseng Star, the Wittelsbach-Graff, and the Lesotho Promise. Chapters V and VI, “Artistry,” and “Craft,” respectively, depict the work of Graff atelier. Pieces of magnificent jewelry are shown moving from watercolor designs on paper through to the finished piece.

	Chapter VII, called “Time,” showcases Graff’s gem-encrusted, horological masterpieces including the Graff Hallucination. The Hallucination is set with more than 110 carats of colored diamonds and is thought to be the most valuable watch ever created. Graff first started producing watches in 2008. The first of these were inspired by cut diamonds and as such, the watch bezels echo the facets of a round brilliant-cut gem. The style has since become a Graff signature, but they have also produced some exceedingly valuable and rare watches using different designs, such as the previously mentioned Hallucination. Finally, chapter VIII is called “Temptation.” In this chapter, author Joanne Harris recalls her first experience buying a Graff diamond with her husband, relating the magical experience and how the diamond, worn in a necklace, continues to symbolize the life she shares with her husband.

	The volume is highlighted throughout with outstanding color photos, but unlike many books in this style, a unique insert is included. It shows, in full color and at actual size, a chronological overview, of over 100 significant colorless and fancy-colored diamonds purchased by Graff between 1974 and 2015. This underscores the impressive variety and very large number of important diamonds handled by this one firm.

	Graff is highly recommended, not only for lovers of diamonds and stunning jewelry, but for those interested in the successful story of a “self-made” man. Source: GIA @topic:6