ANTIQUE/VINTAGE JEWELRY REFERENCE BOOKS - RECOMMENDATIONS??

[maccers]

Sorry for the ALL CAPS in the title, this is one of the slower PS threads so I'm hoping to catch people's attention.

I'm looking for a reference book on antique/vintage jewelry - something that goes through the different eras of jewelry, to help me understand the difference between georgian, victorian, art deco etc. And it has to have LOTS OF PICTURES! But that probably goes without saying.

Also, I'd like to own a reference book on diamonds and coloured stones - more of a beginner's guide that talks about MOH, colour spectrum, varieties and has LOTS OF PICTURES

Fingers crossed that I get some recommendations. Amazon has been only so useful and I'm having a hard time culling through all the make-your-own-jewelry books. Thanks all!

 

[LaraOnline]

Re: ANTIQUE/VINTAGE JEWELRY REFERENCE BOOKS - RECOMMENDATION

This is seen as 'the' diamond reference book these days:
The Gemmological Association of Australia recommends these two books:
The Diamond Compendium by Dee Dee Cunningham
http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Compendium-DeeDee-Cunningham/dp/0719804116

and this one:
Emeralds, A Passionate Guide by Ronald Ringsrud
http://www.emeraldpassion.com/

This one on jewellery looks pretty good!

Understanding Jewellery by David Bennett
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/18...mp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1851494308

 

[maccers]

Re: ANTIQUE/VINTAGE JEWELRY REFERENCE BOOKS - RECOMMENDATION

Thanks so much Lara! This gives me a good start for sure!

 

[minousbijoux]

Re: ANTIQUE/VINTAGE JEWELRY REFERENCE BOOKS - RECOMMENDATION

Hi Maccer, just following up to see if you read any of the books recommended and what you thought? TIA.

 

[maccers]

Re: ANTIQUE/VINTAGE JEWELRY REFERENCE BOOKS - RECOMMENDATION

Sigh, I just lost my post!

Hi minoux bijoux!

No, I haven't read any of the above yet. I plan on starting with Undertanding Jewellery first, based in the reviews I've read about it. What's kept me from reading it is my friend lent me her copy of Elizabeth Taylor's My Love Affair with Jewelry and its really fun and fabulous! That Richard Burton spoiled her, wow! And it inspired me to watch Cleopatra on Netflix which is where Richard and Elizabeth began their love affair.

I will try to remember to update here once I've gotten to one of those books!

 

[maccers]

Re: ANTIQUE/VINTAGE JEWELRY REFERENCE BOOKS - RECOMMENDATION

Updating....just cracked open 'Understanding Jewellery' last night. Woah, so much information in there!

The book is high quality (and heavy!): thick pages, well-defined photos (lots and lots of photos) but I would say the index is a bit lacking. I was trying to look up some setting types that they mention in the book (e.g. riviere necklace) but it's not included in the index despite there being a subsection about it.

As for content, I've just skimmed the whole book, there is a lot of text AND a lot of photographs. I like the way they break down the eras into 10-20 year chunks and they talk about innovations in jewellery making in a chronological way. At the start of the book, they cover diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, tourms, pearls, spinels and a few other stones...they speak about synthetics, inclusions...not in great detail but enough that I feel I know more about these things than I did before.

It's a good buy and a good read. I look forward to more reading tonight.