Recommended Jewelry Reading

 

Whether you are building your own jewelry library, or looking for a perfect gift for yourself or another jewelry enthusiast, I have a few suggestions of titles that would sparkle in any collection.

Bulgari From 1884 to 2009: 125 Years of Italian Jewels, by Amanda Triossi. An elegant book featuring over 300 color photographs of Bulgari jewelry. It is written by the curator of the Bulgari vintage collection, who is also author of several other well-known jewelry books and is a jewelry expert at Sotheby’s London.

Amazing Cartier: Jewelry Design Since 1937, by Nadine Coleno. With a focus on trend setting creations, this book features over 100 pieces of Cartier jewelry, archival drawings, and society photographs. The author is a well-known fashion writer, and has also written several other books.

Read My Pins: Stories From A Diplomat’s Jewel Box, by Madeleine Albright. The book features the brooch collection of the U.S. Secretary of State, both costume and fine, and accompanied an exhibit by the same name at the Museum of Arts and Design, New York. The book tells of international diplomacy and how the brooches were “tools” in many of the talks.

Brooches: Timeless Adornment, by Lori Ettlinger Gross. A beautiful addition to any jewelry book library.

Scottish Jewellry: A Victorian Passion, by Diana Scarisbrick. The author is a well-know jewelry historian, curator and author of several other jewelry books. If the subject is of interest, the book is sure to delight.

The Brooch as Messenger

Labor Day has come and gone. For most of us this symbolizes the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall. Cooler weather is coming and our favorite light fabrics of Summer will give way to jackets and suits, which brings me to this week’s fashion trend.

The brooch is one of the most interesting and often most versatile pieces of jewelry. This is not my hottest fashion trend to send you (read “Off the Cuff” for one), but there are still a large number of women who wear suits and dresses to work each day and there is no better way to add style and self expression than with a brooch to a collar, lapel or shoulder. Brooches are versatile because neckline or sleeve length of each outfit need not be taken into consideration, which is not the case with bracelets or necklaces. One famous lover of brooches is Madeleine Albright, Former US Secretary of State and Founder, The Albright Group LLC. She said that she used pins as a diplomatic tool; reinforcing the message of the day, choosing among pieces that depict an eagle, dove, balloon or bumble bee to name a few. “Read my Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection” will go on display this month at the Museum of Art and Design in New York City. There is also a book entitled “Read my Pins: Stories from a Diplomat’s Jewel Box”, written by Ms. Albright, which accompanies the exhibit.

My message today: stop and smell the roses.

The Brooch

The brooch is one of the most interesting and often most versatile pieces of jewelry. It has fallen out of favor in recent years due to a more overall casual style of dressing, but it should not be over looked. Shown here, Charlize Theron takes the brooch “out of the box” by wearing a pair of Art Deco diamond clips as an unexpected accent on an otherwise unadorned evening dress. In the same fashion, sun dresses, tops and t-shirts can be accented with a brooch or delicate pin placed in an unexpected spot.

There are still a large number of women who wear suits and dresses to work each day and there is no better way to add style and self expression than a brooch to a collar, lapel or shoulder. Brooches are versatile because neckline or sleeve length of each outfit need not be taken into consideration, which is not the case with bracelets or necklaces. Madeleine Albright, Former US Secretary of State and Founder, The Albright Group LLC, is a jewelry collector. She said that she used pins as a diplomatic tool-reinforcing the message of the day, choosing among pieces that depict an eagle, dove, balloon or bumble bee to name a few.