Book Review: 20th Century Jewelry and The Icons of Style

Are you a lover of fine jewelry hand crafted by jewelers like Cartier, Bulgari, and Van Cleef and Arpel? Are you a history buff, following the lavish lives of 20th century high profile celebrities and socialites like Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton, or opera soprana Maria Callas? If either appeal to you 20th Century Jewelry and the Icons of Style published by Thames and Hudson is absolutely a must have book for your collection. 

This beautiful and impressive volume is filled with fabulous photography by Cecil Beaton and Horst, as well as beautifully photographed jewelry from the collections auctioned by prestigious auction houses, Sotheby's and Christie's. 

47.14cts yellow diamond that the Duke of Windsor bought for the Duchess in 1951 from Harry Winston to complement her other yellow diamond and set in a ring. The stone was later acquired by Estée Lauder, set in a pendant and sold by the Lauder family in 2012 in aid of Breast Cancer Research Foundation. It is now known as ‘The Windsor Heart.’ 

20th Century Jewelry and the Icons of Style is a brilliant pictorial inventory of the finest jewelry that has ever been crafted in the world. The photos and stories of these socialites who had seemingly infinite resources to spend on these pieces are staggering. Part coffee table book, part voyeurs view in the lives of women in a world that no longer exists ... this beautiful conversational book is a must view. Take a closer look, and purchase your copy via the Amazon link below: