Before buying a jewel it is better to know it. Especially if the jewel is of great value. And to judge a jewel it is necessary to understand the quality and style. For this reason, since 1989 an indispensable guide for those who love (or want to invest) in jewelry is Understanding Jewelery, a book written by David Bennett and Daniela Mascetti. This jewelry bible now returns with a focus on the 20th century. This is, in fact, a particularly important period for jewelry, in which new techniques were developed and new styles introduced.
Understanding Jewelery: The Twentieth Century (ACC Art Books, 300 pages, over 500 photos. Price: 76 euros or $ 72.50) analyzes, and shows with lots of images, the changes for each decade, among the major jewelry brands, the trends , the news. The book, a large volume (325 x 275 mm) with hardcover, also includes a new series of photographs: the text of the two authors is, in any case, understandable even to non-experts in jewelry. David Bennett was the world president of Sotheby’s international jewelry division and president of Sotheby’s Switzerland. Daniela Mascetti was Sotheby’s Chairman of Jewelery in Europe, where she has worked since 1980, opening the department based in Milan. She is also one of the most experienced scholars in the history of jewelry, her search for her has seen several noteworthy auctions, from the Duchess of Windsor’s jewels to the collections of Elton John and Gina Lollobrigida.
