Jewelry is beautiful to wear, but if you really love jewelry, you would do well to get to know it a little better. Because the history of jewelry can suggest new ideas and, above all, it can help you better evaluate your jewels and those you want to buy (or those they give you). A suggestion could be to browse Jewels That Made History: 100 Stones, Myths and Legends, an illustrated book (Rizzoli, New York, 45 euros, but can be found online) written by Stellene Volandes, who tells the story of great jewels, from those of royal families, to those of Holywood actresses like Audrey Hepburn, to the super jewels worn today by celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga and Meghan Markle.
The book, in 224 pages, summarizes the evolution of design in the historical and artistic context, but also tells episodes and anecdotes related to jewelry, from the sets worn by Lady Diana to the brooches chosen by Jackie Kennedy, which are transformed from simple ornaments into dense messages of meaning. Historical images of great period jewels, also worn by men (like a maharaja), enrich the volume.
