Emerald: Twenty-one Centuries of Jewelled Opulence and Power

Description

Lavishly illustrated and exquisitely designed, this book opens with stunning images of style icons - historic and modern - wearing their favourite emerald jewelry. As befits a prized gemstone that is twenty times rarer than diamond, here we see together, for the first time, pieces worn by celebrities ranging from filmstars to royalty, all alongside classic images of emeralds from art, advertising and fashion, celebrated in a text by Franca Sozzani, editor of Vogue Italia. The second part of this major volume showcases more than forty of the world's most significant and famous pieces of emerald jewelry, including many previously unseen designs from private and royal collections. Historic creations that are up to 5,500 years old are represented alongside all the modern jewelry houses. The third and final part of Emerald tells the story of the emerald trade from mine to market, illustrated with specially commissioned photography taken across four continents.

Joanna Hardy was senior specialist in the Jewelry Department at Sotheby's London. In 2006 she masterminded and launched 'London Rocks', a pioneering exhibition of contemporary jewelry, and was also the force behind the exhibition 'Art Rocks' at the Shizaru Gallery in Mayfair, London, in Autumn 2011. Jonathan Self has been passionate about emeralds and their enigma for more than thirty years. He has written for The Times, Country Life and Vanity Fair, and is the author of over a dozen books. Franca Sozzani is editor of Vogue Italia. Hettie Judah is a writer, art critic for the i, art critic for Artnet, culture correspondent for The New York Times and T Magazine, regular contributor to The Guardian, The Spaces, Art Review and Frieze.

'Stunningly illustrated, with contributions from Vogue Italia editor Franca Sozzani, author Jonathan Self and jewelry specialist Joanna Hardy, Emerald the book promises to showcase this storied stone in extraordinary detail' - Vanity Fair 'Glittering' - Wall Street Journal 'With its rich, emerald silk cover and gold-foil blocking, Emerald is one of the season's most covetable coffee-table additions' - Financial Times 'Lavish ... colour photos make palpable the jaw-dropping opulence of the 187-carat Mackay Emerald and other historic pieces' - Sotheby's Magazine 'The extensive research in this outsize format along with the number and quality of photographs make these books collector's items in their own right and one that no gem library will be without. No doubt Hardy's trio of volumes will be on every gem-hound's wish list - along with shelves strong enough to support these weighty tomes. A fail-proof gift for jewellery and gem fans just in time for Christmas' - The Jewellery Editor, of 'Ruby', 'Emerald' and 'Sapphire'