By Stefano Papi and Alexandra Rhodes

Photo Courtesy of Amazon.com

For many centuries, precious jewelry was dedicated to kings, queens, emperors and maharajas, but after the First World War, the equation completely changed, as royal gems became a pleasure for a different kind of elite such as celebrities. Then came the rise of Art Deco style, and that led to the creation of exquisite contemporary designs.

To explore this dazzling era, authors Stefano Papi and Alexandra Rhodes showcase eleven glamorous women who created stunning jewelry collections in the mid-twentieth century. The book also features two chapters that count the lives and jewels of Ganna Walska and Hélene Rochas.

In addition, it reveals the remarkable stories behind the jewels and their collectors, depicting the worlds in which these women lived and the details of delicately crafted gems by leading jewelers including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Harry Winston. As far as illustrations go, this book provides you with stunning close-up photography of the jewels as well as drawings of the original designs and portraits of the collectors captured by leading photographers of the time.

 

Mirella Haddad