National Jeweler

Creatures from the animal kingdom represented in exquisite jewelry by renowned masters Cartier, Bulgari, Tiffany & Co., JAR, Belperron, David Webb, Schlumberger, Boucheron, and many other brilliant jewelers. Many of the most imaginative designs by the world's great jewelry houses and artisans take inspiration from the animal kingdom. From Cartier's iconic panthers to Bulgari's snakes and JAR's butterflies, these spectacular objects dripping with precious stones are akin to wearable art. Beautiful Creatures depicts some of the most spectacular beasts ever transformed into sparkling treasures and accompanies a forthcoming special exhibition in the American Museum of Natural History's Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals. The 120 pieces featured date from the mid-1800s to the present, representing species from the realms of land, air, and water. Gorgeous studio photography of the jewelry is complemented by images of iconic personalities, including Elizabeth Taylor, Twiggy, and the Duchess of Windsor wearing famous animal- inspired jewels. Guest curator Marion Fasel relays the stories behind the individual pieces through entertaining anecdotes and reveals the colorful histories and fascinating symbolism of these remarkable creatures in precious gems and metals that intrigue and delight and that we never tire of wearing.

Spectacular colored gems and expressive forms redefine high jewelry in an inspiring blend of East and West. Jeweler Michelle Ong’s multi-hued creations crystallize natural forms with invisible mastery. The hovering translucency of dragonfly wings, the succulence of ripe fruits, and the whisper-light touch of a feather: each jewel is a miniature sculptural work of art. Michelle Ong established Carnet, her Hong Kong-based boutique jewelry house, over 25 years ago, and her unique one-off creations draw on Chinese motifs and her love of European culture and craftsmanship. She transforms jade, China’s imperial gemstone, into an Art Deco-style cocktail ring and her Chinese dragon, a fierce, yet benign creature, writhes in blackened gold and pave´-set emeralds, breathing a stream of fiery rubies. Michelle Ong’s work is acknowledged to be among the greatest in high jewelry, renowned for its sublime designs, idiosyncratic color combinations and deft craftsmanship. This volume will be required reading for serious collectors and aficionados, and a source of deep delight for all those seeking inspiration from the finest of contemporary jewelry creators.

Jewelry, long associated with luxury, is also becoming a medium for social responsibility and ethical values. Kyle Roderick, an authority on ethical jewelry, profiles fifteen designers who are at the forefront of refashioning the medium for today's consumers. In the wake of Charles Leavitt's insightful 2006 movie Blood Diamond, which told how conflict diamonds fund civil wars, the buying and wearing of ethically sourced and sustainably mined jewelry has become a priority in today's luxury market. Bejeweled is the first book to cover this timely subject. Profiling leading international designers who are at the forefront of the ethical jewelry movement, this beautifully photographed publication examines how an ancient art is powering a green revolution in chic jewelry for everyone. Included are renowned designers such as Pippa Small, an early user of fair-mined gold, who employs local artisans to fabricate her one-of-a-kind pieces; Dewey Nelson, a Native American Hopi who incorporates 1,000-year-old tribal motifs in his reclaimed-silver pieces; and Loren Nicole, whose jewelry features intricate hand-carved gemstones and 22-karat gold alloyed in the same formula used by ancient Roman goldsmiths. Illustrated with exquisite photographs of individual pieces, featured both alone and on celebrities, who are turning the red carpet "green" by wearing ethically sourced jewelry, Bejeweled is for all gemstone and design fans.

This volume, covering metals and minerals, contains chapters on approximately 90 commodities. In addition, this volume has chapters on mining and quarrying trends and on statistical surveying methods used by Minerals Information, plus a statistical summary.