From Cartier to Costume Jewelry: Five Books Worth Checking Out

Ukrainian Jewelry (Creative Publishing) 

I have followed the work of the Strong & Precious Art Foundation – a nonprofit founded in 2022 to champion Ukrainian jewelry artists – since its inception. One of the great pleasures of the initiative has been discovering the extraordinary breadth of talent within contemporary Ukrainian jewelry. This book by Lucia Bondar builds on that sense of discovery, offering a richly illustrated and highly educational overview of a jewelry culture that deserves far greater international recognition. 

Bringing together 33 designers, studios, artists and craftspeople, the volume is impressive in its scope and depth. Each profile goes beyond biography to explore creative influences, materials, techniques, and individual approaches to making. Traditional craftsmanship sits alongside 3D printing, unconventional materials and new technologies, while architecture, nature, memory and Ukraine’s cultural heritage emerge as recurring sources of inspiration. The result is a valuable introduction to an industry that is both deeply rooted in its history and confidently looking toward the future. 

The superb photography is central to the book’s appeal. Beautifully illustrated throughout, the tome allows readers to appreciate the diversity of the work, from technically complex pieces grounded in traditional skills to experimental contemporary jewelry and creations rich in symbolism. Just as importantly, the accompanying text provides context for understanding the stories, ideas and experiences behind the jewels. 

At a time when Ukrainian artists continue to seek greater visibility on the global stage, this publication feels particularly significant. Strong & Precious has worked to present contemporary Ukrainian jewelry abroad while supporting and mentoring a new generation of jewelers.  

This book creates a lasting record of a creative community whose work speaks of craftsmanship and innovation, but also of cultural identity, memory and resilience.  

Costume Jewelry (Taschen) 

I have always found costume jewelry fascinating for the freedom it gives designers to experiment with scale, color and materials without the constraints precious stones and metals impose. Costume Jewelry by Carol Woolton offers an expansive exploration of this creative world through the remarkable collection of Italian art patron Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo. 

Showcasing nearly 600 pieces dating from the 1930s to the new millennium, the book traces the evolution of costume jewelry through the artistic, social and economic changes that shaped it. New York emerged as an important center of production in the early 20th century as European artisans fleeing war brought their skills to the United States, while material shortages, changing fashions, and women’s growing desire for greater freedom of expression encouraged experimentation with alternative metals and gems, as well as increasingly bold designs. 

From Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli to Joseff of Hollywood and William de Lillo, the book introduces the designers who helped blur the boundaries between fine and fashion jewelry. Lucite, Bakelite, imitation gemstones and vibrant colors became vehicles for creativity, while Hollywood stars and changing attitudes toward adornment helped transform costume jewelry into a powerful form of self-expression. 

With beautiful photographs by Luciano Romano, the book gives the pieces the space to be appreciated for their craftsmanship, ingenuity and sheer exuberance. A chapter by fashion theorist Maria Luisa Frisa, sharing her personal reflections on Sandretto Re Rebaudengo and her collection, adds another dimension to the publication. 

Both visually generous and educational, Costume Jewelry is an engaging history of a field that has too often been treated as secondary to fine jewelry, and a reminder that the intrinsic value of materials does not determine imagination, innovation and cultural relevance. 

Elizabeth Gage: A Life in Jewellery (ACC Art Books) 

Elizabeth Gage’s jewelry is instantly recognizable, yet the breadth of her work is perhaps best reflected in this beautifully illustrated survey from the pen of William Grant, covering more than six decades of creativity.  

Born in London and raised partly in the US during World War II, the Anglo-American jeweler developed an early fascination with history, mythology, storytelling and art. Trained at Chelsea School of Art and Sir John Cass College, she combined rigorous goldsmithing techniques with a bold artistic vision that challenged conventional ideas of fine jewelry. 

The book brings together some of Gage’s finest handmade creations: richly textured gold rings, necklaces and earrings; bracelets shaped like autumn leaves; tourmaline cabochons engraved with trees; diamond-studded fish carrying pearls in their tails; and Roman coins set into agate coat pins. Her sculptural forms, painterly enamel work, unexpected materials and exuberant use of colored gemstones reveal an artist whose imagination has never been constrained by convention. 

The biographical narrative is equally engaging. Her trunk shows in the US during the 1970s attracted devoted collectors, including former First Lady Jackie Onassis, and Gage later established a London studio and Albemarle Street boutique. Her work has entered museum collections, including that of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, and was the subject of a 2015 retrospective at the New Britain Museum of American Art in Connecticut. 

Both a record of an extraordinary career and an opportunity to study Gage’s distinctive design language in detail, A Life in Jewellery is a great introduction for newcomers and a rewarding addition to the library of established admirers and collectors.  

Cartier Monaco (Flammarion) 

Few maisons are as closely associated with glamour as Cartier, and Cartier Monaco explores the jeweler’s relationship with one of the world’s most glamorous destinations. 

This book by Alexandra Campbell and jewelry and luxury journalist Hervé Dewintre brings together the stories of celebrated Cartier clients with ties to the Riviera principality. Central to the narrative is Princess Grace of Monaco, whose relationship with the maison included her legendary emerald-cut, 10.48-carat diamond engagement ring, as well as the Cartier jewels she received as wedding gifts. Other famous figures range from royals like the duke and duchess of Windsor, the maharani of Baroda, and Marie Bonaparte to celebrities like Elsie de Wolfe, Jean Cocteau, Marlene Dietrich and Elizabeth Taylor. 

The chapters tracing Cartier’s relationship with Monaco are particularly informative, weaving together the history of the maison with the development of Monte Carlo under the Grimaldi family as a center of luxury, culture and international society. A chapter on sea-inspired jewelry and maritime motifs explores another facet of the Mediterranean’s influence on the jewelry house’s creations. 

One of the book’s highlights is its lavish presentation of Cartier’s newly revitalized Monaco boutique. Detailed photographs of the interiors, artworks and decorative elements reveal a project conceived as a tribute to the maison’s long history in the principality, while giving welcome recognition to the artisans who helped design the store. 

Richly illustrated and engagingly researched, Cartier Monaco succeeds as both jewelry history and cultural portrait, showing how place, patronage and creativity have shaped the maison’s presence on the Riviera.  

Ultimate Collector Watches (Taschen) 

I am quite a neophyte when it comes to watches, which made approaching Ultimate Collector Watches both slightly daunting and unexpectedly rewarding. This monumental two-volume, 960-page publication was undoubtedly designed with the serious watch enthusiast in mind, but it also offers a fascinating introduction to the history, design and extraordinary technical complexity of watchmaking. 

Authors and editors Charlotte and Peter Fiell have selected 100 exceptional wristwatches, tracing the evolution of horology from early pocket watches and aviators’ timepieces to vintage chronographs and contemporary haute horlogerie. The roll call of makers is impressive: Patek Philippe, Rolex, Vacheron Constantin, Longines, and Audemars Piguet appear alongside celebrated independent watchmakers like George Daniels, Roger W. Smith, Philippe Dufour, François-Paul Journe, Kari Voutilainen and Rexhep Rexhepi. 

Each watch appears with its design and development story. Enriching the technical details are archival materials such as sketches, drawings, advertisements and historical photographs. Interviews with watchmakers, collectors, auction specialists and other industry authorities add further depth. The photography is exceptional, encouraging even the less-knowledgeable reader to slow down and appreciate the ingenuity and beauty of these remarkable objects. 

At $250, this tome is a significant purchase, perhaps an ideal gift or investment for a committed watch connoisseur who will appreciate the rarity and significance of the selected timepieces. Yet I found its scale and accessibility equally appealing as a starting point. For anyone curious to understand why watches inspire such passionate scholarship and collecting, Ultimate Collector Watches offers an impressive education. 

Main image: Guzema Fine Jewelry ring from Ukrainian Jewelry. (Guzema Fine Jewelry)