Melanie Grant's 'The Jewelry Book' Celebrates 200 Years of Style and Craft

A major new publication is set to dazzle the jewelry world this fall. The Jewelry Book, edited by noted jewelry expert and author Melanie Grant, offers a sweeping, visually rich encyclopedia of the most influential names in jewelry over the past 200 years.

Arranged alphabetically from Adler to Zendaya, the book features legends such as Cartier, Boucheron, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Bulgari, alongside avant-garde artists and contemporary influencers like Gabby Elan Jewelry, which is known for creating custom grills for Rihanna and Marc Jacobs. In all, the 328-page publication highlights 300 artists, designers, collectors, icons and luxury houses who have shaped — and continue to shape — the global jewelry landscape.

Grant worked with a 17-member international advisory panel to curate a list that balances geographic diversity, gender representation and historical impact. The result is a wide-ranging compilation, featuring not only household names, such as Elizabeth Taylor and Josephine Baker, but also lesser-known figures such as Hopi artist Charles Loloma, Māori jade carver Joel Marsters and pioneering Black metalsmith Winifred Mason Chenet.

Choosing the final 300 from a long list of more than 700 wasn’t easy.

In discussing the role of her advisory panel, Grant told The New York Times, “I tried to get a mix of people who had different opinions about what is important and who should be in it... You need to have people who don’t agree with you telling you why.”

The Jewelry Book doesn’t just tell the stories behind the sparkle — it presents them in high style. The hardcover edition boasts a metallic, faceted cover meant to resemble a cut gemstone and includes imagery from renowned photographers, such as Irving Penn and Juergen Teller. Each entry is paired with a large-format image and a concise, compelling write-up.

The New York Times reported that, timed with the book's September 24 release, select pieces featured in the book will be showcased at free exhibitions at Sotheby’s New York (Sept. 10–21) and Elisabetta Cipriani Gallery in London (Sept. 22–27).

Lavish, scholarly and endlessly browsable, The Jewelry Book, published by Phaidon, is poised to become a definitive reference for collectors, professionals and jewelry lovers alike.

Credit: Book image via phaidon.com.