Category Archives: Jewelry History

Renaissance Hairpin Found In Communal Toilet

A hairpin that belonged to 16th century French queen Catherine de Medici (1519-1589) has been found at Fontainebleau Palace, one of the favorite royal chateaus of French monarchy outside Paris. The find is notable for two reasons.  Although Catherine de … Continue reading →

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Extraordinary Pearls, Extraordinary People

The stunning Cowdary Pearl necklace was recently auctioned at Christie’s in London for $3.5 million, setting a world record for grey pearls. The Cowdray pearls are rare natural pearls. There are 38 graduated pearls in the necklace and every pearl … Continue reading →

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Cleopatra and Marc Anthony Pearl Legend Entirely Plausible

When I ran the gallery, I was often asked to give lectures and gallery talks on jewelry, including pearls. When pearls were the subject, I frequently mentioned the famous story about Cleopatra and Marc Anthony. According to the legend, Cleopatra … Continue reading →

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An Unexpected Costume Jewelry Aficionado

The Duchess of Windsor’s love of jewelry is almost as legendary as her romance with the Duke of Windsor. However, we normally associate her jewelry with Cartier, including the famous flamingo and panther jewelry designed by Jeanne Toussaint with whom … Continue reading →

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The Tiffany Diamond Gets New Setting

Today, Tiffany & Co. unveiled its new setting for its famous yellow diamond. The new setting commemorates the 175th anniversary of the Tiffany Diamond, perhaps the most famous yellow diamond in the world. Not only is the Tiffany Diamond unique … Continue reading →

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Glimpse of Jeweler Who Died in Titanic Tragedy

This Sunday marked the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, the luxury passenger liner whose collision with an iceberg caused it to break up in the ocean about 375 miles south of Newfoundland. Generations of people around … Continue reading →

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A Kinder, Gentler De Beers?

On April 3, the Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of the De Beers antitrust settlement and although there is a possibility that a second appeal might be filed, the case actually appears to be closed or close to … Continue reading →

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Platinum, Silver and a New Alternative

In an era where the cost of precious metals in a setting can often exceed the cost of the gemstone, it’s perhaps no surprise that manufacturers in the trade are moving to develop new and less expensive alloys for jewelry … Continue reading →

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Historic Diamond to Change Hands

One of the marvelous aspects of making jewelry is learning about famous jewelry. It teaches us history, cultural history and some of the most important impulses and beliefs of various civilizations. So when a famous piece of jewelry or historic … Continue reading →

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Pearls and Iron

With the release of “The Iron Lady,” the Financial Times recently published a wonderful story about how Maggie Thatcher agreed to totally remake her image…with only one exception. In order to compete successfully as a politician, her handlers told her … Continue reading →

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