Book Reviews
Winter 2021
A Trio of Dream Titles some of the rarest and more incredible sapphires of astonishing size, like the Blue Belle of Asia and the Siren of Serendip. Hardy’s introduction to Sapphire takes us on a whirlwind tour of the 14 chapters, which really do cover absolutely everything we would wish to know. From ‘Early Trade’ which leads into the Middle Ages and along the Silk Road and maritime Silk Route, to ‘Medicine & Magic,’ ‘Regal Treasure,’ ‘Art of Collecting’ and ‘Sapphire Discoveries,’ Hardy’s exhaustive, in-depth research has taken her around the world, in real life as well as digitally, for the past two years. It encompasses subjects like early cuts, the potency of sapphire-set talismanic jewellery, blue sapphire in Hindu astrology and carved and engraved cameos and intaglios.
Sapphire A Celebration of Colour By Joanna Hardy, edited by Robert Violette £85, Thames & Hudson “Sapphire is an unassuming gem. It has been overshadowed by diamonds, rubies and emeralds for decades, but ignore it at your peril, for sapphire is a titan of the gemstone world.” So says Joanna Hardy as she introduces her definitive book, Sapphire – the third and final tome in T&H’s series on coloured gemstones, created in partnership with Gemfields. The opening words of this beautiful, silkcovered hard-back book, sets the scene. “Sapphie naturally occurs in virtually every colour: blue to green and grey, yellow to orange, pink and purple…” but of course blue is the most famous. Every stone being unique, the range and tones and hues of blue are infinite. And because sapphire occurs in bigger crystals than ruby or emerald, the stone offers impressive scale. The ‘Showstoppers’ chapter demonstrates
Following the pomp and circumstance of large sapphire jewels worn to impress and signify power and rank, the 18th and 19th centuries saw the gemstone appearing in tiaras and other pieces designed to enhance the wearer, pieces that were more romantic and often nature-inspired. Modern day royalty, such as Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth ll and Diana, Princess of Wales, were clearly not immune to sapphire’s charms, ditto Hollywood royalty, Joan
As it’s the season of goodwill, it seems only right and proper to treat someone. Yourself maybe… you’ve earned it. Here then are three recently published, beautiful books we suggest should be on anyone’s wish list.
Residenz Munich
Crawford, Jean Harlow and Mary Pickford. Throughout the book, sumptuous images of museum pieces illustrate the chapters as do portraits of celebrated owners of sapphire jewels and close-up studies of beautiful and noted sapphire jewellery from the renowned maisons, such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron, Bulgari, Suzanne Belperron and Shaun Leane.
Belperron cabochon sapphire bib necklace
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