Jewels and Jewelry

Illustrated in brilliant color with examples of jewelry housed at London's Victoria & Albert Museum, this volume chronicles the development of Western jewelry over the last 500 years. Divided into three parts, the book covers materials used by jewellers, including metals, gemstones, enamels, and organic matter from pearls to early plastics; the development of styles in jewelry since the Middle Ages; and the hallmarking, distribution, and use of jewelry in recent centuries. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)