Jewelry Matters

The history of jewelry deserves a gorgeous, luxurious gem of a book, and Jewelry Matters does not disappoint. Designed by Irma Boom, Jewelry Matters explores the magnificent jewelry collection of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam with loving attention. Each jewel in this volume is reproduced at its true size (sometimes with enlarged details) to reveal its beauty and its relationship to the human body in full, intimate detail.

Art historian and design expert Marjan Unger mobilizes these beautiful objects to tell the fascinating story of jewelry from Byzantium to the present day. Unger simultaneously exalts the objects and brings them down to earth as she explores them in their original contexts. Who wore these objects? What cultural and social value did these jewels have for their wearers, and what historical value do they have now? Jewelry is a unique art form―rare almost by definition and yet utterly universal―and Jewelry Matters engages its unique materiality, interweaving perspectives from art history, fashion theory and anthropology with material research. What emerges is a gripping tale of a shared cultural heritage, an art form that is produced and worn around the world.

Beautifully designed and produced, Jewelry Matters sets an iconic standard for jewelry publications. A feast for the eyes and an important reference work, this volume will be indispensable for lovers of jewelry, fashion and design.