Author: Melanie Grant
Coveted: Art and Innovation in High Jewelry
Author: Melanie Grant @melaniecgrant
This November (2020), Phaidon will publish Coveted, a survey of the most innovative creations in jewelry design, that have transcended the status of decorative fashionable accessory to become a form of fine art.
“Inherently human ... and utterly spellbinding, tied to the ongoing evolution of humanity in complex and glorious ways.” – Melanie Grant
Offering readers a glimpse into a rarefied world of one-of-a-kind and limited edition pieces, Coveted profiles over 75 of the world’s leading designers and brands, including Boucheron, Bvlgari, Cartier, Chopard, Cindy Chao, Hemmerle, James de Givenchy, Van Cleef & Arpels, Victoire de Castellane and Wallace Chan. Focusing on exceptional pieces from each artist’s extraordinary legacy, Melanie Grant, Luxury Editor of The Economist’s sister publication1843, discusses their conceptual approach, materials, quality of design and workmanship, revealing what makes these creations not only coveted objects of exceptional value but also works of art.
Coveted: Art and Innovation in High Jewelry, Melanie Grant, Phaidon; The Female Age: Rebels, Goddesses, and Alter Egos, text by Melanie Grant (left), HStern, Feathers Bracelet, 2004 (pages 180-181)
The book is separated into 5 thematic chapters covering key approaches and the most relevant issues for contemporary high jewelry, including Modernism; the cultural exchange between East and West and its effect on design; the evolution and meaning of innovative materials; the natural world as inspiration and the growing empowerment of women, both as designers and consumers.
Coveted reveals high jewelery’s evolution throughout the ages and increased association with the world of art. From heritage brands Fabergé and Cartier and their connection to Art Nouveau and Art Deco, to Salvador Dalí’s collaboration with Verdura and more recently, Scandinavian brand Georg Jensen who created sculptural cuffs and rings with Zaha Hadid. Alongside, the book charts the changing nature of high jewellery’s consumers: from royalty, to wealthy industrialists in the 20th century and today a new, younger global elite.
Coveted: Art and Innovation in High Jewelry, Melanie Grant, Phaidon; East Meets West: Crossing the Cultural Divide, text by Melanie Grant (left), Bhagat, An Important Natural Pearl and Diamond Necklace, 2019 (right), pages 64-65
With a global market value in the hundreds of billions of dollars and viewed and appreciated by an expanding audience, Coveted celebrates an international selection of designers and presents a timely, highly detailed survey of a pioneering art form. Approximately 190 beautiful colour illustrations have been carefully selected to illustrate the profiled designers – some made exclusively for the book and never before published. Each image is accompanied by an informative caption, listing the materials from which the object is made, including innovative combinations favoured by many contemporary designers, of precious metals and stones with hi-tech industrial materials such as titanium and carbon fibre.
Coveted: Art and Innovation in High Jewelry, Melanie Grant, Phaidon; Wallace Chan, Hera Brooch and Ring, 2019 (left), East Meets West: Crossing the Cultural Divide, text by Melanie Grant (pages 54-55)
Jewlery has a relevance and meaning to us all, and Coveted presents a dazzling entrée into its glittering history and increasing relevance in the art world, packaged in an incredible luxury pearlescent paper cover with foil-stamping. A stunning and comprehensive survey of jewlery as an art form, and the perfect gift for anyone who has ever paused by the windows of Tiffany’s around breakfast time.
Coveted: Art and Innovation in High Jewelry
SPECIFICATIONS:
Format: Hardback
Size: 305 x 246 mm (12 x 9 3/4 in)
Pages: 208 pp
Illustrations: 188 illustrations
ISBN: 9781838661496
The first comprehensive book on jewelry as an art form showcases a collection of today's most exclusive jewelers
When does jewelry transcend the category of fashion accessory to become art? Coveted provides a vital survey of the field, profiling more than 70 of the most prominent designers working across the globe today. In thematic chapters featuring exceptional pieces from each artist's extraordinary oeuvre, the book explores their conceptual approach, provenance of materials, quality of design, composition, and workmanship, revealing what makes these creations not only coveted objects of exceptional value but also works of art.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melanie Grant, the Author of Coveted
Melanie Grant is a journalist who works at The Economist. She has also worked at the BBC, the Financial Times, The Times, and The Independent and The Guardian. She is Luxury Editor of The Economist’s sister publication 1843, for which she writes, styles, and commissions, editing an annual jewelry supplement. Grant has been invited to speak as an expert on jewelry at venues including London Craft Week, Phillips auction house, the Science Museum, and The Royal Academy.
ABOUT PHAIDON
Phaidon is the premier global publisher of the creative arts with over 1,500 titles in print. They work with the world’s most influential artists, chefs, writers, and thinkers to produce innovative books on art, photography, design, architecture, fashion, food and travel, and illustrated books for children. Phaidon is headquartered in London and New York City.