Nine books from my own shelves that I recommend to anyone starting to collect antique jewelry, from first steps to the Georgian and Victorian eras.
After fifteen years of choosing antique jewelry in England, the question I'm asked most often, after "Is this the one?", is "What should I read?" These are the books I return to, and the ones I wish I'd had when I started. Some are easy to dip into, others are serious reference works, but every one has earned its place on my shelf.
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Where to start
If you're new to antique jewelry, begin here. These three books explain what you're looking at, how to date it, and what to look for before you buy.
Collecting Jewellery, by John Benjamin
John Benjamin, a former International Director of Jewellery at Phillips and an expert on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow since 1991, wrote the book I'd hand to anyone taking their first steps. It's clear, practical and beautifully illustrated, and it walks you through the main periods and styles without ever feeling like a textbook. This newly updated edition adds chapters on jewelry from the 1940s onward. If you come across the earlier edition, Starting to Collect Antique Jewellery, second-hand, it's just as worth having for the antique periods.
Best for: complete beginners.
Understanding Jewellery, by David Bennett and Daniela Mascetti
Written by two of the great auction-house jewelry specialists, this is a true reference book, covering jewelry from the eighteenth century to the twentieth. The photographs are superb, and it's the book I turn to when I want to check the details of a style or period.
Best for: learning to recognize periods and styles.
The Modern Guide to Antique Jewellery, by Beth Bernstein
A warm, approachable guide that feels written for today's collector. Beth Bernstein covers each era and shares sensible advice on buying and wearing antique pieces, which makes it a lovely read before you choose your first ring.
Best for: buying your first antique piece.
The eras we love
Georgian and Victorian jewelry are at the heart of what we do at Mayveda, and these three books bring both periods to life.
Georgian Jewellery 1714–1830, by Ginny Redington Dawes with Olivia Collings
Georgian jewelry is rare and wonderfully romantic, and this is the book that does it justice. The photography is gorgeous, and it explains the closed-back settings, foiled stones and rose-cut diamonds that make the period so distinctive.
Best for: falling in love with Georgian jewelry.
Victorian Jewellery, introduction by Peter Hinks
A treasure trove of more than four thousand designs, taken from jewelers' trade catalogs of the 1890s and early 1900s. It's fascinating to see how jewelers of the time presented their pieces, and it's a brilliant way to train your eye for late Victorian and Edwardian style. The book is out of print, but second-hand copies turn up regularly.
Best for: seeing Victorian jewelry as the Victorians did.
Jewellery in the Age of Queen Victoria: A Mirror to the World, by Charlotte Gere and Judy Rudoe
Published by the British Museum, this is the most thorough book on Victorian jewelry I own. It places each piece in the world it came from, from royal fashions to mourning customs, and it's a book to savor slowly.
Best for: going deep into the Victorian era.
The bigger picture
Once you know the eras, these books show how they fit into the long story of jewelry.
7000 Years of Jewellery, edited by Hugh Tait
Drawn from the British Museum's collection, this book travels from the ancient world to the twentieth century. It's a reminder that the rings and lockets we love today belong to a tradition thousands of years old. In the US it's published as 7000 Years of Jewelry.
Best for: understanding where it all began.
Jewels & Jewellery, by Clare Phillips
A tour of the Victoria and Albert Museum's jewelry collection, one of the finest in the world. If you can't make it to the V&A's jewelry gallery in London, this is the next best thing.
Best for: a museum visit from your armchair.
20th Century Jewelry: The Complete Sourcebook, by John Peacock
Organized decade by decade and illustrated with hundreds of drawings, this is a quick and reliable way to place a piece in time. It picks up where the antique eras end, from Edwardian elegance to Art Deco and beyond.
Best for: dating pieces from 1900 onward.
From the page to your hand
Books will teach you a great deal, but nothing compares with holding an antique piece and seeing the light move through an old-cut diamond. If something in these pages catches your imagination, I'd love to show you a piece from our collection up close.
More in this series: Books on Love, Symbolism and Sentimental Jewelry, On My Desk: Reference Books for Identifying Antique Jewelry and Books for Aspiring Jewelry Designers.