John Peacock charts the development of every kind and style of twentieth-century jewelry for both women and men: earrings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, and bangles, brooches, rings, buckles and clasps, dress clips, hair and hat ornaments, watches, cufflinks, tiepins. . . Precious jewelry, costume and novelty jewelry are all included, and every style from Art Nouveau to Pop Art and retro.

John Peacocks research, using not only paintings and photographs, but also the jewelry itself, has allowed him to reproduce in meticulous detail a host of representative pieces from every year of the century. All the great twentieth-century designers and houses are featured among them Lalique, Cartier, Chaumet, Georg Jensen, Fulco di Verdura, Schlumberger, Miriam Haskell, Harry Winston, Van Cleef & Arpels and Tiffany & Co. as well as the mass-produced jewelry their designs inspired.

The pictures are accompanied by full descriptions, including details of materials, stones, designs, fastenings, mounts and surrounds.

An invaluable reference section includes a time chart summarizing the development of jewelry through the century, biographies of the leading international jewellers, and a concise bibliography.

This encyclopaedic survey is destined to become the unrivalled reference work in its field, indispensable to any jewelry enthusiast, designer, student or collector.