Peek inside Christie’s Through “The Jewelery Archives Revealed”

By Vincent Meylan | ACC Publishing; $95
Christie’s is a jewelry lover’s dream — a repository where some of the world’s most valuable pieces have been protected and presented for auction. The includes pieces from those that graced the neck of Elizabeth Taylor to the head of Marie Antoinette. Christie’s story dates back to 1773 when the then-Princess of Wales passed and some of her most precious possessions needed to be sold. Since then, the house has dominated jewelry sales on behalf of the British Monarchy. It also branched out to serve the royalty of other countries — including the crowned heads of Serbia, India, Egypt, Spain, Russia, Bavaria and France. They’ve also proffered the possessions of Hollywood royalty dating back to Merle Oberon and Gloria Swanson. In Christie’s: The Jewelry Archives Revealed, precious stone expert Vincent Meylan opens Christie’s doors as never before — his time curating their archives providing a unique personal perspective. Each drop-dead gorgeous piece is accompanied by background on its original owner and other available documentation. The book is divided into seductively grand categories, such as Murdered Queens, Empresses in Exile, and Guillotine Diamonds. François Curiel, the Chairman of Christie’s, offers an enlightening forward.