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If you, like us, love jewellery and all things sparkly, or you know someone who does there are some excellent books on jewellery that will keep you quiet for hours and hours.
Updated for 2025, here are 17 of the best jewellery books — from design classics to gemstone guides and stories behind iconic pieces - from a jeweller.
Best Books About Jewellery
The Power of Love: Jewels, Romance and Eternity
Beatriz Chadour-Sampson
A book that covers jewellery from antiquity to modern day pieces, such as those worn by Lady Gaga, describing how jewellery has been inspired by love throughout the ages with wonderful illustrations along the way. Great for the romantics out there.
The Power of Love
With stunning images this book, linking jewellery inspired by love, is suitable even for those who aren’t well versed in jewellery techniques or terminology.
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The Smithsonian National Gem Collection - Unearthed: Surprising Stories Behind the Gems
Jeffrey Edward Post
This book about jewellery features some of the pieces on display, and the stories behind them, in the Museum of Natural History Museum in Washington DC with gorgeous photography,.
This book is divine and a real treat for the eyes. If, like me, you also love stories about people then this book should tick all the boxes as it isn't just about the gems, it is about the people that owned them. From pieces like the Napolean Diamond Necklace to the stories behind some of the most famous gems in history that are on display in the museum, this is a wonderful book.
Unearthed - The Smithsonian National Gem Collection
For those who are lucky enough to have been to the Smithsonian Hall of Gems this will be a fascinating "re-visit" and deepen your understanding of what you saw. For those of us that haven’t, this book may be the next best thing to visiting.
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Jewel: A Celebration of Earth's Treasures
(DK) Judith Miller
You will learn something new on every page that you open and the images are stunning, despite the rather lackluster cover. This book also gives you lots of information on the properties of gemstones and where they come from.
Jewel: A Celebration of Earth's Treasures
A beautiful, coffee-table book about gems and gemmology which any jewellery lover will be pleased to have in their collection.
View on Amazon →Precious: A fascinating History of the World's most treasured gemstones and who wore them
Helen Molesworth
Absolutely intriguing this book is both informative (you will learn a lot about the featured gemstones) as well as diving into the history surrounding them.
Treasured: The History and Mystery of Gems across Time
This is a fascinating book even for those who have an interest in history. If you also love jewellery, it's an absolute treat!
View on Amazon →Stoned: Jewellery, Obsession and How Desire Shaped the World
Aja Raden
The book is divided into three parts - "Want" - the nature of desire and the value of something coveted; "Take" - when people want what they can't have or acquire and what they are prepared to do to get it; and "Have" - which is about how things are created from what we'd love to have.
There's a good section on diamonds and pearls, as well as Faberge eggs and some detailed history on some people that influenced or owned pieces of jewelry. This book is well-researched and one of the best booksabout jewellery and human behaviour around it. A fabulously enjoyable read, this book will make a perfect gift for someone.
Stoned:Jewellery, Passion and How Desire Shaped the World
A fascinating look at some gemstones and their fortune at the hands of men and ladies throughout history. It examines how we have desired jewellery, the marketing ploys to "ensure" something becomes more valuable, and how history is made around our drive to acquire luxury.
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Vogue The Jewellery
Carol Woolton
This book covers fairly modern pieces compared to the history of some of the other books we’ve listed and is more of a feast for the eyes but it is fascinating all the same.
Vogue The Jewellery
Another coffee table book. With wonderful lifestyle photography, as you’d expect from Vogue, this is a great jewellery-lovers book for those who love fashion and images of jewellery from editions of Vogue over the years.
View on Amazon →Gemstones
(DK) Cally Hall
Whilst quite a concise book, it packs a lot in. This is another recommended book on some jewellery training courses.
Gemstones
Hugely informative and educational for those who love gemstones, or want to learn about them.
View on Amazon →Secrets of the Gem Trade: The Connoisseur’s Guide to Precious Gemstones
Richard W Wise
With some lovely photographs this is a great reference book and a hugely fascinating read.
Secrets of the Gem Trade
For the person who has more than a passing interest in gemstones and likes buying them, this is a bit of an eye-opener in what to look for.
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Christie's Guide to Jewellery
Sarah Hue-Williams
This book is more of a guide to jewellery and gemstones - what to look for, etc. This is a superb educational book.
Christie's Guide to Jewellery
In my opinion its one of the best books about jewellery and gemstones and it's an an important book in my collection.
View on Amazon →Jewels and Jewellery: Victoria and Albert Museum
Clare Phillips
A book that looks at materials used in jewellery as they were discovered and craftsmen became more expert at crafting them, and the designs influenced by fashions of the periods. It highlights pieces that are on display in the museum. It also has a great glossary at the back of the book.
Jewels and Jewellery
From medieval pieces through to the 21st-Century, this book looks at the rare and the precious as well as illustrating some jewellery making techniques that came along through the times.
View on Amazon →Diamonds
Marijan Dundek
This book is a recommended book on the National Association of Goldsmiths jewellery training courses so, if you want to learn about diamonds, it is both interesting and highly informative. The different cuts are described and illustrated very well also.
Diamonds
This is a informative, educational resource on diamonds that is easy to read and not too heavy or hard-going.
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Diamond Jewellery: 700 Years of Glory and Glamour
Diana Scarisbrick
Diamonds are hugely symbolic and this book looks as the pieces and people who wore them throughout history and the reflection in the pieces of the different styles of the period. Another interesting read.
Diamond Jewellery: 700 Years of Glory and Glamour
For those who love sparkling diamonds this is a fascinating look at some of the royalty, celebrities and nobility who have owned and commissioned them.
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7000 Years of Jewellery
Hugh Tait
A great book for those with more than a passing interest in jewellery, showing how it has changed over the centuries.
700 Years of Jewellery
This fascinating book covers jewellery history from all over the world throughout the ages, with some fabulous illustrations.
View on Amazon →Rings
Rachel Church
Rings hold this fascination to many women - it's a shame that we only have ten fingers to wear them on there are SO many beautiful rings out there!
It is illustrated with some wonderful images from the collection in the V&A museum.
Rings
This interesting book is a look at the history of rings, their evolution and a look at the detail that went into rings through the ages.
View on Amazon →Brooches & Badges: Accessories Series The Victoria and Albert Museum
Rachel Church
Some brooches are truly works of art and they were hugely popular throughout history, now enjoying a comeback and, I hope, will gain in popularity.
Brooches and Badges
A much-neglected but fascinating area of jewellery - brooches (or pins) and badges - this book celebrates their creation. It takes is a fascinating look at the history of the brooch with some marvellous examples from the V&A museum.
View on Amazon →Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box
Madeleine Albright
Madeleine Albright talks about her choice of pin became part of her "personal diplomatic arsenal". In this book she talks about her jewellery collection, the occasions she wore each piece and what they meant to her. A fascinating book which I enjoyed reading.
Read my Pins
There was always reference in the press on the late Queen Elizabeth's supposed "hidden messages" in the choice of brooch that she wore to meet certain dignitaries or appearances she made (never verified, of course). In much the same way, Madelaine Albright did the same and shares her stories, and images of her collection, in this book.
View on Amazon →Ice-Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewellery History
Vikki Tobak
This is a bit of an outlier but a good book about jewellery that we felt worthy of a place in our best books about jewellery list. Something a little different than diamonds, birthstones and fine jewellery, this book looks at the evolution of jewellery in the hip-hop scene and its over-sized chains and pendants loved and worn by so many modern celebrities, musicians and rappers.
Ice Cold: A Hip Hop Jewelry History
Jewellery formed a massive part of the hip-hop scene and this book examines that. It's a fascinating book, a great coffee-table book, and a superb gift for a man who loves jewellery.
View on Amazon →To Sum Up
Jewellery is the cornerstone of the whims and fashions of every age and, as such, much can be talked about in jewellery trends, designs and craftsmanship as well as the materials used. There are so many wonderful books out there, we hope you've enjoyed what have made our list of best books about jewellery.
If there is a book you think we should take a look at that could be added to this list, please do let us know in the comments below. Or if you've read any one here and have some views on it, good or bad, we'd love to hear.
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