Melanie Grant’s ‘The Jewelry Book’ Enshrines 200 Years of Icons, Creatives, and Collectors

By Amy Elliott | October 02, 2025

Melanie Grant’s latest project implies a deceptively simple premise: The Jewelry Book, published last month (Phaidon, $79.95), appears to be a quick-reference, A-Z manual highlighting the most influential jewelers of all time. But flip through its more than 300 pages and it’s clear: Grant, a U.K.-based author and industry luminary who edited The Jewelry Book, has chosen the entries by a unique set of criteria, allowing her to present a vision of the jewelry world that extends far beyond its most hallowed design houses.

melanie grant by andrew werner — *Melanie Grant*

Which is not to say that Boucheron, Bulgari et al. don’t make appearances—of course they do—but in Grant’s view, the current industry landscape demands a more comprehensive roster of talents and personalities.

“Rarely, if ever, in the world of jewelry books do you see rappers share the stage with queens, goldsmiths, and gem cutters side by side, or collectors and galleries intermingled over hundreds of years,” Grant tells JCK. “I think this eclectic mix, which includes costume, fine, high, and artist jewelry, sets it apart from everything that has gone before.”

jewelry book van cleef arpels — Van Cleef & Arpels diamond and platinum necklace commissioned by the Egyptian royal family and worn by Queen Nazli, with a matching tiara, to the 1939 wedding of Princess Fawzia of Egypt and the crown prince of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (photo: © Van Cleef & Arpels, est. 1906, Paris)

Jewelry book hemmerle — *Hemmerle, est. 1893 in Munich, is represented in* The Jewelry Book by this one-of-a-kind 2023 bracelet in iron and white gold set with a diamond weighing more than 16 cts. (Photo courtesy of hemmerle.com)

With input from a team of industry experts, Grant spent three years assembling her “hall of fame,” which includes an array of “inductees” across a spectrum of eras, spheres and aesthetics, illustrated by incredible photos.

Grant’s approach has bubbled up some important yet overlooked names from jewelry history (such as Art Smith and Winifred Mason Chenet) and prompted the inclusion of more recent industry entrées (e.g., Johnny Nelson and Cindy Chao).

jewelry book daniela vilegas — Daniela Villegas (from left) Cosquilleo ring in 18k yellow gold with sapphires; Sisters rings in 18k yellow gold with tourmaline and sapphires, stacked with Earthworm wedding band in 18k pink gold and diamonds; 18k yellow gold Koala rings in malachite and lapis with opal, rose-cut white diamonds, and multicolor sapphires and emeralds (photo courtesy of Daniela Villegas)

Jewelry Book wallace chan — Wallace Chan Cosmos brooch in titanium set with diamonds, sapphires, rubies, tsavorite garnets, and jadeite slices, and a 5.84 ct. irregularly shaped diamond at the center of the pendulum (photo by DeMarcus Allen)

In the book, stone cutters have a moment (e.g., Maori jade carver Joel Marsters), as do gem specialists (such as George Frederick Kunz), models, and muses (Gloria Guinness). Galleries of note—including Mahnaz Collection and Elisabetta Cipriani—earned spots in the lineup because of their role in championing emerging jewelry artists and challenging the status quo.

Grant also gives credit to select jewelry superfans and “influencers” who’ve had an impact on jewelry tastes and trends throughout the ages. No surprise that Elizabeth Taylor got an invitation to the ball, but Queen Charlotte, who lived in the 1700s, is also on the list. Ditto Diana Vreeland, Nina Simone, and the Notorious B.I.G. And 200 or so pages in, you’ll find a trio of Porters—as in, Cole and wife Linda, who famously loved Verdura, and red-carpet trailblazer Billy—hanging out together despite their being separated by nearly 100 years in real life.

jewelry book johnny nelson — *Johnny Nelson 4 Fingers of Def and Her Freedom four-finger rings, worn by hip-hop artist Aurora Anthony, 2020 (photo by Danita Bethea)*

jewelry book lola fenhirst — From Lola Fenhirst (est. 2015, Paris), model Stephany Amado wears the Sybil seven-point diamond necklace in 18k yellow gold with bezel-set and pavé diamonds and Sybil diamond cocktail ring in 18k yellow and white gold with an inner cache of round brilliant-cut diamonds, 2021. (Photo by Menelik Puryear)

The Jewelry Book is a follow-up to Grant’s celebrated Coveted book, with its standout purple cover, which was published in 2020.

“Coveted asked the question ‘Can jewelry be art?’ The Jewelry Book recognizes that it can, regardless of what type of jewelry is created and who wears it. There is a freedom to that realization and a democratization that is profound,” says Grant.

Someone had to step in and upend the jewelry canon to make room for diverse perspectives and influences. Of course you can use the The Jewelry Book as a reference guide, but it might also be considered a “bible” that formalizes what many jewelry insiders have long recognized (and maybe taken for granted): A new jewelry era—the new jewelry era—has officially begun.

(Top photo courtesy of Phaidon; Grant photo by Andrew Werner)