It goes without saying that jewelry can be, and often has been a powerful status symbol throughout history. Indeed, so have portraits. Oil paint has been expensive for a long time, particularly back when blue pigment had to be made of lapis lazuli, a material that was once as expensive as gold. Only in the 1820s did the French Societé d’Encouragement offer a cash reward for anyone who could invent a cheaper synthetic version of the pigment. Until then, blue was a costly color

Inspired by some new chatelaines that AAJ has sourced this week, today’s Wednesday blog will be all about chatelaines: the long-lost accessories that were popular in the Georgian and Victorian eras. So, what are chatelaines? And why did they fall out of fashion? A chatelaine is an accessory that hooks onto a belt, clasping at the waist of the wearer. From the hook falls a series of chains, each carrying charms or useful trinkets such as watches, thimbles, étuis (sewing kits),

In last week's Wednesday Blog, we brought you Part I of AAJ's recommended jewelry books. This week, without further ado, we will finish where we started with Part II of this page-turner. Focusing on books about collections and guides to understanding jewelry, this post will give you all the literature you need to choose your next jewelry research adventure. Rings I and II: Alice and Louis Koch Collection by Ann Beatriz Chadour (1994) Best for: All serious collectors and deale

Snakes have been a popular symbol in jewelry for thousands of years. With their long, malleable curves, they are the perfect animal for modelling elegant designs and have been represented in rings, bracelets, pendants, brooches throughout time. The enduring charm of the snake can be traced back as early as ancient Greece, where the snake’s ability to shed its skin was seen as a regenerative power. It was therefore associated with Aesculapius, the Greek God of Medicine, and us