Eleven rich and glamorous women who built up astonishing jewelry collections in the early and mid-20th century, are profiled in this superb book.

For centuries the collecting of precious jewels was the preserve of kings and queens, emperors and maharajas. But in the aftermath of the First World War, royal gems passed into the hands of a different kind of elite that included celebrities from the silver screen and a coterie which revelled in a new-rich social whirl. Changes in fashion and the rise of Art Deco style led them to reset pieces or commission exquisite contemporary designs.

The collectors range from the legendary Marjorie Merriweather Post and her niece, the Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton, to the Duchess of Windsor, the Maharani of Baroda and the great diva Maria Callas, as well as less well-known but fascinating figures such as the mysterious and beautiful Nina Dyer.

Marjorie Merriweather Post
Lydia, Lady Deterding
The Duchess of Windsor
Daisy Fellowes
Countess Mona Bismarck
Barbara Hutton
Merle Oberon
The Maharani Sita Devi of Baroda
Maria Callas
HH The Begum Aga Khan III
Nina Dyer

The authors, both international jewelry experts, reveal the stories behind the jewels and their collectors. Not only do they bring to life the worlds in which these women moved, but they also describe the gems in detail and provide a portrait of the work of the leading jewelers of the day, such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Harry Winston.

The book is illustrated with close-up photography of the jewels as well as wonderful drawings of the original designs, and includes portraits of the women by Beaton, Horst and other leading photographers of the time.