Design Sourcebook: Jewellery [Hardcover]

David Watkins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2000 | Series: Design Sourcebooks

Written by a jeweller and academic, this sourcebook features contemporary jewellery from all over the world. With the emphasis on new designers and makers whose work is at the leading edge of design, the book features jewellery made from a wide range of natural and synthetic materials. Apart from precious and rare earth metals, precious stones and cloisonne enamel, more unusual materials include wood, perspex, rubber, tin cans, polyurethane and found objects, worked in an equally diverse variety of methods.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The Complete Book of Jewelry Making is a beautifully illustrated guide to jewelry-making techniques. In content it is similar to Jinks McGrath's The Encyclopedia of Jewelry-Making Techniques (LJ 11/1/95) with the addition of a very useful chapter on the properties of metals (gold and silver) and seven step-by-step projects for contemporary jewelry. When the techniques have been mastered, it is time for Jewellery: Design Sourcebook, a gallery of photographs of jewelry as art featuring the creations of over 75 contemporary artists. From a practical standpoint most of these are unwearable, but this is a rather fascinating look at the art jewelry of today. Both of these books are for larger or specialized arts and crafts collections.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Forget the traditional diamond-and-platinum and gold-and-rubies kind of design. British master jeweler Watkins has traveled the globe to uncover some of the more innovative and less-than-wearable adornments being crafted today. Few, if any, of the more than 80 participating artists practice fashioning representational rings, bracelets, brooches, and necklaces. More often than not, they mix precious metals with such found objects as pearl-shell buttons, niobium tubes, and rose petals. Shapes can be bizarre, intended for body shows on the catwalks, or they can evoke political and social themes, like slave rings and a gun-control necklace. The author wisely keeps commentary to a two-paragraph (or so) minimum and describes each piece simply with notes about names, media, processes, size, and date of creation. Index of artists and glossary of jewelry terms appended. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: New Holland Publishers, (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1859740782
• ISBN-13: 978-1859740781
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,003,914 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars oh cripes, not another one..., February 28, 2005

By 

Ann-Marie Keene "I am TOO a mermaid!" (Portland, ME USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Design Sourcebook: Jewellery (Hardcover)

Yikes! It's a collection of what I'd consider mishaps at my bench! Oh, lord...

I'm sorry, apparently it's called "art" by folks with probably more money than taste. Page after page of weird art project jewelry, most of it unwearable on purpose, to be "exhibited" and looked at, rather than worn.

The highlight of the book was a dead mouse wearing a crown of pearls, suspended in a block of clear acrylic.

When that's the highlight...? *scratching my head*

I hate to sound so narrow-minded, but I keep running into this with a lot of the jewelry books I've been buying. I guess maybe I'm just craving a book with pictures of some things people might wanna.. you know.. actually wear? I was pretty sure that's what jewelry was supposed to be, for the most part. I guess despite everyone thinking I'm a weirdo all my life--and me being proud of it--maybe I'm actually old-fashioned and boring after all. :-o

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A focus on the works of the best jewelry makers, November 13, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Design Sourcebook: Jewellery (Hardcover)

David Watkins' Design Sourcebook Jewellery provides a focus on the works of the best jewelry makers around the world, from traditional rings to sculptured pieces. The materials and approaches vary widely but the unifying theme is the different design approaches of jewellery artists and any involved in jewelry making will find it an important source of inspiration. Excellent hands-on reference for budding artists and crafts people.