Around the World in Jewellery

A jewel’s greatest value lies not in the stone, but in the generations of meaning it carries. The finest ornaments do not merely decorate the body — they illuminate the soul and honour tradition. From ancient kingdoms to modern hands, jewellery is hu­manity’s quiet language of legacy, love and belonging.

In this publication, jewellery becomes our guide through the grand adventure of humanity – an adventure shaped by two see­mingly opposite yet deeply complementary forces: creation and transmission. Through jewellery, we witness both innovation and the passing down of skills, art, beliefs, and knowledge across generations and landscapes.

This book journeys with the reader across all continents, from the depths of the Amazon to the peaks of the Himalayas, by way of the seas of the Solomon Islands and the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. Jewellery — one of the most precious forms of cultural heritage — offers the authors, museum professionals, researchers, lecturers, gems experts, a way to celebrate the richness of human societies.

Texts by: Tania Abdulmonem Al Majid, Haya Al Hitmi, Hana Chidiac, Inezita Gay-Eckel, Nisreen Kuku, Lise Macdonald, Paul Paradis, Catherine Renier, Hermine Xhauflair