An interesting book that seeks to survey contemporary (or as the authors call it, studio) jewelry in the 1990s and to provide some interpretative frameworks for understanding the practice. The discussions of individual jewelers are somewhat frustrating because of a lack of specifics and a tendency to rely on generalizations, but Amanda Game and Elizabeth Goring work hard to ground contemporary jewelry in a set of cultural, social, political and economic factors, making the essays about the context and production of contemporary jewelry the publication’s best feature. The geographical reach is also impressive, including jewelry from 24 countries. Color images, brief biographies of each jeweler, a select bibliography and a list of jewelry galleries and organizations, make this a historian’s delight as well as a good general introduction to the field.
