'Jewelry for America' Review: A Nation's Glittering History

We all admire jewelry for its sparkling gemstones, breathtaking designs and exquisite craftsmanship For contemporary audiences, the most novel jewelry in the exhibition can be found at its beginning, among pieces from the 18th and 19th centuries Another wonderful moment in time preserved in jewelry is the 1887 Gorham silver chatelaine-a belt hook with chains intended to carry small household items like scissors and a pin cushion-in the form of an octopus.

Costume jewelry became especially popular from the Depression through the postwar period American Indian jewelry is represented in the show by necklaces from the Pueblo peoples of the Southwest composed of cascading beads of sky-blue turquoise, earthy-red coral and bone-white shell dating from the early 20th century It seems a fitting conclusion to a story about jewelry and history.

Ms Kreamer-Garnett is a writer, designer and co-founder of jewelry startup Gem X who splits her time between New York and London. . Source