Vivienne Becker

For the past five decades, gemologist Alexandre Reza has been one of Paris's--and indeed, the world's--most exclusive jewelers, a master artisan and exporter based in Place Vendôme, the heart of fashion and luxury. To experience his ornaments is to discover history reborn: The diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, and rubies of his collections have seen the most extravagant centuries and epochs, from French monarchies to Persian dynasties to the Italian Renaissance. And yet Reza's precious stones are never meant to be an antiquated homage to a prestigious past; a creator by instinct, Reza takes history as inspiration rather than for reproduction. His handcrafted pieces mix ages and eras to create something special--a "harmonization of contradictory forces," according to historian Arlette Seta. This monumental edition, part of Assouline's Ultimate Collection, presents more than one hundred rare pieces of Reza's creations, and includes a history of the famed gem house in archival documents and vintage photography.

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