Author(s): D'ORLEANS FRANCIS

Fashion

I have devoted my life to the study and appreciation of precious gems, revealing their true beauty. Perfection an artistic creation have always been my daily concerns. - Alexandre Reza For the past five decades, gemmologist Alexandre Reza has been one of Paris' - and indeed, the world's most exclusive jewellers. A master artisan and exporter based in the heart of fashion and luxury, Place Vendome, Reza is a name synonymous with the best of haute jewellery. 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, Persian dynasties, the Italian Renaissance, and beyond. 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 hand-crafted pieces mix ages and eras to create something singularly his own - a 'harmonization of contradictory forces,' according to historian Arlette Seta. This monumental tome, 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. Stunning, hand-bound, and nestled in a linen display case, Alexandre Reza is a limited-edition title that is worthy of the most discerning collector. SELLING POINTS: . Hand-bound printed on cotton paper - limited edition presented in a suede clamshell case. AUTHOR: Vivienne Becker is a jewellery historian, journalist, and author of books on antique and 20th-century jewellery design, including Art Nouveau Jewelry and Fabulous Costume Jewelry. She collaborated with former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on the best-selling book Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box (2009). She is a contributing editor for How to Spend It, the Financial Times's luxury magazine, writes for Saturday Telegraph magazine, and lectures regularly. ILLUSTRATIONS: