Weird, wonderful and whacky

This book of bling, Masterpieces of American Jewelry by Judith Price ($59.95, Running Press), is proof that it existed before P. Diddy and the likes. There are tributes and pictures of well-known connoisseurs of jewellery, including Grace Kelly and the Duchess of Windsor. What makes this so compelling is the full page close-ups of the stunning and the bizarre, proving jewellery is so much more than a nine-carat fob-chain from the High St shop. Can’t decide if the weirdest piece is the Raphael Esmerian Mexican Landscape, complete with palm tree, mariachi with diamond guitar and emerald cactus; or the Old Grand Dad Whiskey Whiskey Bottle Clock by Cartier, basically the bottle with a clock face in the form of the label; or the the Raymond C. Yard Seven Bunny Pins, one of which is a rabbit bride with a veil of diamonds and another in ruby trousers carrying cocktails.