This course will explore the major aesthetic and temporal movements in the grand arc of jewelry history, including high Victorian jewelry, art nouveau masterpieces, geometric art deco diamonds, among many others. Through-lines will be drawn from these historic references to important contemporary jewelry designers and their sources of inspiration today. From a pop cultural standpoint, we will also explore jewelry icons like Elizabeth Taylor, jewelry used as narrative plot devices in film and literature, significant collections of jewels in museums, as well as elusive jewelers and their enigmatic current practices. This course intends to imbue a strong contextual knowledge base of both the art historical framework of jewelry as well as current major players and pivotal points of reference in this truly glittering and welcoming world of gems and jewels.