Usha R Balakrishnan – författare

Diamonds tell stories that are captivating and timeless. On the one hand, they are just stones, pieces of pure carbon with optical properties that make them glitter and sparkle like stars.  On the other, they are mystical entities hypnotically drawing the viewer into a time machine as it were, wherein a cinematic montage of their journey unfolds. Diamonds Across Time presents a sweeping overview of diamonds across time and space, featuring ten essays by world-renowned scholars in love the stone. Here, these authors present new discoveries; explore extraordinary collections; investigate histories, science, and trade; the nature of diamonds; legendary gems, jewellery collections, and great designers. Above all, they tell the human stories that underpin the adoration of diamonds.Diamonds Across Time is a richly illustrated publication with high-quality images of gems and jewels, archival documents, rare drawings, and fabulous photographs. The volume places diamonds in the context of the time in which they were discovered, and on the political, social, and cultural stage on which their histories were etched. In a rapidly changing world, diamonds are eternal. They were created by nature and grew in the womb of the earth. They tell stories, and they record history. With this book, diamonds will finally have their own storytellers.The book was compiled and edited by the World Diamond Museum’s chief curator and world-renowned jewellery expert Dr. Usha R Balakrishnan. She and nine other distinguished authors wrote ten monographs written in the order in appearance: Introduction;  The Nizam Diamond: Bala Koh-i-Noor, in the Sacred Trust of the Nizam of Hyderabad - Usha R. Balakrishnan;  Diamonds of the French Crown Jewels: Between East and West - François Farges;  A Concise History of Diamonds from Borneo - Derek J. Content;  Indian Diamonds and the Portuguese Duriing the Rise of the Mughal Empire - Hugo Miguel Crespo;  Two Large Diamonds from India - Jack OgdenThe Romanov Diamonds: History of Splendour - Stefano Papi;  The Londonderry Jewels, 1819-1959 - Diana Scarisbrick;  Dress to Impress in Southeast Asia - René Brus;  Powerful Women, Important Diamonds - Ruth Peltason;  One in Ten Thousand: The Unique World of Coloured Diamonds - John M. King.

Munnu: Vision & Passion traces the creativity and vivacity of the late Munnu Kasliwal. Kasliwal’s magical designs put The Gem Palace, his family’s jewellery house, and India on the fashion map of the jewellery world.The book follows the design journey of Munnu Kasliwal of The Gem Palace Jaipur, a jewellery house synonymous with luxury, sophisticated style, striking statement pieces, and exquisite craftsmanship. Munnu: Vision & Passion chronicles the metamorphosis of The Gem Palace from a local jewellery firm to an international jewellery house, an evolution synchronous with Munnu’s life. From the creation of the ‘T-shirt’ necklace to dreaming up settings that fused gemstone and metal in unique ways, Munnu produced a new genre of jewels that bridged the historical past with an uber-stylish present.While Munnu loved and admired traditional Indian opulence and grandeur, he brought a unique vision and passion, a rare sensibility and elegance to all his designs, establishing his unique style. To Munnu, a piece of jewellery was a beautiful creation, to be liberated from the confines of the conventional. Published as a tribute to Munnu, this book documents his design journey for more than two decades.