Once upon a Diamond

A remarkable history of jewelry told through the beguiling stories of the royal families of Italy, Greece, Belgium, Russia, and Yugoslavia.

Renowned jewelry designer Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia recounts the enthralling exploits of his beloved family members and describes their extraordinary jewelry collections. Among the many royals whose stories are richly illustrated in this volume are his paternal grandparents Prince Regent Paul and
Princess Olga of Yugoslavia; Grand Duke Vladimir and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia; his great-grandparents Prince Nicolas and Princess Helen of Greece as well as his maternal grandparents King Umberto II and Queen Marie-José of Italy.

The exquisite photography and family albums of Grand Duchess Elena of Russia (later Princess of Greece and Prince Dimitri's great-grandmother) present remarkable never-before-seen images of prerevolutionary life of the Russian imperial family, their court, and their many European royal family members and friends.

This luxurious tome also includes exclusive and previously unpublished designs by Prince Dimitri, which juxtapose uncommon materials and color in imaginative yet timeless forms.

Prince Dimitri founded his jewelry company in 2007 after a longtime position as senior vice president of jewelry at Sotheby's auction house and later head of jewelry at Phillips de Pury & Luxembourg. Lavinia Branca Snyder is a writer and the author of Equestrian Life from Riding Houses to Country Estates. Carolina Herrera is a fashion designer. François Curiel is chairman of Christie's Europe and Asia and head of its global luxury division. Mark Roskams is a New York-based photographer who specializes in architecture and interior design. His work has been featured in Architectural Digest and Elle Decor.