Just when you think you know everything about jewelry, along comes a book like Jewelry Savvy: What Every Jewelry Wearer Should Know by Cynthia Sliwa and Caroline Stanley.

At just over 200 pages, Jewelry Savvy is a cross between a reference book, a self-help book, and a marketing book. In our opinion, it should be required reading for all jewelry store sales associates, and it is equally appropriate for jewelry shoppers.

The introduction of the book states, “The right piece of jewelry is as important to an overall look as the right hairstyle.” The authors assert that most women love wearing jewelry that looks great, but jewelry is often a mysterious subject and one that is highly personal.

The book is divided into five parts: 1) Your Jewelry Wardrobe – a summary of basic product knowledge about different pieces of jewelry such as rings, brooches and watches; 2) Understanding Your Personal Style – delves into how the shape of a consumer’s face or the length of their neck affects jewelry selection; 3) All That Glitters – a discussion of precious metals, gemstones, pearls and costume jewelry; 4) Special Interest – jewelry for men and bridal jewelry; and, finally 5) Now That You’re an Aficionado – a summary of care, storage, security and creative recycling of jewelry. The book also provides tips for buying the right jewelry – the “right” jewelry is generally defined as jewelry that you would wear most days and that makes you feel good. Finally – and this is the most important point for retail jewelers – the book provides a guide for consumers to select a jeweler who is right for them.

The book is written in breezy prose, with lots of text boxes and highlighted narrative. It is written in the first person such as “we recommend…”

Further, its conversational style makes it a quick read.

The authors aren’t dogmatic; for example, they say that “there is no ‘right’ answer in assessing” the right jewelry, but some answers are better than others. Cynthia Sliwa is a corporate lawyer, a certified image professional, and the visionary who created Apprecia Fine Jewelry for full-figured women. Caroline Stanley is a third-generation jeweler who runs her own jewelry marketing firm.

What will jewelry salespeople get from the book? They will gain a better understanding of the jewelry shoppers’ perspective. They will learn how to select jewelry that will be most flattering for their customers. And, they will have an excellent reference text for their store.

What will jewelry shoppers get from the book? They will find a narrative that demystifies jewelry. They will become more confident about buying jewelry. And, they will likely expand their jewelry collection, based on suggestions found throughout this book.

As the authors say, “The body is essentially the palette on which the artist will be able to work: the clothing is the background; the jewelry and other accessories are what demonstrate a woman’s style.” This book helps consumers create fine art rather than comic art with their jewelry.