A leading exponent of art jewelry worldwide, Thomas Gentille is one of the leading lights of studio jewelry in the United States. In the late 1950s the American artist was the first to use novel combinations of plastic, aluminium, wood, papier mâché, sawdust, silk, glass balls and air - instead of gold, silver and precious stones. Gentille calls into question the value of precious metals in jewelry and the way they are appraised. He also objects to a chronological approach to his works. His pieces are one-offs, which are often unique in their closeness to sculpture and architecture. A remarkable feature is the 'eggshell' technique Gentille has developed, with which he creates astonishing crackle effects. With more than 180 jewelry objects and drawings, this book represents the first comprehensive retrospective of his life's work. Text in English and German.