Welcome Inside the Jewel Vault hosted by me, jeweller, and gemmologist Jessica Cadzow-Collins, with a guest drawn from the great and the good from across the jewellery world.
In this episode I ask the leading expert on ancient metalwork and technology, Dr Jack Ogden, to select six pieces from his life and career in jewellery and put them into a fantasy Jewel Vault, ultimately choosing that one special treasure to keep safe forever.
Despite the highly academic nature of his research, Jack talks so fluently and engagingly that his passion and regard for ancient jewellery materials and technology shines brightly. The spellbinding magic of the ancient jewels he selects comes vividly alive as he shares with us some of their secrets. His warmth and boundless energy are infectious, and he is a truly natural communicator and well-regarded figurehead for historians and academics of the jewellery world. This was the very first podcast we recorded so I think you might hear how nervous I was, but Jack was so kind and charming – I could have easily doubled the length of our conversation because he was so easy to chat to. I hope you enjoy listening!
Guest Bio: In over 45 years of research, Dr Jack Ogden, FSA, FGA has studied an astonishing quantity of ‘real’ treasure - gems, ancient jewels and precious artefacts discovered or passed down through the ages from the hands of their ancient craftsmen and owners. A fourth-generation jeweller, Jack has successfully straddled both the jewellery industry and the academic realm in his career. The author of innumerable books and scholarly articles, his first book Jewellery of the Ancient World was hailed as a masterpiece and earnt him a Doctorate from Durham. He is considered one of the foremost scholars in his field, and along with research for his books, he is a renowned consultant in dating and authenticating jewels from the Ancient to the Medieval worlds. He was appointed Visiting Professor of Ancient Jewellery, Material and Technology, at the BCU in 2019. He is also the current President of The Society of Jewellery Historians https://www.societyofjewelleryhistorians.ac.uk
I want to hear from you! What special treasures would you put into your fantasy jewel vault, and why? Every so often I’ll compile your stories into a podcast of their own. To get in touch with me and also to access show notes and images, go to: https://vipjewelvault.com/podcast/
Produced by broadcast & media guru Lizzie Wingham. https://www.tinydinosaur.tv/
Engineered by the very patient and brilliant Gareth Lewis.
My grateful thanks to you both!