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Diving for Starfish: The Jeweler, the Actress, the Heiress, and One of the World's Most Alluring Pieces of Jewelry
Both a history of fine jewelry coming out of Paris in the Golden Age and a tour through the secretive world of high-end, privately-sold jewelry, Diving for Starfish is a stylish detective story with a glittering piece of jewelry at its heart.
In the early 1930s, in the workroom of the famous Parisian jeweler Boivin, a young jewelry designer named Juliette Moutard created one of the most coveted pieces of jewelry in the world—the famous starfish pin—still sought after today by aficionados of fine jewelry.
The starfish, created out of gold and encrusted with 71 cabochon rubies and 241 small amethysts, was distinctive because its five rays were articulated, meaning that they could curl and conform to the bustline or shoulder of the women who wore it. The House of Boivin made three of them. Two of the women who bought and wore the starfish were Claudette Colbert and Millicent Rogers.
Obsessed with the pin after she saw it in the private showroom of a Manhattan jewelry merchant, Cherie Burns set off on a journey to find out all she could about the elusive pins and the women who owned them. Her search took her around the world to Paris, London, New York, and Hollywood. Diving for Starfish is the story of these marvelous pieces of jewelry and the equally dazzling women who loved them.
In the early 1930s, in the workroom of the famous Parisian jeweler Boivin, a young jewelry designer named Juliette Moutard created one of the most coveted pieces of jewelry in the world—the famous starfish pin—still sought after today by aficionados of fine jewelry.
The starfish, created out of gold and encrusted with 71 cabochon rubies and 241 small amethysts, was distinctive because its five rays were articulated, meaning that they could curl and conform to the bustline or shoulder of the women who wore it. The House of Boivin made three of them. Two of the women who bought and wore the starfish were Claudette Colbert and Millicent Rogers.
Obsessed with the pin after she saw it in the private showroom of a Manhattan jewelry merchant, Cherie Burns set off on a journey to find out all she could about the elusive pins and the women who owned them. Her search took her around the world to Paris, London, New York, and Hollywood. Diving for Starfish is the story of these marvelous pieces of jewelry and the equally dazzling women who loved them.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published March 20, 2018
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687 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
February 27, 2018
A writer becomes fascinated with a very highly coveted piece of jewelry crafted in the early 1930's by the famous Parisian jeweler House of Boivin. After seeing a starfish encrusted with rubies and amethysts she's drawn into a journey to learn about all of the dazzling originals that were made and what happened to them through the decades. She quickly learns that there has been a lot of secrecy surrounding them by the jewelers and buyers alike.
The starfish, created out of gold and encrusted with 71 cabochon rubies and 241 small amethysts, was distinctive because its five rays were articulated, meaning that they could curl and conform to the bustline or shoulder of the women who wore it. The House of Boivin made three to five of them. Two of the women who bought and wore the starfish were Claudette Colbert and Millicent Rogers. There were also some later copies made in the 1980's which weren't nearly as wonderful that were put into the market, that confused matters more but were fairly easy to spot by a trained eye. The book gives great background information on the jewelry scene and the artistry of the making of it. A fascinating look at how pieces are valued and how they move around through dealers and auctions and private owners. Thanks for reading. An advance copy was provided by NetGalley, Cherie Burns, and St. Martin's Press for my honest review.
The starfish, created out of gold and encrusted with 71 cabochon rubies and 241 small amethysts, was distinctive because its five rays were articulated, meaning that they could curl and conform to the bustline or shoulder of the women who wore it. The House of Boivin made three to five of them. Two of the women who bought and wore the starfish were Claudette Colbert and Millicent Rogers. There were also some later copies made in the 1980's which weren't nearly as wonderful that were put into the market, that confused matters more but were fairly easy to spot by a trained eye. The book gives great background information on the jewelry scene and the artistry of the making of it. A fascinating look at how pieces are valued and how they move around through dealers and auctions and private owners. Thanks for reading. An advance copy was provided by NetGalley, Cherie Burns, and St. Martin's Press for my honest review.
March 27, 2018
Crushed. I was so looking forward to this, then kept wanting to throw it across the room. I made the mistake of thinking it'd be more about the creation of the piece, more the how tos and workings of the salon, and maybe more depth about people. Instead it was a bounce back and forth I felt like it was just a test to see how well I could remember names.
And no pictures? She describes subtle differences, and taking all these pictures, but there's nay a one in the book. Or even of other pieces by the designer. I'd desperately love to see a picture of the chameleon that changes color. I shouldn't have to have google open while reading to try to see what she's writing about.
And no pictures? She describes subtle differences, and taking all these pictures, but there's nay a one in the book. Or even of other pieces by the designer. I'd desperately love to see a picture of the chameleon that changes color. I shouldn't have to have google open while reading to try to see what she's writing about.
April 15, 2020
Huh. Other reviews have said it, the book is repetitive with so many names of people who were just miniscule pieces of the puzzle. It would've made an interesting article in a magazine like Vanity Fair, but not the greatest book.
That being said, once I slowed down my reading pace and started reading a chapter at a time it got more bearable and thus more interesting.
The frustration of not being able to get anywhere with the jewelry dealers was palpable and at the and I got the feeling that her decision to publish all those names was a kind of revenge.
Anyway...
What makes the starfish brooch special?
1. The starfish brooch was articulated so it moved and molded to the wearer/object and the designer came from the watch/clock-making industry
2. Boivin jewelers was woman-owned in the 1930s (time of design) and the designers were women who were so confident of their singular design that they didn’t put marks on their jewelry
3. The brooch was constructed by hand, not produced using the lost wax casting method
4. Most of the women who owned it had their own wealth, paid for it with their own money
That being said, once I slowed down my reading pace and started reading a chapter at a time it got more bearable and thus more interesting.
The frustration of not being able to get anywhere with the jewelry dealers was palpable and at the and I got the feeling that her decision to publish all those names was a kind of revenge.
Anyway...
What makes the starfish brooch special?
1. The starfish brooch was articulated so it moved and molded to the wearer/object and the designer came from the watch/clock-making industry
2. Boivin jewelers was woman-owned in the 1930s (time of design) and the designers were women who were so confident of their singular design that they didn’t put marks on their jewelry
3. The brooch was constructed by hand, not produced using the lost wax casting method
4. Most of the women who owned it had their own wealth, paid for it with their own money
December 1, 2020
I thought this book would be more about the starfish brooch, but it was really more about the author's search for information about the brooch. There was a seemingly endless list of people she contacted, most of which provided no help. It got very tiring to read. The book did not seem well-organized; it did not flow well and was very repetitive. And frankly, I did not care to read about the myriad of jewelers she contacted.
March 27, 2018
This should have been an article in Vogue or Vanity Fair, not a book. There's a lot of redundancy, which I suspect was used to make the manuscript longer.
April 12, 2018
Where are the pictures? Why do we have to wade through so many encounters with people who might know something but withhold everything? Mysteries remain unsolved.
August 20, 2018
I was so disappointed! I love jewelry especially pieces with interesting histories and this brooch certainly has one. I had read and enjoyed Cherie Burns's biography of Millicent Rogers (who owned one of these brooches) and was expecting a good read.
It wasn't. The book was long, boring and very meandering. I lost count of how many times Burns reminds us that Fred Leighton's real name was Murray Mondschein (and why should I even care)?
The worst thing is THERE ARE NO PICTURES!!!!! There are lots and lots of descriptions, but no freakin' pictures other than the one on the cover. Thanks to Mr. Google, I found some pictures of the brooches and all I can say is. Meh. I suppose they are better seen in person, but I was not impressed by the brooch nor the book.
It wasn't. The book was long, boring and very meandering. I lost count of how many times Burns reminds us that Fred Leighton's real name was Murray Mondschein (and why should I even care)?
The worst thing is THERE ARE NO PICTURES!!!!! There are lots and lots of descriptions, but no freakin' pictures other than the one on the cover. Thanks to Mr. Google, I found some pictures of the brooches and all I can say is. Meh. I suppose they are better seen in person, but I was not impressed by the brooch nor the book.
April 1, 2018
A delicious story a gorgeous piece of jewelry in the form of a starfish an iconic piece of jewelry.A look at hidden elite jewelry stores in Manhattan and around the world a quest on the authors part an immense desire to locate the Starfish,A fascinating quest& read.
February 8, 2020
The author of this book was given a glimpse of the iconic amethyst and ruby starfish brooch, made in the Boivin workshop in Paris in the 1930s, and found herself compelled to investigate the whereabouts of the 3 (or perhaps 4, or perhaps 5) original brooches. One was documented to have belonged to Millicent Rogers, the Standard Oil heiress, another was generally accepted to have belonged to the stylish actress Claudette Colbert, and the third? (and 4th, and 5th?). So she set off on a years-long journey to trace the destiny of these gorgeous pieces of jewelry. This takes her into the rarefied world of high-end jewelry dealers (the type of boutique where you shop by appointment only), auctioneers, and socialites. Geographically, her research takes her to New York, Paris, London, Miami and a couple of other glamorous places.
All of this makes for light, moderately entertaining reading, but none of it was very substantial. To start with, the endless parade of characters becomes impossible to keep straight. All of these jewelers have dealings with the other people, they gossip about each other, work with each other... a real network that I couldn't keep straight without taking notes or making diagrams (which I was too lazy to do). You can't fill a book with anecdotes about having tea with charming socialites, or lunches with cagey French jewelry experts. At some point it became clear that this book was about the journey, not about the destination, and so my reading became a lot more superficial. The author also seemed to have given up on trying to write a clear narrative, because all of a sudden we start hearing of sapphire and moonstone starfish, of "reproductions" made by at least 2 companies who had taken over the Boivin brand. In the end, it still wasn't clear how many "original" brooches had been made in the 1930s. There is still, as far as I could tell, no documented evidence that the first brooch had really been sold to Claudette Colbert- no bill of sale, no pictures of her wearing the brooch, not even memories of her having spoken about such a jewel. The book doesn't even have pictures of the Boivin jewelry that is discussed - and, as mentioned, a list of personages would have been useful. So in the end, all we've had is a superficial excursion into the world of jewelry dealers and socialites. Which is OK... but not memorable
All of this makes for light, moderately entertaining reading, but none of it was very substantial. To start with, the endless parade of characters becomes impossible to keep straight. All of these jewelers have dealings with the other people, they gossip about each other, work with each other... a real network that I couldn't keep straight without taking notes or making diagrams (which I was too lazy to do). You can't fill a book with anecdotes about having tea with charming socialites, or lunches with cagey French jewelry experts. At some point it became clear that this book was about the journey, not about the destination, and so my reading became a lot more superficial. The author also seemed to have given up on trying to write a clear narrative, because all of a sudden we start hearing of sapphire and moonstone starfish, of "reproductions" made by at least 2 companies who had taken over the Boivin brand. In the end, it still wasn't clear how many "original" brooches had been made in the 1930s. There is still, as far as I could tell, no documented evidence that the first brooch had really been sold to Claudette Colbert- no bill of sale, no pictures of her wearing the brooch, not even memories of her having spoken about such a jewel. The book doesn't even have pictures of the Boivin jewelry that is discussed - and, as mentioned, a list of personages would have been useful. So in the end, all we've had is a superficial excursion into the world of jewelry dealers and socialites. Which is OK... but not memorable
April 8, 2018
There is no denying that Cherie Burns is a talented journalist--I would defy other accomplished writers to spin the "mystery" of the provenance of a few pieces of "art house" jewelry into an entire book. And, yes, a relatively interesting one.
But, I do have reservations about this book. The quest to understand the history of an iconic piece of jewelry was somewhat quixotic, and a rather esoteric mission. I can understand a certain degree of curiosity to track down a special piece of jewelry owned by the subject of a biography written by Ms. Burns--but, to spend years doing so when stonewalled by the Top Dogs of the high-end jewelry business. . . . . not so sure.
We can only admire Ms. Burns dogged pursuit of her prey, and make no mistake, the subjects of her investigation seemed to feel like they were prey. They avoided her like the plague. That added some allure to her tale, but also a sense of deja vu for the reader. Person after person refuse to take her calls, cancelled her appointments, and then, after agreeing to meet---were reluctant to offer any relevant information on the subject of interest. I think it is remarkable that the author continued to pursue her subjects.
But, after trudging through the backstreet shops of Manhattan and Paris with Ms Burns, I was interested to learn if she would be successful in tracking down her mystery and perhaps other readers will also find it of interest.
But, I do have reservations about this book. The quest to understand the history of an iconic piece of jewelry was somewhat quixotic, and a rather esoteric mission. I can understand a certain degree of curiosity to track down a special piece of jewelry owned by the subject of a biography written by Ms. Burns--but, to spend years doing so when stonewalled by the Top Dogs of the high-end jewelry business. . . . . not so sure.
We can only admire Ms. Burns dogged pursuit of her prey, and make no mistake, the subjects of her investigation seemed to feel like they were prey. They avoided her like the plague. That added some allure to her tale, but also a sense of deja vu for the reader. Person after person refuse to take her calls, cancelled her appointments, and then, after agreeing to meet---were reluctant to offer any relevant information on the subject of interest. I think it is remarkable that the author continued to pursue her subjects.
But, after trudging through the backstreet shops of Manhattan and Paris with Ms Burns, I was interested to learn if she would be successful in tracking down her mystery and perhaps other readers will also find it of interest.
November 13, 2021
At a launch for her book about a rich woman, this journalist author encounters a Boivin starfish brooch or pin. Hand made and the size of a hand, the ruby and amethyst jewel set in gold is articulated and lifelike. Thus begins a journey to locate two other similar jewels made for rich women of similar ilk, and later reproductions as the original business and starfish change hands. The social context of owning such pieces is lightly touched upon, and some of the key players in this breathless world of high end fashion described. Mostly the book is a an entangled list of people interviewed, including many who had no interest in the jewels as well as some who had no interest in being interviewed. Even as the author finds the then current owners, there is little change in her investigative narrative. She appears driven by intrigue that she largely creates. The starfish are brokered by fewer than half a dozen people to wealthy female owners as investments and as a way to avoid tax. It's almost an anti climax as she is shown the jewels by two of three owners who are quite happy to be interviewed. The story is more about investigative journalism than the brooches or their owners. We have descriptions of shops, auction houses, dealers, a lot of unsubstantiated speculation and general confusion. Somehow the beauty and value by association of the starfish is lost along the way.
June 25, 2018
This was a new subject for me. I knew a little about good jewelry, but not much. This was an eye opening book. Diving for Starfish is a search for a Boivin Starfish made by a French jeweler Boivin. Burns, first sees one of the rare starfish brooches during a book launch for her biography of Millicent Rogers.
Before coming to this book I was familiar with the way art carries its provenance. Fine jewelry is kept in secrecy. I can understand this to a point, but when pieces can be reproduced and depending on the markings, or lack thereof, can change the value for all of the pieces. After reading this book I now want to learn more about good jewelry and the jewelers who created these fabulous pieces.
The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is due to the lack of photos. I was constantly turning to my phone to look at the famous photo of Millicent Rogers wearing her starfish, and even photos of the two top designers at Boivin. When you're writing about fashion or art it does help the reader to see photos of the works and the artists.
I won a copy of this book through Goodreads.
Before coming to this book I was familiar with the way art carries its provenance. Fine jewelry is kept in secrecy. I can understand this to a point, but when pieces can be reproduced and depending on the markings, or lack thereof, can change the value for all of the pieces. After reading this book I now want to learn more about good jewelry and the jewelers who created these fabulous pieces.
The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is due to the lack of photos. I was constantly turning to my phone to look at the famous photo of Millicent Rogers wearing her starfish, and even photos of the two top designers at Boivin. When you're writing about fashion or art it does help the reader to see photos of the works and the artists.
I won a copy of this book through Goodreads.
September 27, 2020
A Frustrating Read
You must really like both history and jewelry to read this book. Although I love jewelry and I am very intrested in the early 20th century pieces, this book I had to slog through. In addition, if you have not researched or have a background in jewelry making and haute couture, you will probably be at a loss. The author writes as if you are her friend and know all the people, places, and things mentioned intimately. I don't believe that it is organized well and much information is repeated numerous times in different sections, so it is difficult to follow. I even went back and re-read some of the passages to try and make sense of what I was reading. There are no photographs to accompany the detailed technical descriptions of some of the pieces. If you are not an engineer, you won't be able to put that together in your mind. This simply adds to the confusion. I was interested in the book and excited to read it, but very disappointed when I was finished.
You must really like both history and jewelry to read this book. Although I love jewelry and I am very intrested in the early 20th century pieces, this book I had to slog through. In addition, if you have not researched or have a background in jewelry making and haute couture, you will probably be at a loss. The author writes as if you are her friend and know all the people, places, and things mentioned intimately. I don't believe that it is organized well and much information is repeated numerous times in different sections, so it is difficult to follow. I even went back and re-read some of the passages to try and make sense of what I was reading. There are no photographs to accompany the detailed technical descriptions of some of the pieces. If you are not an engineer, you won't be able to put that together in your mind. This simply adds to the confusion. I was interested in the book and excited to read it, but very disappointed when I was finished.
June 3, 2019
I really wanted to like “Diving for Starfish”. The premise for the book was interesting, but it is more about the author’s search for the jewelry piece’s history, especially the history of ownership, than the inspiration, creation, and design of the piece. The book does shed light into the mysterious world of upscale jewelry sales, but in the end there were too many needless details and no pictures. The book should have been a series of magazine articles, with pictures. The lack of pictures illustrating many of the jewelry pieces and individuals described in the book had me going on internet hunts to fully understand the author’s intent. It got a little distracting and caused issues with being able to focus on her writing. I am sure the Bolivian Starfish are mesmerizing, but this book is not. Read it if you are interested in the jewelry trade or history of jewelry, but skip it otherwise.
January 8, 2019
This is the history of a piece of jewelry that I read in November of 2018. It was interesting, but had some passages that seemed disjointed or repetitive when not needed. As a result, I did not read it in one straight through read. I'd read it, put it down and go to another book, and then return to it. That said, I learned about the people and creative processes involved in the high end jewelry trade from the 1920's to the present. The mystery here is that more than one of the Starfish pieces was produced by its creator, and that the piece was itself copied by other high-end (i. e. gems) jewelers so no one knows exactly how many pieces were created nor where they all are. I'm not sure this topic was worth as lengthy of a book as was produced, but I did enjoy learning about the jewelry trade.
July 2, 2018
I was interested in reading this book because I knew there were references to the work of Susan Belperron, one of the first prominent women fine jewelry designers. The Starfish brooch itself is sadly not presented in any photographs in the book, other than on the cover of the book, a major omission in my view. The author's search for the owners of the three known original examples is a tale of the jewelers, auctioneers and retailers of extremely high priced precious jewelry. This group is full of interesting characters, likeable and not. My takeaway, the very wealthy tend to be major tax cheats especially if they live in France. French tax collectors would be well advised to read this book.
May 11, 2018
It was a great story, following the trail of a legendary pieces (or rather pieces) of jewelry. The author does a great job of taking the reader into the world of high end jewelry as well as giving a taste of the history of the French jewelry house Boivin. She gives a lot of detail without getting the reader bogged down. My only complaint is the lack of photos! It would have been especially helpful to the discussion of the original Boivin starfish and the subsequent versions released in the 1980s. A major oversight in what would have been an otherwise fantastic book!
December 6, 2020
I loved this account of these pieces of starfish-shaped brooches (there were several made) and want more than anything to be able to see and pick one up (they are articulated and would move and adjust to how and where they were worn!) The author did a lot of research and tracking down to write this account, which reads extremely well. The only complaint I have is the lack of pictures (but it sent me on a small research mission of my own, through the internet, and having to determine which of the starfish I was seeing pictures of). Anyone interested in art or jewelry would enjoy this book.
September 28, 2021
I was hoping that the story would get more interesting as I got further into it, but sadly it did not. The chapters seemed very repetitive, with little new information. A chart at the end with the Starfish owners, dates, places, etc would have been very helpful, as the story jumped all over the place. I was looking for more info about the author and her travels, along with what else she did during her search. She had some interesting thoughts about the jewelers and their secretive world, but I was truly bored.
October 16, 2024
I enjoyed learning some of the ins and outs of the jewelry business as well as its culture and ethics. I also enjoyed reading about the unique drive people feel to collect these high-end pieces and then the connections they form. I was interested in the history of the woman-led jeweler house that created the magnificent piece. I got pretty bored by the on going searches to find them all . I wish there had been more photos of the starfish, maybe a closeup of the details, the backside. I also would love some history photos from France or jewelry tools to help set the stage for such a visual subject.
June 4, 2018
I read Cherie Burns bio on Millicent Rogers and liked it very much. I was especially interested in the people/places of her family's beginnings in Fairhaven, MA where they re-built the whole town with the grandfathers wealth from oil. Diving for Starfish a book about his granddaugher's Starfish pin is interesting I would not recommend it except for those intetested in estate jewelry and the people who control it. This was an arc from the publisher so thank you.
June 12, 2018
Author spends years chasing information (and over several continents) on the elusive owners of the infamous Starfish pins made in France in the 1930's by Boivion. She is quick to understand that the jewelry industry is very discrete and private - very little information is give to 'outsiders'. The author repeats herself many times - I'm not sure that the content, although interesting, is enough to compromise a book.
June 24, 2018
This nonfiction about the quest to follow the history and find the current owners of a highly distinctive piece of jewelry made in France in the 1930’s in France is a fascinating peek into the world of jewelry-making and jewelry owners. It is a somewhat convoluted story with many players. It can be a bit hard to follow at times. But overall I found it a highly interesting introduction to a unique industry and culture.
August 25, 2018
Interesting, but not engrossing. I'd picked this up thinking that this would be a book about a very specific piece of jewelry - it's history and creation, it's journey to present day - and it is, a bit, but it's also very much a story about the author's journey itself to try and find our more about the jewelry and her perception of the jewelry industry itself. As a result, the writing feels disjointed and jumps around. Interesting read but can't say I loved it.
January 15, 2018
Thanks St. Martin's Press and netgalley for this ARC.
Cherie Burns's excitement and awe of the starfish brooch will infect the most jaded jewelry lover/expert/reader. I loved feeling like I was journeying with her around the world. This is more than just a biography of the creators and owners of the starfish- its a story of desire and greed that is still ongoing today.
Cherie Burns's excitement and awe of the starfish brooch will infect the most jaded jewelry lover/expert/reader. I loved feeling like I was journeying with her around the world. This is more than just a biography of the creators and owners of the starfish- its a story of desire and greed that is still ongoing today.
December 6, 2019
The premise of this book is fascinating, the quest by this journalist to find out who has owned all 4 (or 7) of the famed starfish brooch created by a French jeweler in the mid-1930's. Claudette Colbert owned the first. But sadly there is really not enough material for a book so there is much repetition and a lot of name dropping.
October 4, 2020
A wonderful peek inside the world of collectible fine jewelry and a special brooch designed by Renee Boivin’s Paris atelier. 3 were made and we join the author on a fascinating detective-like journey to discover the path these exquisite creations took from the salon to the glamorous original owners in the 1930s to present day collectors.
September 27, 2021
Book length treatment of something that feels like a Town & Country article, but still very well written and interesting (to me) account of beautiful jeweled starfish pins made in Paris in the 30s and what has happened to them. Surprisingly secretive world of super expensive jewelry. Easy read but why why why does this book have no pictures???
February 19, 2018
Thanks St. Martin's Press and netgalley for this ARC.
This is the kind of biography that you don't forget. Loved learning about vintage jewelry and the eccentric owners, sellers, and all those in between.
This is the kind of biography that you don't forget. Loved learning about vintage jewelry and the eccentric owners, sellers, and all those in between.
March 25, 2018
From its opening pages, I was glued to Cherie Burns' heady tale of intrigue. Gaining entry to the highest levels of luxurious refinement, I felt I was on a mission with a best friend! Lavish details rendered with a light touch, I highly recommend this riveting mystery.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews