Bulgari

Readers who may be too intimidated to browse in one of the elegant international shops of this renowned Italian jeweler will linger long over the merchandise on display in Bulgari, with 450 color illustrations of such fidelity that one can almost caress the necklaces, rings, silverware and other pieces that for more than 100 years have emerged from the firm's design workshops. Sotheby jewelry experts Daniela Mascetti and Amanda Triossi relate the history of this family-owned chain and educate readers in the jewelers' art as perfected by Bulgari craftsmen. (Abbeville, $75 256p ISBN 0-7892-0202-6)