Gems Legend series 12

Jack Ogden – For the Love of Ancient Jewels

Jack Ogden’s passion for the history of jewelry is derived in part from being born into the fourth generation of a jewelry family, coupled with a love for archaeology from the age of seven.

By David Brough

Jewelry historian Jack Ogden is passionate about advancing knowledge about jewelry from the ancient world. One of the most prominent and best known results of his research into the history of centuries-old gems and jewels is his Jewellery of the Ancient World, published in 1982. The book covers the materials and technology of early gems and jewelry and is still today considered a reference on the subject.

The same will probably be said of Ogden’s most recent book, Diamonds: an Early History of the King of Gems, that traces the early records of diamonds and diamond jewelry. It was launched at Goldsmiths’ Hall in London in 2018. His prolific, and often cited, writings include the 1977 Platinum Metal Inclusions in Ancient Gold Artifacts, and his chapter on “Ancient Egyptian Metals” in Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technologies (2000).

Ogden launched the Society of Jewellery Historians in 1977, the intention of which was to bring together the disparate worlds of jewelers, gemologists, curators, collectors, and scientists, who share an interest in jewelry from the past, but seemed to have little communication with each other. It is still going strong.

“I am particularly proud of Jeweller Magazine, which I started in the 1990s when I was CEO of the NAG. It was fun and informative writing, much of it,” he said. “Most recently, I‘ve been researching many of the world’s most famous diamonds, such as the Hope, Agra, Idols’ Eye and Nassak, and have dug up a lot of new information about them,” Ogden said.

“In business terms, I am most proud of taking over a financially very vulnerable Gem-A at the end of 2004 and then building up the finances and excellent in-house team to be able to retire nine years later with the association in the financially happy state of being able to purchase its lovely present London premises.”

One of the main attractions of Gem-A, which convinced Ogden to take the job, was the opportunity to run and develop the gem lab there. However, Ogden had to close it in 2008. “Sadly, a lab was just not economically sustainable then as it required a truly enormous investment in equipment and personnel. Various investor/partnership options were investigated, but the 2008 financial crash spelled its end.”

Again, with education, Gem-A’s primary focus, driving the updated gemology courses, was an important part of Ogden’s job, and a time consuming one. “And then there are the courses. Providing useful and engaging education for the UK jewelry industry was a priority.”

Ogden also ran the UK’s National Association of Goldsmiths (NAG), and CIBJO at the same time, allowing him to represent UK industry on the world stage effectively and show the UK jewelry trade that it was a part of a global context and that the challenges it faced were not unique. He also brought industry leaders together when he was Secretary-General of the World Jewellery Confederation, CIBJO, in the late 1990s. "I wrote the NAG’s JET1 education course, and most of the NAG’s Valuation Course. I also wrote most of the updated Foundation gemology course, and later the introductory Gem Basics, and did much of the new photography and graphics that were needed,” he said.

As a former head of Gem-A, Ogden still contributes to the organization’s teaching of gemology internationally. “My main contributions are in the jewelry history field, which of course often overlaps with gemology,” he said. “That is where most of my ‘academic’ research and publications lie.”

Ogden’s father—a would-be farmer and reluctant jeweler— played a key role in helping Jack along his path. “He impressed upon me the need to understand jewelry materials and manufacturing methods, and to recognize quality,” Ogden said. Ogden lives with his partner, Sara Abey, in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England, and has three daughters.

Images are courtesy of Jack Ogden.

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