Diamandis collaborated with several producers including Pascal Gabriel, Liam Howe, Greg Kurstin, Richard "Biff" Stannard, and Starsmith during its recording.

The Family Jewels performed moderately on international record charts; it peaked at number 138 on the Billboard 200 in the United States, selling 4,000 copies its first week.

The record was additionally promoted by Diamandis' headlining the Family Jewels Tour, which visited Australia, Europe and North America from January 2010 through December 2011.

[11] Diamandis explained that the album is "a body of work largely inspired by the seduction of commercialism, modern social values, family and female sexuality", intended to be "enjoyed and consumed as a story and theory that encourages people to question themselves".

", ponders the meaning of a fulfilling life; a writer for The Line of Best Fit likened it to the thinking of Danish existentialist philosopher Søren Kierkegaard.

[1] A Neon Gold press release for a limited double A-side of "Obsessions" and "Mowgli's Road" described the former as a "bold and ambitious ... master work" and the latter as a "a high intensity, left field pop smash".

[24][25] The video for "Mowgli's Road" featured Diamandis and two dancers, with puppeteers standing in front of them to give them the impression of having concertina limbs; it was shot over 17 hours.

[22] Polish artist Kinga Burza shot the "classic pop video" for "Hollywood", with the aim to "make her audiences fall in love her even more, perhaps crave a little popcorn and feel inspired to dress up for fun".

[29] She chose "Mowgli's Road" as an "uncommercial" taster due to its oddness, but it received attention after being shared by the likes of Perez Hilton and Kanye West.

[38] Hugh Montgomery of Q magazine noted that the singer's "imaginative reach" was "complemented by a winning pop savviness",[14] while Luke O'Neil from The Phoenix stated that "[t]he likes of Kate Nash and company have flitted through this piano siren/exuberant dance-diva territory, but never mind, because this gorgeous genre starts now.

"[47] Leonie Cooper of NME praised the album as "astonishing" and wrote that "Diamandis mixes sparkling pop with beautiful darkness for a debut that dazzles".

Lou Thomas from BBC Music commented that "over 13 songs of Sparks-voice and many similar staccato piano riffs listeners may feel bludgeoned",[21] and Sean O'Neal of The A.V.

Club wrote that after "dozens of squeaky Regina Spektor-ish enunciations" and "Kate Bush trills", the "overbearing need to prove herself just ends up being exhausting".

[48] Joe Copplestone of PopMatters concluded that Diamandis would have to "tone down" these vocal techniques on future releases as not to overshadow "melodically inventive" music.

[49] A negative review came from The Independent's Andy Gill who panned "Shampain" and "Hermit the Frog" as "every bit as annoying as their punning titles, with queasy, prancing piano and synth figures".

[50] At Drowned in Sound, Mary Bellamy described the album as split between original songwriting and commercial pop production "at the expense of achieving anything great in either camp".

[52] It remains Diamandis' best-selling debut week in the UK, after her second studio album Electra Heart entered the chart at number one with first-week sales of 21,358 units.

She attributed this to the inaction of Chop Shop Records, her label in the United States, as well as a move in musical tastes to "pumping beats" by artists like Lady Gaga.