Bill, when you make something as small as a jewelry box there is no need for dovetails, except for decoration. A rabbet joint will work just as well, there’s more than a few other choices of joinery as well. New router bits give you a load of choices although you can make plenty of joints with hand tools. It depends on the time you want to spend making them and what you want it to look like in the end. I use dovetails because, well, it looks good. For me, with a jewelry box, the smaller the pins and tails, the better. Smaller dovetails doesn’t necessarily mean stronger but strength is not what your looking for, it’s the racking you’re trying to prevent. If the bottom of the drawer is nailed to the front, sides and back it prevents racking. It makes the drawer stronger but it looks horrible. Large drawers full of clothes or heavy objects need dovetails or some kind of joinery (dowels, finger joints are 2 other choices) that will put up with the stresses of opening and closing (slamming) full of a heavy weight. Tails first, always!!!
