Paris has for centuries been the glittering capital of jewelry. From Marie Antoinette’s diamond necklaces to Van Cleef & Arpels’ legendary designs, not only does French jewelry accessorize history – it illuminates it.
Now, Hongkongers get a front-row seat to some of France’s most dazzling secrets at an exhibition presented by the University Museum and Art Gallery of the University of Hong Kong, in collaboration with L’École School of Jewelry Arts.
Designing Jewels: 200 years of French Savoir-Faire (1770 – 1970) showcases approximately 100 rare design drawings and 13 exceptional jewelry pieces, with a satellite exhibition at the L’École Asia Pacific campus at K11 Musea.
The exhibition showcases 100 rare design drawings and 13 exceptional jewelry pieces.
The exhibition offers visitors a look at two centuries of French jewelry craftsmanship.
Tracing the complete creative process from gouache paintings to finished masterpieces between 1770 and 1970, this exhibition displays works by Lacloche Freres, Rene Lalique, and Leon Hatot, alongside treasures from Van Cleef & Arpels’ Heritage collection.
Notably, jewelry design drawings have been rarely studied or exhibited.
Many of the selected drawings are being shown publicly for the first time. Visitors can witness the entire creative journey – from initial sketches to colored renderings and final pieces.
Moreover, a number of activities will be held during the exhibition, including a demonstration of high-quality jewelry gouache painting and a creative coloring workshop, which will allow guests to try their hand at jewelry design techniques.
The exhibition is supported by Van Cleef & Arpels’ Patrimony Collection combined with the Van Cleef & Arpels Jewelry Culture Fund – set up for research, presentation and educational purposes in 2019 – as well as loans from Lalique Museum France and private jewelry collections from Hong Kong.
The exhibition opened on June 6 and runs until October 5, from Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9.30am to 6pm, and on Sundays from 1pm to 6pm at the HKU’s UMAG.
VERONICA HU
