As summer turns the mind toward the sea, L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts, is inviting visitors to look again at one of the ocean’s most storied treasures: precious coral.
Its exhibition, “Precious Coral, from Curiosity to Treasures,” traces coral’s journey from natural wonder to cultural object, challenging old misconceptions that saw it as a mineral or plant.
Though corals may look like underwater plants, the showcase explains that coral is in fact a marine animal, while exploring how it has been worn, carved, polished and revered across civilizations.
About 120 exhibits are on display, ranging from jewelry and sculptures to artworks and rare natural specimens.
They come from institutions and private collections including the Liverino Collection, Museo del Corallo Ascione, Faerber Collection, Van Cleef & Arpels Collection, Cartier Collection, Mengdiexuan Collection, Wartski and Liang Yi Museum.
L’ÉCOLE has also created a limited-time interactive space inspired by diving into the deep sea. Visitors move through a quiet blue setting that evokes red coral’s natural habitat, with sensory and learning elements designed to make jewelry culture more approachable.
The experience includes podcast stations, video displays, a reading corner, an exhibition wall, as well as various workshops. Master red coral carvers and instructors will demonstrate techniques, allowing adults and children to discover the craft behind this delicate material.
