Van Cleef & Arpels is bringing "When Elegance Meets Art" to Beijing. Image credit: Van Cleef & Arpels
French jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels is showcasing a century of high-jewelry and special creations in an exhibit at Beijing’s Today Art Museum.
Originally on display at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, Van Cleef & Arpels’ “When Elegance Meets Art” features more than 360 pieces from 1910 to the 2000s. Exhibits offer opportunities to engage fans, sharing a brand's story through an in-person experience.
On display
When Elegance Meets Art opened on April 21 and will run through Aug. 5.
The exhibit showcases items from the Van Cleef & Arpels archives and private collections.
Among the almost 400 pieces included in the exhibit is an Art Deco collar fashioned with 165 carats of tear-shaped emeralds. Made in 1929, the necklace was purchased for HRH Princess Faiza of Egypt in 1937.
Also on display is a 1951 version of Van Cleef & Arpels’ Zip necklace, which resembles a zipper.
A sequin dancer clip from 1953 is indicative of another motif from the house that continues to this day. The first ballerina clips date back to 1940.
Van Cleef & Arpels' When Elegance Meets Art at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. Image credit: Van Cleef & Arpels
Van Cleef & Arpels frequently hosts exhibits, offering consumers insights into its history.
Last year, the jeweler shed new light on its creations by showcasing them alongside Japanese crafts.
“Mastery of an Art: Van Cleef & Arpels - High Jewelry and Japanese Crafts” opened April 29 at The National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto, Japan, allowing visitors to explore both cultures’ craftsmanship. While luxury brands frequently use exhibits to educate attendees on their craftsmanship, providing this additional context takes the narrative beyond the brand (see story).