New Modernism – 1920s-2020s The Modernist Movement in Jewels

As we settle into the 2020s, 100 years after the original Modern Movement, there are signs of a new modernist approach to jewellery design; graphic compositions of form, line, colour and texture, often made possible by new high-tech materials and techniques. In this talk, jewellery historian Vivienne Becker, curator of the Designer Vivarium, traces the …

L’Art de la Glyptique

Si l’Homme a utilisé des pierres comme éléments de parure depuis la nuit des temps, il a aussi toujours essayé de les apprivoiser, de les dompter, de les posséder intimement. La gravure, la sculpture sur pierres est un acte fort pour laisser une empreinte, transmettre un message, maitriser une partie de la puissance de la …

The Glyptic Arts 

If Man has used stones as elements of adornment since the dawn of time, he has also always tried to tame and to possess them intimately. Engraving, stone carving is a strong act to leave an imprint, to transmit a message, to master part of the power of Nature. The glyptician exercises the art of …

Hidden human stories from Africa

In the last 100 years, the discovery of gemstones across the African continent have changed the course of the coloured gemstone industry. For the past two years, journalist and storyteller, Richa Goyal Sikri has been interviewing known and unknown figures in the industry and writing adventure stories based on their experiences and actual events. The …

Styling  jewellery: The 20th Century  

Flipping through fashion magazines, let’s see how jewellery has been presented, worn and styled decades after decades, from 1900 to 2000. A complete timeline on the evolution of jewellery designs, fashion and styles, from the opulent Belle Epoque to the flashy 1990s.

Understanding Art Deco Jewels

In 1925, the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts was held in Paris, welcoming 21 countries and 15,000 exhibitors. This major event revived luxury industries and established a style that would later be called “Art Deco”, in homage to this exhibition. If Paris was the place of development of this trend, its inspirations …