Jewellery: A time for exhibitions
The Grand Palais, the Musée d'Orsay, the Palace Museum of the Forbidden City... so many prestigious places devoted to art and culture that have recently hosted exhibitions of great jewellers, who have come to reveal their know-how and the expression of their talent. From Cartier to Van Cleef & Arpels and Chaumet, let's zoom in and analyse these events, real immersive retrospectives between experience and education.
Jewellery at the forefront of museums
With more than 100,000 visitors, the masterful "Cartier and the Arts of Islam" exhibition at the Musée des Art Décoratifs in Paris succeeded in brilliantly transcribing the genesis and DNA of Cartier. A perfectly interpreted exercise in which we discover, in particular, Louis and Jacques Cartier's fascination for the Orientalist artistic movement and its aesthetics marked by modernity. With books, drawings, iconic jewellery and archive documents, this retrospective is an immersion in the past and in the history of the French house through a fascinating didactic journey. Cartier, but also Bulgari in 2010, or Van Cleef & Arpels in 2012 with the "Timeless Beauty" exhibition in Shanghai, which retraces more than 100 years of history and highlights nearly 370 pieces of jewellery, watches, fashion accessories and art objects from various private collections. A precise programme with four key themes: exoticism, nature, elegance and femininity for a dive into the heart of signature know-how.
These travelling presentations, which fascinate and bring people together, have become real events for the luxury industry in just a few years. If the public is increasingly looking for culture and information, they allow the brands to disseminate their rich past and invite to a new exploration. On the other hand, it is also a certain democratization of culture and a way for brands to enrich their narrative and seduce the greatest number of people. Indeed, once reserved for a certain elite, jewellery is now seeking a direct connection with its customers and wishes more than ever to make its art and its storytelling shine through international retrospectives that are increasingly impactful in terms of marketing and communication. An ideal showcase...
Art, a precious link and an effective vector of diffusion
It is important to note that, more than an ornament, jewellery is today considered as a decorative art in its own right, revealing a whole universe of art crafts: lapidaries, gem setters, polishers, enamellers, etc. A close link with the world of art which also brings a certain legitimacy to these cultural exhibitions. Chaumet celebrates cinema, Cartier, painting and Van Cleef & Arpels, dance. As Thibaut de La Rivière, founder and director of Sup de Luxe, points out: "Art is a precious bridge for high jewellery. Through this inspiring theme, which is the very essence of certain houses, a whole vector of messages and heritage values is created." In fact, in an increasingly competitive sector, it is essential for luxury goods to maintain their enchantment through authentic stories and to build their identity on a universe that is unique to them. Another important point: such exhibitions ensure great media coverage and also allow the creation of content that can be broadcast on the various platforms and networks of the brands. Ideal for keeping the legend alive...