PRECIOUS STONES FROM THE DEPTHS OF THE EARTH TO JEWELRY

he refinement and technical sophistication of precious stones sometimes blind us to the fact that their story began millions of years ago deep underground. «, » stresses Nicolas Bos, chair of Van» explains Nicolas Bos. Patented in the 1930s, the invisible settings are totally masked, with fine grooves cut into the sides of the stones, enabling them to be mounted on metal rails. The final section pays tribute to Paris as a place of knowledge, technological innovation and artistic creation, from the foundation of the Jardin des Plantes in the 17th century to current jewelry collections. Many historic items are presented, such as the table inlaid with hard stones that belonged to Cardinal Mazarin, the eminent minister of Louis XIV. We also learn of recent research into the Golden Fleece. It took four years of work to reconstruct the remarkable piece of jewelry. To showcase the exhibition’s fascinating exploration of the world of precious stones, the Jouin Manku architecture and design agency who devised Van Cleef & Arpels’s flagship store on the Place Vendôme have orchestrated a layout that plays on light and shadow, in turn revealing the wealth of the subterranean world and the sparkle of jewelry.