L’ECOLE, The School of Jewelry Arts: free online talks!

Since 2012, L’ECOLE, School of Jewelry Arts has been taking us on a journey into the poetic world of jewelry through its exhibitions, courses and conferences. A go-to spot of the Place Vendôme supported by Van Cleef & Arpels, L’ECOLE will introduce you to the art of jewelry, regardless of your level. It will provide you with knowledge in jewelry history and gemology as well as top-level skills and savoir-faire.

While we’re waiting for exhibitions and face-to-face classes to resume, L’ECOLE is stepping up the pace and offering free online talks every week. To attend, you only need to register on their website and subscribe to their newsletter to keep up to date with the next talks.

This month: four talks you don’t want to miss!

Dancing Jewels

L’ECOLE started this month with a presentation on the parallel history of dance and jewelry, two worlds bound by their quest for excellence and refinement… Join the dance and let yourself be carried by the story of this romantic and magical universe told from a jewelry perspective.

L’ECOLE takes us back to the 17^th century at the court of Louis XIV in France, where ballet was developed, to describe the sources of inspiration that dance and jewelry have shared to the present day. Through this pas de deux we navigate the iconic ballets and epic dancers that have made history and set off to discover mysterious pieces made by the great French jewelry firms.

Among these emblematic pieces, there is of course the series of ballerina brooches by Van Cleef & Arpels – a true signature of the maison and a symbol of its strong link with the dance world from which it draws its creativity. One of the first was the Camargo brooch, inspired by Nicolas Lancret’s painting of the dancer Marie-Anne de Camargo. This piece, full of poetry, grace and harmony, is made of rose-cut diamonds mimicking the white fabric of the costume, emeralds and rubies illustrating the flowers embroidered on the skirt, as well as a slightly tilted pear-cut diamond for the face – a characteristic technique of Van Cleef & Arpels.

We really like this Cartier vanity case, whose explosion of colors evokes pre-World War I Russian ballets and their oriental influences. Here Cartier uses the phoenix symbol, reminiscent of the ballet The Firebird, and enhances this precious round case with a delicate mother-of-pearl and black enamel lipstick hung at the end of a chain.

This double ring by Boucheron, a more recent piece paved with black sapphires, diamonds and rubies, gracefully captures the essence of the iconic ballet Swan Lake by illustrating the duality between Odile and Odette, between white swan and black swan.

Jean Vendome: a mineralogical aesthetic

At the end of 2020, L’ECOLE paid tribute to Jean Vendome with a free exhibition – “Jean Vendome, Artist Jeweler”.

Passionate about gemology and mineralogy, this true visionary and pioneer of contemporary jewelry has created over 30,000 pieces during his career. His jewels are dreamlike and unique, both in terms of style and materials. Discover them during this digital conference offered by the French National Museum of Natural History, as part of the “Gems” exhibition in partnership with L’ECOLE School of Jewelry Arts.

We will have to be patient until the exhibition reopens… But in the meantime, L’ECOLE is inviting us to a digital walk with guided tours to discover the universe of Jean Vendome, as well as to a family contest: “Rock-Paper-Jewels”, in which children turn into Jean Vendome to create their own jewels. A fun activity to enjoy with your children aged 5-16 to introduce them to gemology and foster their creativity. You can check out L’ECOLE’s website to read the contest rules. You have until March 26 to enter and attempt to win one of the prizes!

Jean-Baptiste Tavernier and the diamond routes (March 24 and 25)

Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, 17^th century French explorer and adventurer, is a major figure in the history of gem trading. Passionate about foreign cultures, this art and gem merchant made a name for himself thanks to his voyages in the East, especially in India, from where he brought back the famous Golconda diamonds.

Discover his story with this conference offered by the French National Museum of Natural History as part of the “Gems” exhibition in partnership with L’ECOLE School of Jewelry Arts.

Platinum: metal of mystery and miracles (March 31 and April 1)

For its last conference of the month, L’ECOLE will focus on platinum. This precious metal was very popular in jewelry right from the 20^th century but its use dates back well before contemporary times. Discover the fabulous history of this prestigious material with this presentation delivered by two historians and teachers at L’ECOLE, School of Jewelry Arts.

Enjoy and stay tuned for the next talks in April!