The Biennale has always featured jewellery
Van Cleef & Arpels and 6 accompanying jewellery houses are temporarily setting up shop under the cover of the Grand Palais in Paris, France, for this month’s Biennale des Antiquaires. The jewellers will display their finest sparkling pieces, alongside antique objects and “objets de vertu”.
The Biennale has always featured jewellery, but this will be the first year for both Vuitton and Piaget. Cartier and Van Cleef and Arpels are central to the show with several collections involving unique stones.
In amongst the usual traditional high jewellery are rough chrysoberyl beads and
however imperial topaz found only in one mine in Brazil, as well as morganites, spinels and sapphires in unnusual grey hues, mixed with numerous diamonds and emeralds.
Cartier is to showcase 70 jewels and 11 antique objects. Bejewelled desk sets, bowls and clocks crafted from precious materials that include rock crystal, white gold, argonite, agate, onyx, serpentine and diamonds are being given prominence for the first time in many years. Cartier’s largest single commission is the 1948 Maharajah of Patiala’s necklace. However, although it strings up a large weighty 50-carat yellow diamond, the necklace has # been engineered to fit into today’s trends.
