Editor’s Note
This year marks the centenary of the influential 1925 Art Deco Exposition. To commemorate the occasion, Van Cleef & Arpels has mounted a major exhibition showcasing approximately 250 jewels, timepieces, objets d’art, and archival documents. Presented within a purpose-built Art Deco-style setting, the display offers a rare glimpse into the maison’s exceptional craftsmanship during this defining era.
One hundred years have passed since the 1925 Art Deco Exposition. A major exhibition by Van Cleef & Arpels, featuring approximately 250 pieces of jewelry, watches, objets d’art, and archival materials, is now on display. A lineup of rare works allows visitors to experience the Maison’s savoir-faire (artisan craftsmanship) within an Art Deco-style museum.
This chapter focuses on the Art Deco style that began to emerge before World War I. In contrast to the preceding Art Nouveau’s curvilinear and highly decorative aesthetics, Art Deco is characterized by linear and symmetrical compositions and strong color contrasts. Van Cleef & Arpels participated in the 1925 “Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes” in Paris, presenting innovative works.
A group of works from 1919 combining emerald, onyx, and diamonds serves as an important example of early Art Deco aesthetics. Bracelets and rings emphasizing symmetry and simplicity were highly praised in the media of the time.
This chapter focuses on changes from the late 1920s onward. During this period, the Maison moved away from 18th- and 19th-century references, creating more works with strong relief and three-dimensionality. Designs that made the gemstones themselves the protagonists, rather than their settings, became mainstream, with geometric motifs being emphasized.
After 1928, new styles influenced by fashion emerged, such as short necklaces and transformable designs. The bold colors and forms symbolized the end of the “Roaring Twenties,” a trend that continued until the mid-1930s.
Against the backdrop of the 1929 Great Depression, this chapter introduces the Maison’s shift towards a modernist direction. It actively incorporated new alloys and decorative stones, giving birth to simple and functional designs.
Representative examples include the “Cercle Brooch,” known as the “pinless brooch,” and the multifunctional “Minaudière” case. These pieces, which were also patented, gained popularity as works combining practicality and beauty. The continuous innovation even during difficult times helped save the Maison from crisis.
Displayed in the new wing, this chapter introduces expressions based on the Maison’s craftsmanship and inspiration from nature. In “The Golden Flower Garden,” a collection of works poetically expresses nature through the diverse processing techniques of gold.
“Nature in Transformation” features jewelry that can be disassembled and transformed. Through motifs of flowers and plants, it symbolically represents the transformative and flexible nature of the natural world. “The Blooming Mystery Set” introduces the innovative stone-setting technique patented in 1933, where rubies and sapphires shine vividly.
“The Flourishing Enamel” showcases craftsmanship that skillfully utilizes the effects of color and light. Using traditional firing techniques and plique-à-jour enamel, natural motifs were vividly reproduced. The final section, “Forms and Fortune Weaving Life,” displays colorful animal and plant motifs created through wood carving and glyptic techniques, allowing visitors to sense Van Cleef & Arpels’ aesthetic that celebrates nature.
Van Cleef & Arpels’ works, while starting from Art Deco, are infused with the aesthetic sensibilities and technological innovations of each era.
This is a precious exhibition that allows one to trace the trajectory of a century of creation while experiencing the unique aesthetics the Maison has built.
Venue: Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum
Period: September 27, 2025 (Sat) – January 18, 2026 (Sun)
Hours: 10:00 – 18:00 (Last admission 30 minutes before closing). Extended hours until 20:00 on specified dates in November and December.
Closed: Mondays, Year-end/New Year holidays (Dec 28 – Jan 4). Open on some national holidays falling on Mondays, closed on the following Tuesdays.
Address: 5-21-9 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0071
Admission (Timed-entry reservation required): General 1,400 yen, University students 1,120 yen, High school students & Seniors (65+) 700 yen.
[Report, Photography, Text: Mikio Furukawa / September 26, 2025]