【Paris, Franc】When Gems Sparkle in Ali Baba’s Cave

When Gems Sparkle in Ali Baba’s Cave

By Sophie Laurant
Updated: October 1, 2020 at 8:00 PM
Published: October 1, 2020 at 3:20 PM
Reading time: 4 min

© Eric Laignel.
The Van Cleef & Arpels precious stone collection is on display at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris until June 14, 2021.

Diamonds, rubies, emeralds… in abundance! At the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, precious stones tell the story of their formation in the Earth’s belly and their transformation into marvelous jewelry. A fascinating exhibition to discover until June 14, 2021.

It all begins with a plunge into darkness, as if to reach the Earth’s depths. Then, in the first room of the journey, magnificent samples catch the eye, like the first clues to the treasures of this Ali Baba’s cave that the exhibition space of the National Museum of Natural History has become for the occasion. These samples of giant agate, blue topaz, etc., are part of the Museum’s incredible collection and remind us of the prodigious variety of minerals that make up the Earth’s crust.

Moving further, the visitor discovers how, from prehistory to the present day, humans have seized these stones—rock crystal, shells, amber—for adornment and prestige objects. The incredible Orsini Table, a 17th-century ceremonial piece, sits majestically: its marquetry of marble and precious stones is exceptional.

Everything in the exhibition, moreover, calls for superlatives: in the following rooms, titled “From Minerals to Jewelry,” curator François Farges ingeniously chose not to separate science from visual pleasure. Thus, to illustrate what sapphire, gold, or coral is… each display case presents, from bottom to top: remarkable samples of raw minerals, cut stones, and then, as a climax, sumptuous jewelry drawn mainly from the extraordinary heritage collection of jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels.

It’s a dazzling sight! It’s necessary to go around the display cases twice, so much is there to admire. There, a diamond with a star inclusion; further on, a 1970s black onyx necklace with timeless design. Tiaras and necklaces from all eras, styles, and colors pour out their cascades of gems, served by magical lighting that highlights even the smallest rose quartz. We discover how these stones are organized into families based on their geological formation and how lapidaries and jewelers, as true artists, have turned them into masterpieces of jewelry.

In fact, creators have very often combined the most precious gems with less prized ones like turquoise, mother-of-pearl, or other so-called “fine” stones. Even delicate brooches in gold and… petrified wood are presented in the exhibition! Because François Farges wants to demonstrate:

One leaves this cave of wonders somewhat stunned by so much brilliance… but with, very quickly, the desire to dive back in!

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Sophie Laurant
Curiosity and the desire to share led Sophie to journalism. Interested in archaeology, she worked at La Croix then at Le Monde de la Bible before arriving at Pèlerin to develop… read more

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