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Van Cleef & Arpels today announces that L’ÉCOLE Van Cleef & Arpels, the Paris based school aiming at shedding light on the very secretive world of Jewelry and Watchmaking, will come to Hong Kong for the first time in autumn 2014. Taking up residence in PMQ for two weeks, it will offer a range of courses designed to enlighten and inspire.
Ever since its foundation in 1906, Van Cleef & Arpels has embodied the brilliance of High Jewelry savoir faire. Inspired by constant inventiveness, the Maison’s excellence has given birth to timeless creations and exceptional techniques like the Mystery Setting™, Zip necklaces and Poetic Complications™. In 2012, Van Cleef & Arpels opened L’ÉCOLE Van Cleef & Arpels to initiate the general public into the historical and cultural aspects of Jewelry and Watchmaking. A school unlike any other, it offers a non-technical curriculum designed to appeal to all: lovers of beauty, enlightened connoisseurs and professionals. Its ambition is to encourage the intellectual and emotional understanding of these universes and to convey the craftsmanship through personal experience.
In the spirit of the school’s values of open sharing and transmission, L’ÉCOLE Van Cleef & Arpels’ teaching staff of art historians, virtuoso craftsmen, experienced jewelers, gemologists and master watchmakers will offer participants a unique opportunity to enrich their knowledge through experimentation and dialogue. The two-week program will be held from 16 October to 1 November 2014 at Hong Kong’s new center for culture and creativity, PMQ.
The program will offer students a selection of 10 courses across three themes: History of Art, The Universe of Gemstones, and Savoir Faire. From the origins to the present, History of Art module students will discover the major aesthetic sources and the symbols which are part of the wonderful world of Jewelry. Thanks to the Universe of Gemstones courses, students will plunge to the heart of the earth to discover the origin and evolution of its treasures: the gemstones. They will learn how to distinguish precious stones and how to manipulate them. The Savoir Faire courses will virtually transport students to the workshops of Van Cleef & Arpels, to explore, admire and experience the craftsmanship behind High Jewelry and Watchmaking creations. L’ÉCOLE Van Cleef & Arpels will be the first event of its kind to be held at this recently-revitalized historical landmark, locating in the heart of the city.
(Source: L’ÉCOLE Van Cleef & Arpels)