Upcoming Exhibition

Exhibition "Recreating Gesture: the Replica of the Celtic Torque of Montans"

Lyon, France 24.11.2025 — 30.11.2025
Exposition Torque

Intercontinental Lyon Hôtel Dieu

20 quai Jules Courmont
69002 Lyon

 

From November 24th to 30th, 2025 

 

Access to the exhibition is included in the entrance ticket to "de Mains en mains" (bookings open in September).

Exhibition "Recreating Gesture: the Replica of the Celtic Torque of Montans"

L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts is presenting a radically new research project at the crossroads of archaeology and the history of techniques: the replica of the Celtic Torque of Montans.

The aim of this collaborative adventure in experimental archeology was to achieve an understanding of the skills and techniques of a given period by reproducing the object studied. In this case, it is a Celtic neck collar discovered in 1843 at Montans in the Tarn region and dating back over 2,000 years.

Discover this utterly unique exhibition, created in partnership with the Centre archéologique de Montans and the Musée d’Archéologie nationale, and made possible thanks to the work of Antoine Legouy, Goldsmith master chaser and Meilleur Ouvrier de France and of Grégory Weinstock, Van Cleef & Arpels' Director of High Jewelry Métiers.

Antoine Legouy, the goldsmith and chaser in charge of replicating the Torque of Montans

Antoine Legouy, the goldsmith-chaser in charge of replicating the Torque of Montans

© Guillaume Levelu Guil Photographie
Antoine Legouy, the goldsmith and chaser in charge of replicating the Torque of Montanss

Twisting the gold wire

© Guillaume Levelu Guil Photographie
Antoine Legouy, the goldsmith and chaser in charge of replicating the Torque of Montans

Chasing the stamp on the pitch bowl

© Guillaume Levelu Guil Photographie
Antoine Legouy, the goldsmith and chaser in charge of replicating the Torque of Montanss

Annealing the stamp

© Guillaume Levelu Guil Photographie
Antoine Legouy, the goldsmith and chaser in charge of replicating the Torque of Montans

Chasing the crown on the pitch bowl

© Guillaume Levelu Guil Photographie
Antoine Legouy, the goldsmith and chaser in charge of replicating the Torque of Montans

Chasing the crown, annealing and adjusting curvature

© Guillaume Levelu Guil Photographie
Antoine Legouy, the goldsmith and chaser in charge of replicating the Torque of Montans

Work of the crown on the bickern

© Guillaume Levelu Guil Photographie
Antoine Legouy, the goldsmith and chaser in charge of replicating the Torque of Montans

Assembling the stamp and the crown

© Guillaume Levelu Guil Photographie
Antoine Legouy, the goldsmith and chaser in charge of replicating the Torque of Montans

Soldering the twist to the stamp

© Guillaume Levelu Guil Photographie