The Pearl, Queen of Art Deco (In-Person Conversation)

With its shape, color and even its symbolism, the pearl was the ideal icon for the modern woman of the era who was declaring and claiming her newly earned rights: freedom to change and to live life as she chose, to work, to create, to dance. In the world of liberated flappers and jazz, with the powerful graphism of Art Deco, pitting the stark black against the white in contrast, pearls played a leading role.

This talk will take you on a journey through Paris, New York and Tokyo at a very special time in history, when women adorned themselves profusely with pearls in a veritable "perlomania"!

Please note that the exhibition "Paris, City of Pearls" will remain open from 7pm to 8pm and will be accessible to the conversation attendees.

With Inezita Gay-Eckel, Art Historian & Lecturer at L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts 
& Sungmoon Cho, Art Historian & Lecturer at L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts

In-Person Conversation (in French): 
Tuesday, May 20th, 2025
7.30pm - 8pm: Cocktail 
8pm - 9pm: Conversation in French
at L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts
Hôtel de Mercy-Argenteau, 16 bis boulevard Montmartre, 75009 Paris 

Photo:
Van Cleef & Arpels, vanity case, c. 1925 
Yellow gold, natural pearls, enamel, diamonds 
Collection Van Cleef & Arpels

Brought together by their curiosity and love of jewelry culture, speakers and listeners are invited to meet at a cocktail reception preceding the talk. Often initiated during this convivial moment, exchanges prove to be as spontaneous as they are instructive. They continue to grow throughout the talk, which is organized around L'ÉCOLE's three main pillars: the History of Jewelry, the World of Gemstones and the Savoir-Faire.

Participating in these conversations hosted by L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts allows you to join a community of curious enthusiasts eager to discover and learn.