From Paris to Dubai, Shanghai to Hong Kong, L'ÉCOLE's exhibitions, talks, courses, children's workshops, publications and podcasts highlight the many facets of the mineral world.
Gemology, cultural history, gem cutting skills and artistic creations inspired by gems are all touched upon in this educational journey aimed at all audiences.
What could be more exciting than learning about the origins of minerals in all their varied shapes, colors and appearances?
New course in Paris and Hong Kong: "The Lesotho Legend"
Starting in November 2025
The new course dedicated to the "Lesotho Legend," an exceptional rough diamond weighing 910 carats, retraces the phases of its history: its geological formation, its extraction in Lesotho, its complex cutting in Antwerp, and finally its majestic appearance in the "Legend of Diamonds by Van Cleef & Arpels" High Jewelry collection in 2022.
"Journey with Minerals" exhibition in Shanghai
From November 25th, 2025 to March 29th, 2026
Conceived in partnership with the Musée de Minéralogie de l’Ecole des Mines (Mines Paris-PSL), the exhibition features an exceptional selection of minerals, notably jadeite and malachite, which play prominent roles in Chinese culture. Visitors will be guided in a five-part exploration of materials, jewelry, technology, art and space, with the last section featuring the famous Esquel meteorite, a pallasite found in Argentina in 1951.
Discover Gems
To find out more, L'ÉCOLE recommends you read the book Discover Gems, written by François Farges, scientific director of the gem and objets d'art collections at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, and Olivier Segura, gemologist and managing director of the Hong Kong campus.
Gems have always traveled. Sought after for their beauty and rarity, they have served as vehicles for many cultural traditions and much symbolism.
New diamond cultural program in Hong Kong
Starting November 22nd, 2025
The new diamond cultural program includes courses and talks on gemstones’ trade routes and their development in Hong Kong, as well as on legendary and colored diamonds. Dedicated days will enable visitors to discover the different facets of diamonds, from rough to cut, while film screenings will illustrate the subject.
New season of the podcast "Voice of Jewels"
Starting October 16th, 2025
Discover a new four-episode season on emeralds. The listener will follow along on an exciting journey, from ancient Rome to Persia via China and a procession through the streets of Bogotá.
L'ÉCOLE is particularly committed to ensuring the continuity of jewelry-making techniques such as stone-cutting and setting, including giving its students their turn at the workbench.
New course in Paris: "The Gouaché in High Jewelry 3: Materials"
Starting in March 2026
Focused on how to render materials, this course completes the series, the first two courses of which were dedicated to rendering color and light (both available in Hong Kong).
Workshops for young people
Young visitors are also invited to discover the world of gems through a series of creative workshops.
The Art of the Jeweler - Excellence and Craftsmanship
The book The Art of the Jeweler - Excellence and Craftsmanship by Guillaume Glorieux, Director of Teaching and Research at L'ÉCOLE, opens the doors of the workshops and explores the birth of a jewel, from the first sketch to the final polish.
L'ÉCOLE takes a keen interest in the imaginary world inspired and nurtured by gems as the jeweler’s muse.
"Stones and Reveries: The Poetry and Minerals of Roger Caillois" exhibition in Paris
From November 6th, 2025 to March 29th, 2026
Produced in partnership with the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (MNHN), this exhibition, featuring more than 200 exceptional specimens, many of them shown for the first time, offers a novel approach between science and art.
"Poetry of Birds" exhibition in Dubai
From November 6th, 2025 to April 25th, 2026
Gemstones meet the jeweler's imagination in a comparison of Western production in the 19th and 20th centuries, referencing such major names as Van Cleef & Arpels and Cartier and older houses like Boivin, as well as Islamic art. The exhibition is enriched by loans of ceramics, miniatures and carpets from the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilizations.
Anagogical Gemstones and Dédale
The "Stones and Reveries" exhibition is accompanied by a publication, Pierres anagogiques (Anagogical Gemstones), a collection of previously unpublished texts by Roger Caillois, which stem from a new collaboration between L'ÉCOLE and Éditions Gallimard.
In 2025, L'ÉCOLE unveiled Dédale, its first trilingual illustrated literary collection, designed with the Italian publishing house Franco Maria Ricci (FMR), one of whose earliest titles is Laura: A Journey Into the Crystal by George Sand.
"Jewels and Literature", a digital dossier
Previously, a curatorial project initiated by L'ÉCOLE's Research department in partnership with the Bibliothèque nationale de France in 2024 gave rise to a rich virtual dossier dedicated to the study of the links between jewelry and literature.
