Exhibition "Garden of Emeralds"

Each year, L’ÉCOLE Middle East will host free temporary exhibitions, as part of its aim to spread the world of jewelry to as many people as possible. The inaugural exhibition dedicated to the emerald, “Garden of Emeralds”, will reveal the many secrets and mysteries of this gemstone to the public.

Emeralds, aquamarines, morganites and heliodors, all varieties of the large beryl gemstone family used in jewelry and appreciated by gem lovers. Their great diversity of colors, from the most vivid to the most subtle, offers designers and collectors a unique palette. However, emerald remains the most coveted, the most prized and certainly the most studied. Since ancient times, and as newer deposits have been discovered, emeralds have fueled the imagination and creation of jewelers. They have nurtured the symbolism that comes with the color green, first and foremost that of nature, but also of power, whether religious, military or social. Legend has it that the emperor Nero had emerald glasses specially made to soothe his eyes when he attended gladiator fights.

Photo: Moile-Banner-Van Cleef & Arpels, Collaret, 1929, platinum, emeralds, diamonds - in the former collection of Her Royal Highness Princess Faiza of Egypt 

The “Garden of Emeralds” exhibition, part of the “Discover the gemstones” series, presents the research carried out by L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts on emeralds, with the aim of introducing as many people as possible to the scientific, cultural, artistic and technical aspects of this gem. The tour takes visitors from the depths of the earth, where the unlikely union of elements gives birth to emerald crystal, to the workshops, where it is shaped and worked by expert hands to reveal its color, intensity and beauty. Lapidaries, designers, gem setters and jewelers all work together to create the most beautiful pieces of jewelry, and they all have a special relationship with emerald.

The “Garden of Emeralds” exhibition, presented in Dubai, inaugurates the 4th permanent campus of L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts, after Paris, Hong Kong and Shanghai. With a presence in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts continues its mission of spreading jewelry culture to the widest possible audience, through courses, conferences, publications and exhibitions.