Ruby has long been touted as one of the most popular coloured gemstones the world over. For jewellery and gemstone collectors, it is adored for its durability and aesthetic appeal. For gemologists, it is a testament to the wonders of Mother Nature, revealing the Earth’s history through its formation and inclusions that lie within.
To celebrate the natural beauty and longstanding history of rubies, L’ÉCOLE Asia Pacific, School of Jewelry Arts, presents ‘Ruby’ – its first exhibition at Les Jardins Secrets (translated to mean ‘Secret Garden’) by Van Cleef & Arpels in Raffles Hotel Singapore.
Introduced as part of the Discover the Gemstones series, the exhibition will run from July 29th to October 20th at the intimate space that was unveiled earlier this year. It will take visitors on an insightful journey into the world of rubies to observe the gems in their natural state, from the depths of the earth to the meticulous care of lapidaries.
There are more than 20 exhibits on display, giving visitors a glimpse of the different origins and forms of ruby. This includes rough mineral specimens from Lotus Gemology, Pala International, and the collection of L’ÉCOLE – tracing the path of these precious stones long before they adorn the finest jewellery creations while illustrating the marriage between nature’s gift and human creativity.
Visitors will also be able to take a closer look at a selection of archival documents and High Jewellery creations from the Van Cleef & Arpels Collection, featuring rubies as big as 20 carats. One of the most stunning pieces on display is a collar necklace from 1936, adorned with platinum, rubies, and baguette-cut diamonds. Next to it is a matching fan-shaped double clip, a 1937 creation that’s transformable into two individual clips.
Additionally, the exhibition puts exceptional loans from private collectors in the spotlight. The showstopper here is a Cadeau Imperial high jewellery necklace, comprising white natural pearls with a central diamond framed by rubies set in the house’s signature Mystery Setting. This patented grid-like design involves a painstaking process that truly highlights the maison’s attention to craftsmanship.
That’s not all – visitors can also try their hand at photomicrography, where they can observe the ruby’s fascinating inclusions through a microscope and capture a photo that can be saved directly onto their phones via a QR code as a memento of their visit. To spark their imagination and creativity, the exhibition also features the remarkable works of Billie Hughes, an award-winning photomicrographer and gemologist at Lotus Gemology.
Whether you’re a gemstone enthusiast, jewellery lover or simply looking for things to do in Singapore, this exhibition promises to immerse you in the enchanting universe of the ruby.
Take an exclusive look inside the exhibition in our video below:
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The Ruby, Discover the Gemstones exhibition is open for public viewing at Les Jardins Secrets by Van Cleef & Arpels at Raffles Hotel Singapore from 29 July to 20 October 2024. Admission is free but registration is encouraged here.