Voice of Jewels

[Back to School] Far from being round and regular, “baroque pearls” have strange and unique shapes. Long considered wonders of nature, they inspired goldsmiths throughout the Renaissance and into the Baroque and Neo-Classical periods. Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici, known as the last descendent of the House of Medici, had a passion for such pearls. Voice of Jewels, a podcast from L’ÉCOLE, School of J...

[Back to School] Where do new ideas come from? What is the genesis of those masterpieces that have redefined Modernity? At the beginning of the 20th century, a revolutionary artistic movement emerged, with the ambition of changing everything. This movement was Art Deco. A new style, with clean, pure lines that owes its name to an event with global repercussions, held in Paris in 1925: The Internat...

[Back to School] It's well known that the sword is the prerogative of knights and musketeers. But did you know that the weapon could also be transformed into a living symbol of the talents of men and women of letters? And sometimes even into exceptional pieces of jewellery... In 1955, Jean Cocteau faced a major challenge: to become the first academician to design his own sword. Voice of Jewels, a...

[Back to School] Some superheroes draw their powers from precious stones. Well, gems, to be more precise. Gems that are endowed with the power to control time or space, or even the mind. This is the saga of an out of this world piece of jewelry that was first published in an American comic book in the early 70’s, and now brought to the silver screen by Marvel Studios. Six primordial stones which,...

September is here, ushering in a wind of change. For some, it’s back to schoolbags, notebooks… a promise of knowledge that can sparks vocations and sometimes changes lives! For others, it’s the season of novels, literary revelations, and ink-and-paper gems that leave a lasting mark.  To celebrate the new school year, Voice of Jewels invites you to brush up on your classics by revisiting episo...

[Summer of Epics] Some treasures disappear forever ... but others resurface. Like the sunken treasure of Belitung. Once submerged in a reef, somewhere in the Java Sea, the treasure now holds pride of place, in the heart of the Asian Civilizations Museum in Singapore. Presented in a display that evokes the benevolent and impetuous waves on which it once sailed, the Belitung Treasure contains remark...

[Summer of Epics] Pilots are sometimes superstitious, and Jackie Cochran, one of the first female pilots in the American Air Force, is no exception… She is never injured and never has an accident. Her luck seems endless. But there is a reason for this, a necklace assembling a variety of lucky charms into a single object. A charm necklace…a piece of jewelry said to bring good luck wherever its wear...

[Summer of Epics] In comics, jewels are often at the core of the plot. But they also may be the hero’s attribute like in the adventures of Corto Maltese, the famous romantic pirate born out of the imagination of Italian author Hugo Pratt in 1967. What turned Corto Maltese into an icon is precisely the jewel he always wears on his left ear : a gold hoop earring. Voice of Jewels, a podcast from L’ÉC...

[Summer of Epics] Many legends have been told about the gold of Pre-Columbian civilisations of the Americas. Imagine… Finding gold deep in the middle of the jungle is a dream that has long tantalized the Western world. The peoples of South America did leave traces and genuine treasures behind them… Among these wonders, there is an odd, striking piece which looks as sublime as it is frightening: th...

Summer is the season of getaways and grand adventures! It’s the perfect time for Voice of Jewels to whisk you far from home… across turquoise waters, into emerald-colored jungles, and even up into silver-tinted clouds!  Rediscover an impressive necklace made of golden claws, a lucky charm belonging to a fearless aviator, a pirate’s earring hiding a tender heart - and even a fabulous treasure,...

In Paris, in the 1920s, a myriad of languages ​​was spoken. Elegant ladies from all over the world flocked to the French capital to shop to their heart’s content. The city, a veritable crossroads of influences, drew inspiration from the most diverse sources. But if there was one country whose charms enchanted high society, it was China. Shanghai was on everyone’s lips. The exotic name made people...

Can jewelry be used as an instrument in liberation or a tool in the struggle for freedom?  It is the early 20th century. The world is abuzz with countless battles: those that tear nations apart, but also those for women’s rights. It is in this tumultuous context that the Art Deco movement emerges. The jewelry pieces born from this artistic movement become symbols of modernity, freedom, and au...

Movie stars have always worn jewelry. In the 1920s, the Art Deco style gradually took over red carpets and film reels. Worn by some of the greatest actresses of the day, from Louise Brooks to Brigitte Helm, Art-Deco jewelry was the epitome of modern beauty.  Raymond Templier, one of the leading jewelry-makers of that time, seized this opportunity to free his creations from tradition, and mark...

Where do new ideas come from? What is the genesis of those masterpieces that have redefined Modernity? At the beginning of the 20th century, a revolutionary artistic movement emerged, with the ambition of changing everything. This movement was Art Deco. A new style, with clean, pure lines that owes its name to an event with global repercussions, held in Paris in 1925: The International Exhibition...

Jewelry is often turned towards the future… In the interwar period, changes were stirring in the world of creative design. Jewelry was imbued with Modernity: radical forms, new materials, speed, lightness... These novel jewelry pieces reflected the changing standards of beauty. In this new season, Voice of Jewels takes listeners to the heart of a creative explosion, where daring women and secrets...

He is known as the most important American artist of the second half of the 20th century. A Pop icon par excellence, rumor has it that he once declared: “It would be glamorous to be reincarnated as a great big ring on Liz Taylor’s finger.” In a sense, that is exactly what he did. When he died, a veritable treasure trove was discovered, hidden in his apartment, including a small diamond heart conta...

Some treasures tell beautiful stories. Others are connected to tragedies... As is the case with the Jewish Treasure of Colmar. Hidden in dramatic circumstances, it was miraculously preserved. The treasure, comprising objects of a rare luxury, along with more modest items, is the witness to a past filled with darkness, but also with light. Voice of Jewels, a podcast from L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry...

Treasures have been found at the bottom of the sea, in the jungle, in fields … usually far removed from human habitation. But there have been some remarkable exceptions! A few feet underground, in the middle of one of London’s busiest streets, the Cheapside wooden chest managed to conceal its secrets for three hundred years. Without doubt, the most urban treasure story imaginable. Voice of Jewels,...

Some treasures disappear forever ... but others resurface. Like the sunken treasure of Belitung. Once submerged in a reef, somewhere in the Java Sea, the treasure now holds pride of place, in the heart of the Asian Civilizations Museum in Singapore. Presented in a display that evokes the benevolent and impetuous waves on which it once sailed, the Belitung Treasure contains remarkable riches. It is...

Swallowed by the sea, buried, hidden behind walls or concealed… True treasure troves have always known the best place to hide. And when to reappear and surprise us! Harboring tales worthy of an adventure novel, they often contain fascinating secrets. In this new season of The Voice of Jewels, we travel from the Java Sea to the entrails of London to medieval Colmar in the east of France… We even ma...

Some jewels have only ever existed in books, and this is probably why they are so famous. Tolkien’s rings are amongst those mythical jewels found only in fiction, created thanks to their talented author. However, Tolkien did in fact, attempt to anchor his iconic rings to a true story and it is possible that a very real jewel served as his inspiration. This is the story of a magic ring and a curse....

“It was in Megara, a suburb of Carthage, in the gardens of Hamilcar…” This is the opening sentence of Salammbô, Flaubert’s great historical novel, which has become a cult classic. Just like its heroine … the Carthaginian princess with dazzling finery and a tragic destiny. Salammbô was a profound source of inspiration to the artists of the Belle Époque and particularly, one of its avant-garde jewel...

In 1895, Sarah Bernhardt, then known as ‘the empress of the theatre’, had just acquired a theatre in Paris, on the Place du Châtelet: the Théâtre de la Renaissance. And to launch it, she needed a play. Or rather: a success. Sarah Bernhardt commissioned a young up-and-coming playwright, Edmond Rostand, to write a historical drama in her honour, entitled La Princesse lointaine. To further her triump...

It's well known that the sword is the prerogative of knights and musketeers. But did you know that the weapon could also be transformed into a living symbol of the talents of men and women of letters? And sometimes even into exceptional pieces of jewellery... In 1955, Jean Cocteau faced a major challenge: to become the first academician to design his own sword. Voice of Jewels, a podcast from L’ÉC...

Jewels can tell stories… they can also inspire them… The greatest writers, actresses, and poets have forged masterpieces from jewels, gems, and precious metals. While some pieces really exist, others do so only in the realm of the imagination. This new season of Voice of Jewels takes listeners on a journey of discovery… From a cursed gold ring to the sparkling crown of a princess in love to a most...