Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

All that glitters: Hong Kong Palace Museum explores bond between women and jewellery

All that glitters: Hong Kong Palace Museum explores bond between women and jewellery

‘Cartier and Women’ highlights impact of Chinese aesthetics on women’s lifestyles and fashion around the world, museum director says.

The Hong Kong Palace Museum will display about 300 pieces of women’s jewellery, accessories and other precious objects created by Cartier starting from Friday, after four and a half years of preparation by the curator.

Apart from celebrating the influence of women on the French jewellery house through creations spanning the 19th century to the present day, the four-month showcase “Cartier and Women” would highlight the impact of Chinese aesthetics on women’s lifestyles and fashion, said Louis Ng Chi-wa, director of the museum on Tuesday.

Ng said he hoped the exhibition would convey to visitors the changes in women’s lives and social status, as well as the influence of the elements of different countries on jewellery design and creation.

“This exhibition implements the founding philosophy of the museum, that is, we promote dialogue and exchanges between different civilisations and connect China with the outside world,” he said. “Economic and cultural exchanges around the world began to resume after the Covid-19 pandemic. This exhibition shows the importance of cultural exchange and Hong Kong’s ability to promote international cultural events and attract Chinese and foreign tourists.”

Divided into four sections, the exhibition delves into the stories of the bond between women and jewellery, focusing on how Chinese art and culture inspired Cartier’s creation in areas such as style, motif, materials and craftsmanship.

Daisy Wang Yiyou, deputy director of curatorial and programming for the museum, said it selected items influenced by China because the institution was committed to the study and appreciation of the country’s art and culture and enhancing the city’s status as a hub for exchange.

“This exhibition is about cultural exchanges between China and the world, in particular Europe and France,” she said.

The first section, “Royal and Aristocratic Women: Elegance and Prestige”, highlights the role of women from nobility and the social elite in the early history of Cartier in the 19th century.

Among the artefacts on display are items owned by Princess Mathilde Bonaparte, who was Cartier’s first royal patron, and Princess Marie Bonaparte, niece and great-grandniece, respectively, of the French emperor Napoleon.

The second section, “New Women: Breaking with Tradition”, explores developments in jewellery design. It features Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier’s first female creative director who revolutionised modern and contemporary jewellery and her creations.

One of her pieces on display is a panther clip brooch made of platinum, white gold, diamonds and sapphires. Made in 1949 for the Duchess of Windsor, it is said to represent women’s strong personalities and rising status.

This Panther clip brooch was created by Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier’s first female creative director.


Also on display is a necklace made of 27 large jadeite beads as a wedding gift for American socialite Barbara Hutton in 1934. Jade has been a symbol of wealth and status in Chinese decorative art, and Wang said the heiress had been interested in the country.

More elements of Chinese art and other places can be found in the exhibition’s third section, “Inquisitive Women: Cross-cultural Inspirations”, where artefacts such as a Chinese-style vanity case made in 1928 are on display.

The case, made of gold, platinum, coral, jade, diamonds and other precious materials, features a garden scene with a lady on the inlaid plaque, which was modelled on a Chinese porcelain plate produced during Emperor Kangxi’s rule (1662-1722).

Brigitte Lin loaned this tiara to the museum for its new exhibition.


The fourth section, “Influential Women: Glamorous Legends”, explores the relationship between jewellery and female icons in modern and contemporary times, featuring items from the collections of Hong Kong and international celebrities.

Highlights include pieces owned by American actress and princess of Monaco Grace Kelly and Hollywood star Elizabeth Taylor.

The section also features precious items from personal collections of famous Hong Kong actresses Brigitte Lin Ching-hsia and Carina Lau Ka-ling, including a tiara made in 1919 of platinum and diamonds, and a 1906 tiara, respectively, as well as exhibits from billionaire businesswoman Pansy Ho Chiu-king.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Iranian Director Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d'Or at Cannes
Israeli Airstrike Kills Nine Children of Gaza Doctor
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Erupts Again, Spewing Ash Cloud over Flores Island
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×