Beautiful Virgin Islands

Sunday, Jul 06, 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

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×