While struggles continue at the mining and trading end of the pipeline, consumer demand for diamond jewelry is holding steady.
Van Cleef’s L’Ecole Back in NYC This Fall
The educational program open to the public will include courses and exhibitions, plus workshops for children and teens.

New York—Van Cleef & Arpels is bringing its L’ecole, School of Jewelry Arts, back to New York City this fall.
Happening between Oct. 24 and Nov. 9, the fall 2018 programming comprises 15 courses for adults, four workshops geared specifically for children and teenagers, six expert discussions and three exhibitions.
Classes will include a historical and gemological survey of engagement rings, a workshop on Japanese urushi lacquer and two separate offerings on gouaché painting and its historical role in jewelry.
All classes may be taken individually, without prerequisite and in no particular sequence; each will be offered multiple times throughout the two-and-a-half-week program to best fit students’ schedules.
Every course will fall into the general category of “art history of jewelry,” the “universe of gemstones” or “savoir-faire,” the latter involving working with materials and tools.
Class sizes are capped at 12 students per session and range in price from $125 to $150. Between two and four experts in the field will lead the classes, which will last two to four hours.
Creative courses geared toward children and teens, meanwhile, will only cost $15 and last two hours.
“Traditionally, the jewelry arts have been rooted in the expertise of a select few and passed down through direct apprenticeship,” said L’Ecole President Marie Vallanet-Delhom. “L’Ecole’s programs break down barriers to the vast and enchanting world of jewelry for everyone. Whether you’re a collector or wear only your wedding band, whether you’re an engineer, a painter, or a school teacher, you’ll learn directly from our experts and the only prerequisite is a desire to learn.”
Three exhibitions also will be free to the public during the duration of L’Ecole.
“Daniel Brush: Cuffs and Necks” will display two new series of work by the American artist and metalworker: a grouping of 117 chokers and a set of 72 bangles, the latter inspired by the bracelet’s cultural role in India.
“Through the Eyes of a Connoisseur” will feature a private New York City jewelry collection that encompasses works from the 19th century through the 1960s.
Lastly, “The Fabulous Destiny of Tavernier’s Diamonds: From the Great Mogul to the Sun King” will present replicas of 20 important diamonds out of the hundreds that one traveling merchant sold to Louis XIV in 1668, all of which have been lost with the exception of the Hope Diamond.
In addition to the above programming, six lectures will take place, three of
A more detailed list of courses and education will be listed on the L’Ecole website in August.
L’Ecole, School of Jewelry Arts, with support from Van Cleef & Arpels, was founded in 2012 and hosts monthly classes in Paris, held in both French and English.
The institution also offers programming in international cities and came to New York previously in 2015, though it’s held special one-off discussions in the city since.
“We are proud to support L’Ecole’s broad educational mission, providing object-based learning in the jewelry arts around the world,” said Van Cleef & Arpels Global President and CEO Nicolas Bos.
“Anyone can learn to determine the difference between related stones, admire the craftsmanship that goes into each detail in a setting and discover the symbolic references that inspire the great designs of today.”
L’Ecole, School of Jewelry Arts, will be held at 2 East 63rd Street.
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