From the Pope's Tiara to Marie-Antoinette's Artefacts, Discover's Chaumet Incredible History

Les Mondes de Chaumet explores the vast and multi-facetted universe of the French maison How does one distill the essence of a company that dates back to 1780 into eight chapters? It is a mammoth task, but the team at French jeweller Chaumet has adeptly risen to the challenge with Les Mondes de Chaumet exhibition that recently opened at the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum in Tokyo, until September 17, 2018 The exhibition explores the storied legacy of the French maison, and divides its varying themes, inspirations, and jewels into eight distinct chapters that recount its history in the context of the world, corroborated by bejewelled examples from its substantial archives.

The history of the French jeweller is intrinsically linked to Napoléon and his reign as an emperor, and a significant portion of the chapters delve into the landmark appointment of Marie-Étienne Nitot as court jeweller Perhaps the room that elicited the most gasps was the one with all the tiaras Lining the wall were some hundred-odd tiara moulds that the jeweller had made, and opposite, guarded safely within glass displays, was a wealth of crowns for the aristocratic class.

Whittling down to our favourite pieces from 300 jewels, artefacts and art on display was certainly not easy, but here are five that should not be missed, for their aesthetic beauty and their historical significance. . Source