Divine Jewels: The Pursuit Of Beauty

Founder of the Albion Art Jewelry Institute in Tokyo, Kazumi Arikawa has devoted his life to the pursuit of the finest gems and rarest jewels, with a predilection for the royal jewels of Europe. From the Hellenistic period to the 1940s, his collection includes intricately carved cameos and intaglios, nature-inspired jewels reflecting the refined aesthetic of Japanism, and one of the world's finest ensembles of historical tiaras.

The result of an original literary and artistic collaboration between the collector and Diana Scarisbrick, a specialist in the history of jewellery, this book presents a selection of the finest jewels in the Arikawa collection. Each carefully documented chapter offers a dialogue between the historian's scientific approach and the collector's visions and knowledge. This unique cross-view explores the many facets of the subject, celebrating the history of jewellery and the skills involved, as well as the prestigious provenance, the preciousness of the gems and the cultural significance of the jewellery.

To coincide with the publication of this book, an exhibition of some twenty works from the Arikawa collection will be held at the École des Arts joailliers, Paris, 19-26 September 2024