Hong Kong jewellery lovers can get close to some of the world’s finest pieces in Central this week

Gilles Zalulyan, owner of Palais Royal Paris gallery, has spent the past 20 years of his career scouring the world for the finest jewellery pieces. Working with private owners as well as professional dealers, he has laid his eyes on some of the world’s most opulent pieces.

The shoot: statement pieces from the spring 2016 high-jewellery collections

All this experience and passion has come together this month, with Palais Royal Paris inviting the general public to learn more about such fine craftsmanship at its Central showroom. Until May 21, guests with an interest in history, jewellery and art can view the pieces in person while on a private tour of the exhibition. The exhibition offers a glimpse into high-end jewellery from 1900 to 1980, with names such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Mauboussin, Sterlé and Boucheron.

“We decided to hold this exhibition because there is a noticeable rise in public interest for historical jewellery over the past few years. For example, a piece we saw in 2006 would auction for US$20,000 to US$25,000. But in the past few years, that same piece would now fetch US$50,000 to US$60,000. This rise in price shows there is more interest from collectors,” says Zalulyan.

He adds: “The pieces on show are all now considered extremely rare. For example, finding jewellery pieces from a French jewellery house such as Lalique used to be much easier, and we would find about one piece per month. That said, nowadays it’s become so rare to find them that maybe we will stumble across two pieces a year – just maybe.”

Pieces on offer are all made by hand, and provide a glimpse into the different moods and sensibilities of each decade. For example, jewellery from the Edwardian era is characterised by a traditional and regal design. This contrasts with the style of art deco jewellery just 10 years later, which features bold, graphic shapes.