Biennale des Antiquaires: what to expect from the most prestigious event in the jewellery calendar

Taking part in the Biennale des Antiquaires are 14 of the world's greatest jewellers, including newcomers Giampiero Bodino, David Morris and Graff Diamonds.

03 July 2014
Giampiero Bodino Tesori del Mare Vesta Collection necklace in yellow and white gold with black rhodium plating, with yellow and orange sapphires, rubies, Tahitian cultured pearls and red and black spinels.

This September the crème de la crème of international jewellery and art collectors will once again descend on the Grand Palais in Paris for the 27th Biennale des Antiquaires.

As always they are in for a real treat, with both the fair organisers and the exhibitors pulling out all the stops for what is arguably the most prestigious and significant European salon.

Acclaimed French interior designer Jacques Grange will recreate the Versailles Gardens under the iconic Grand Palais glass dome, with help from the gardeners of Château de Versailles and Trianon.

Representing the quintessence of French 'art de vivre', the Biennale is a feast for the senses, with objects of breathtaking beauty waiting around each corner.

This year's edition may be smaller than the previous installment, with just over 80 exhibitors compared to 150 in 2012, but the focus is very much on quality, not quantity. In total, 14 fine jewellers are taking part, including newcomers Graff Diamonds, David Morris, Alexandre Reza and Giampiero Bodino. They will be joined by Biennale regulars Boucheron, Bulgari, Cartier, Chanel, Chaumet, Dior, Piaget, Siegelson, Van Cleef & Arpels and Wallace Chan.

A healthy sprinkling of celebrities will also be rubbing shoulders with the connoisseurs of the art world. In the past the Biennale has been visited by the likes of Salma Hayek-Pinault, Sophie Marceau, Charlotte Casiraghi and, of course, Karl Lagerfeld, who designed the backdrop for the 2012 Biennale.

In the run-up to the event, which takes place from 11-21 September, there will be two gala dinners prepared by renowned French chefs. An exclusive charity dinner with Michelin-starred chef Michel Guerard will be held at Versailles on 7 September, with proceeds going to the restoration of Bosquet de la Reine, the national domain of the Chateau de Versailles.

It will be followed by a private gala dinner for the exhibitors, their clients and SNA members on 9 September, with the menu prepared by another Michelin-starred chef, Michel Roth, director of the kitchens of the Ritz. Profits will be donated to the Fondation Hopitaux de Paris, a charity chaired by Mrs Jacques Chirac.

To read more stories on the Biennale de Paris this September, please click here.

 

  • Biennale des Antiquaires' Artistic Director Jacques Grange is collaborating with the gardeners of the Château de Versailles et de Trianon for the 2014 edition of the Biennale. Image by: Eric Jansen
    Biennale des Antiquaires' Artistic Director Jacques Grange is collaborating with the gardeners of the Château de Versailles et de Trianon for the 2014 edition of the Biennale. Image by: Eric Jansen
  • An artist's impression of what the inside of the Grand Palais will look like for the 2014 Biennale des Antiquaires, inspired by the Gardens of Versailles.
    An artist's impression of what the inside of the Grand Palais will look like for the 2014 Biennale des Antiquaires, inspired by the Gardens of Versailles.
  • A three-dimensional rock crystal dome, carved from a solid piece of rock crystal, is a window into Boucheron's extraordinary Cristal de Lune jewellery watch, which will be appearing at the Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris this autumn.
    A three-dimensional rock crystal dome, carved from a solid piece of rock crystal, is a window into Boucheron's extraordinary Cristal de Lune jewellery watch, which will be appearing at the Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris this autumn.
  • The raw rock crystal from which the domes that cover the front and reverse of Boucheron's Cristal de Lune jewellery watch were carved
    The raw rock crystal from which the domes that cover the front and reverse of Boucheron's Cristal de Lune jewellery watch were carved.
  • After a 12-year absence, Graff is returning to the Biennale in 2014 with a collection of one-off jewels, including this nature-inspired sapphire and diamond necklace, created especially for the occasion.
    After a 12-year absence, Graff is returning to the Biennale in 2014 with a collection of one-off jewels, including this nature-inspired sapphire and diamond necklace, created especially for the occasion.
  • Giampiero Bodino Tesori del Mare Vesta Collection necklace in yellow and white gold with black rhodium plating, with yellow and orange sapphires, rubies, Tahitian cultured pearls and red and black spinels.
    Giampiero Bodino Tesori del Mare Vesta Collection necklace in yellow and white gold with black rhodium plating, with yellow and orange sapphires, rubies, Tahitian cultured pearls and red and black spinels.

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