Chinese culture sparkles in French jewelry

"That exhibition is still widely remembered and praised by the public because it was among the earliest of its type on the Chinese mainland that audiences could appreciate a lot of fine jewelry from abroad. It made Cartier a household name in China," says Chu Xiaobo, director of the Shanghai Museum.

The ongoing exhibition has "gone beyond just a regular jewelry show", Chu says, "because, in the curatorial work, we are more aware of our cultural heritage and manage to reflect its influence".

"I believe many visitors will find that Chinese culture has somehow nourished Cartier, or maybe Cartier's philosophy of transcending jewelry artistry to create timeless works of art closely mirrors the enduring values of ancient Chinese art with subtlety and profound harmony," he says.

Thirty-four sets of Chinese artworks are on display at this exhibition along with jewelry pieces. Visitors will find Cartier tiaras made in the early 1900s on display alongside a Chinese gold crown with gems dating from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), and the brand's signature panther brooch sitting by a pair of gold and silver inlaid bronze panther weights also from the Han Dynasty.