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Recreating Gesture: The Replica of a Gold Necklace from the Iron Age, presented by L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts in Shanghai

 

September 1, 2026

Recreating Gesture: The Replica of a Gold Necklace from the Iron Age, presented by L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts in Shanghai. Van Cleef & Arpels.

L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts, supported by Van Cleef & Arpels, presents this unique research project from August 4th to October 7th, 2026. After its initial display in Paris and its nomadic showcase in Seoul, this new exhibition will be showcased at the Twin Villas in Shanghai. It focuses on an remarkable experimental archaeology project involving the recreation of a Celtic gold torque, created over 2,000 years ago, to rediscover ancient techniques and early craftsmanship. While preserving the content of the original presentation, the Shanghai exhibition proposes a specially designed interactive experience for everyone. L’ÉCOLE will also offer interactive educational spaces and cultural programs to provide local audiences with hands-on experience in goldsmithing heritage.

Interpreting History through Gestures

L’ÉCOLE's research initiative on the Celtic Torque of Montans is a collaborative, multi-temporal, and multi-cultural experimental archaeology project. It aims to recreate a Celtic gold torque, discovered in Montans (France) in 1843, which dates from the Second Iron Age (450–25 BCE) and showcases the intricate goldwork and technical mastery of its time. The project was initiated by Barbara Armbruster (from the Centre National de Recherche Scientifique), the Centre Archéologique de Montans, and the Musée d’Archéologie Nationale, in partnership with Van Cleef & Arpels and L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts.

Tools and Mastery

 

The first floor of the Twin Villas exhibition features the faithfully reproduced 24K gold torque, displayed alongside the tools and materials used in its creation, detailing each step of the process. Documentary films about the recreation of the Montans Torque are also screened, with archaeologists, goldsmiths, and researchers discussing Celtic metalworking, the torque's social symbolism, and its complex fabrication techniques. Visitors can watch videos, discover native gold, read books, and listen to podcasts, indulging in the delight of discovery.

 

The experience highlights the crucial contribution of craftsmanship to understanding historical objects, emphasizing that artisans' gestures and skills are vital complements to academic studies, enriching art history and archaeology.

 

Trial pieces in gold and elements from the first replica placed over a photograph of the original printed on graph paper

Experimental trial pieces in silver by Antoine Legouy, forms in boxwood, and tools

Repoussé chasing on a crown held on a chaser's pitch pot

Embark on this extraordinary journey in Shanghai and uncover the beauty, history, and craftsmanship behind the Celtic Torque of Montans. 

  • Recreating Gesture: The Replica of a Gold Necklace from the Iron Age

     

    From 4th August to 7th October, 2026

     

    L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts in Shanghai

    Supported by Van Cleef & Arpels

    Twin Villas, No.796, Middle Huaihai Road, Shanghai

     

    From Tuesday to Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

    Except for special closures