By Natalie White

Van Cleef & Arpels is set to showcase its exquisite jewellery and the Maison's links to precious minerals in an upcoming exhibition entitle "Van Cleef & Arpels: The Art and Science of Gems" at the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands from 23 April 2016.

Over 400  jewellery pieces from Van Cleef & Arpels and 250 minerals from the French National Museum of Natural History Collection will be on display.

A first for Van Cleef & Arpels, the exhibition will feature two complementing routes to showcase the intersection between the science of mineralogy and the art of jewellery making: one route unearths the evolution of minerals from the deep Earth to its surface, and the other presents the transformation of these minerals into precious works of art in the hands of the Maison’s best craftsmen, known as the "Mains d’OrTM".

Documenting over 100 years of history, this is the largest heritage exhibition by Van Cleef & Arpels, held in collaboration with French National Museum of Natural History.

Drawn from the jeweller's archive collection, as well as loaned private collectors globally, the pieces on display blends art, craft, history and geoscience with the elegance and style that characterises its rich heritage.

These include seven defining themes: couture, abstractions, influences, precious objects, nature, ballerinas and fairies, and icons.

Natural treasures and scientific artefacts from Minerals and Gems Collection of the French National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France will also be shown.

One of Van Cleef & Arpels’ most striking special orders is a flying bird carrying a briolette-cut yellow diamond of 96.62 carats. In the 1930s, this unique gem belonged to the opera singer and socialite Ganna Walska, who wore it as a pendant. In keeping with Van Cleef & Arpels’ tradition of transformability, the bird can also metamorphose into a pair of winged earrings and even a brooch, while the magnificent yellow diamond can be detached from the clip and worn alone as a pendant.

"The history of Van Cleef & Arpels – which began in 1906 in Paris, the cradle of French High Jewellery – reflects over a century of creative and inventive jewellery making."

"The pieces brought together for this exhibition express the diversity of the Maison's styles and sources of inspiration, along with the excellence of its savoir-faire and its passion for precious stones. They provide a perfect illustration of 'The Art and Science of Gems'," said Nicolas Bos, President and CEO, Van Cleef & Arpels.

More photos here.