Cartier exhibition showcases vintage jewelry, timepieces in Seoul

Visitors are rushing to the 'Cartier, Crystallization of Time' exhibition in central Seoul to admire exquisite vintage jewelry and timepieces. The showcase celebrates Cartier's craftsmanship and artistic legacy.

A 2016 Cartier bracelet on view at the “Cartier, Crystallization of Time″ exhibition at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in central Seoul [CARTIER]

Visitors are rushing to catch last-minute glimpses of the high-end jewelry and timepieces on display at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), in central Seoul, during the final 11 days of the “Cartier, Crystallization of Time” exhibition. The show has sold more than 90,000 tickets, as of Wednesday, since its May 1 opening.

Cartier, through its first Korean showcase in 16 years, highlights the beauty of its jewelry and how it has stood the test of time. It is grandiose in scale and much more than a resume of 300 antique art pieces stemming as far back as the 1970s; it also educates its audience on the demanding techniques and varied materials that Cartier has used over the years.

A diamond snake Cartier necklace, on view at “Cartier, Crystallization of Time″ at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in central Seoul [CARTIER]

The retrospective on the French luxury conglomerate's vintage collection received widespread attention even before its opening, selling out some 24,000 early bird tickets. It has continued ranking highly in Interpark Ticket's exhibition category since.

The exhibition was organized by the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, and the Seoul Design Foundation, and curated by New Material Research Laboratory. The Japanese architecture studio arranged the venue, making heavy use of materials like stones and wood, in an attempt to make the visitors feel closer to nature.

Onjium, a Korean cultural heritage research institute specializing in clothing, food and housing, has created a Korean reinterpretation by incorporating of ra, a type of traditional sheer fabric gauze.

On Friday and Saturday, Onjium is holding workshops where visitors can make envelopes from ra at the DDP as part of the Cartier exhibition. Each session begins at 10 a.m. and lasts for about 90 minutes. More information is available on the show's website.

Visitors look at jewelry pieces at the “Cartier, Crystallization of Time″ exhibition at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in central Seoul on May 1. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Experts have praised “Cartier, Crystallization of Time” as an intricate representation of the conglomerate's philosophy and craftsmanship.

“This exhibition was made possible because the Cartier Collection boasts over a whopping 3,500 pieces,” Yoon Sung-won, a gemology professor at Hanyang University, told the JoongAng Ilbo. “The exhibition diverged from the usual chronological format and has opted for a unique theme.”

The Cartier Collection refers to vintage Cartier jewelry, timepieces and objects that were created between 1860 and the late 20th century. The brand bought back these pieces via routes such as auctions to display in exhibitions all over the world.

As most of these pieces are rarely shown to the public, the exhibition catalog proved to be popular as well — more than 1,000 have been sold.

“Cartier, Crystallization of Time” ends June 30. The DDP is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sunday. Hours extend to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are 18,000 won ($13) for adults, but a 50 percent sale is available on Interpark Ticket until the last day.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]