L’École Asia Pacific, School of Jewelry Arts runs courses on savoir-faire, the art history of jewellery and the world of gemstones. With 56,000 visitors, eight exhibitions and more than 80 conversations organised, it is marking five years in Hong Kong, its second permanent location.
For the new year, the campus is unveiling a new exhibition titled Shakudō: from Samurai Ornaments to Jewelry, running until April. Shakudō is an alloy composed of 94 per cent copper and 4 per cent gold, which gives it its red colour, and which is historically used in Japan to make the decorative elements of samurai swords. Featuring 36 jewellery pieces adorned with shakudō elements, the exhibition showcases works from a private collection merging European aesthetics and Japanese techniques.
We sat down with Olivier Segura, the managing director of the campus for the past year. The gemologist spoke about inspiring the next generation of jewellers and the institution’s vision to foster a deeper appreciation for the art of jewellery across Asia and beyond.
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L'École Asia Pacific, School of Jewelry Arts managing director Olivier Segura (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong / @Zed Leets)
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your work in jewellery arts and education? For L’École, the most rewarding aspect is when we receive young audiences. In France, a youngster, about 12 years old, attended one of our courses; we offer programmes for children starting at five or six years old, as well as for teenagers and adults. This young lady participated in a class focused on gems for teenagers and, after that, she engaged in various programmes we had for her age group. Eventually, she decided to become a jeweller—this was about eight to ten years ago, and now she is a professional jeweller.
While … she pursued specific courses at other schools in France, it’s possible that her initial interest was sparked by her experience at L’École. Ultimately, everything we do is for the public. The vast majority of our programmes are free, including exhibitions and [some] talks. We genuinely want to share knowledge. If individuals gain more understanding and discover their passion or find a career through our efforts, we are truly happy for them.
What inspired the choice of shakudō as the exhibition theme? At L’École, we strive to bring new topics and knowledge to our audience, not just about jewellery but also about the broader context of gemstones. This will be the first exhibition dedicated to shakudō worldwide, to my knowledge, and we are excited to showcase this unique aspect of jewellery arts for the first time.
The L’École Asia Pacific, School of Jewelry Arts campus in Hong Kong (Photo: courtesy of L’École Asia Pacific, School of Jewelry Arts)
How did the curation come about?For this exhibition, [the pieces come from] a single lender—a private collection from Paris. We were able to select a few pieces that truly represent our vision, spanning from samurai artefacts to contemporary jewellery. This collaboration is particularly special because the collector is passionate about sharing knowledge, not for profit but purely for the love of the craft. As collectors ourselves, we resonate with this mindset. We believe in sharing and deepening our understanding of specific topics, which is why we chose to focus on shakudō—an intriguing subject that isn’t widely known.
Which are your favourite pieces in this exhibition?One of my personal favourites is a brooch featuring small frogs. In Japan, frogs carry significant symbolism: they represent protection for travellers and are often depicted crossing rivers. As someone who travels frequently, I appreciate this meaning. The design is playful yet profound, showcasing the artistry of shakudō clearly. Moreover, there’s a humour in this piece that is quite evident, which is not always the case with jewellery. I believe that when people see it, they will feel a sense of joy and connection to the symbolism behind it.
A necklace with butterflies and gold and silver-gilt shakudō, made in the late 1800s in Japan, from a private collection (Photo: courtesy of L’École Asia Pacific, School of Jewelry Arts)
A broch with two samurai gold and silver-gilt shakudō, made in the late 1800s in Japan, from a private collection (Photo: courtesy of L’École Asia Pacific, School of Jewelry Arts)
How has L’École Asia Pacific contributed to the promotion of jewellery culture in the region? Over the past five years, we’ve aimed to bring more knowledge, emotion and passion to the world of jewellery. We strive to create meaningful connections between our experts and the audience. Our courses are designed to be intimate, with a maximum of ten participants, allowing for hands-on experiences. This set-up enables attendees to engage directly with our skilled craftsmen and experts.
With L’École’s recent expansion to Shanghai and Dubai, what role do you see the Hong Kong campus playing?It will play a crucial role in enhancing our network. We aim to work more closely with our audience, focusing on developing relevant research topics. Here, we not only transmit knowledge about jewellery but also create new insights. Previously, our research department was based in Paris but now we plan to develop local topics in partnership with universities and museums.
Additionally, as we expand our network of permanent campuses, we will also grow our community of experts. This allows us to organise knowledge exchange between experts from [the three cities]. By fostering these connections, we can shareinsights and experiences globally.
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