All questions

We encourage visitors to take pictures of the event. However, please do not photograph Van Cleef & Arpels craftsmen and experts wearing pink badges. 

The “de Mains en mains” exhibition is an original immersion into the Van Cleef & Arpels universe, designed as a captivating dialogue between the Maison's heritage creations and contemporary pieces. Intended to foster discovery of jewelry artistry and professions, every year the exhibition features a specially curated selection of stones.

The Savoir-Faire Pathway is a unique opportunity to attend live demonstrations by craftsmen from the Maison Van Cleef & Arpels. Students and teachers can ask questions, share impressions and discover the full complexity of jewelry creation.

Craft talks are workshops led by Van Cleef & Arpels craftsmen or employees to describe their career paths and daily work. These events are the perfect opportunity to ask any questions about the jewelry professions! 

Round tables are led by the Maison’s HR teams, representatives of jewelry schools, or career transition professionals.  

They offer visitors an opportunity to learn about access to jewelry training programs and find answers to common questions regarding professional orientation and embarking on a new career."

A 7th “de Mains en mains” event will take place in Lyon in November 2026. The full program will be posted on our website as of September. 

Nothing at all! Admission to the exhibition, Savoir-Faire Pathway, lectures and round tables is free of charge. We simply ask you to reserve your tickets on our website. Fees apply only to courses offered by L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts, which require a specific reservation. Please consult the event program for more information about courses and lectures.

L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts offers classes, lectures, as well as creative workshops for children. To view the full program and make a reservation, please visit the dedicated website: L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts 

“de Mains en mains” is an initiative introduced and administered by the High Jewelry Maison Van Cleef & Arpels. This outreach program aspires to shine a light on jewelry professions and expose younger generations to the creative passion of craftsmen, through demonstrations of their work in the Savoir-Faire Pathway. The event, which takes place every year in Lyon, also includes a jewelry exhibition, as well as lectures and round tables.

Established in 2012 with the support of Van Cleef & Arpels, L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts aims to introduce the public to all aspects of jewelry culture through various activities: introductory courses, exhibitions, books, videos, podcasts, as well as online and in-person lectures. L’ÉCOLE lets participants discover the world of jewelry-making, but does not award diplomas.

L’ÉCOLE will travel to Lyon with a class offering for visitors. Students and jobseekers can enroll in weekday courses and lectures at a discounted rate, upon presentation of proof of status. 

The Career Guidance area is open on weekdays and over the weekend for any ticketholder looking to learn more about careers in the jewelry sector, either as first-time jobseekers or professionals considering a career change.
Representatives of jewelry schools, agents of the French national employment agency and members of the Maison’s HR teams will be present to answer any questions.  

Van Cleef & Arpels was born in Paris, at 22 Place Vendôme, in 1906. Its founding resulted from the 1895 marriage of Alfred Van Cleef and Esther (known as Estelle) Arpels, both from families of jewelry merchants. The Maison’s sources of inspiration—including love, nature, couture and dance—open the gate to an enchanting universe.
Guided by excellence, Van Cleef & Arpels is distinguished for its gemstones selected according to the most stringent criteria, its expert savoir-faire and its taste for innovation, expressed throughout its High Jewelry, Jewelry and Watchmaking collections. Today, its style, embodied in numerous signatures such as the Mystery Set technique, the Minaudière, the Zip necklace and the Alhambra motif, continues to blend inventiveness and poetry.

Every visitor must have a ticket in his or her name. Parents can reserve online on behalf of children under 18.

We strongly recommend reserving your ticket to ensure admission to the exhibition and Savoir-Faire Pathway. However, if your preferred time slot is sold out, you can still ask at the welcome desk: should room become available, we will be happy to welcome you!  

You can cancel an existing reservation by clicking on the link in your confirmation email. 

To change the date or time of your visit, please first cancel your existing reservation by clicking on the link in your confirmation email. You can then book a new reservation on the “de Mains en mains” website. 

Groups can include between 6 and 30 people.  

We strongly recommend booking your tickets in advance, especially for weekend visits, as attendance levels may be extremely high. Although some tickets may be available at the door, only an online reservation guarantees admission, as well as a more pleasant experience.

If you are having trouble reserving a weekend ticket, please bear in mind that weekend visits systematically include two distinct experiences: a tour of the Savoir-Faire Pathway as well as the exhibition. Tickets for the exhibition alone are not available on the weekend.

Still waiting on your ticket? Please note that it may take a few minutes to receive tickets after completing an online reservation. Don’t forget to check your “spam” folder. If the problem persists, please contact us at demainsenmains@vancleefarpels.com. We’ll be happy to help. 

Reservations are individual. Please book a ticket for each visitor.  

If the round table you wish to attend is listed as full, come to the venue 15 minutes before the session begins. Should space become available, we will make every effort to accommodate you. Otherwise, you can still visit the career guidance area, where members of the Van Cleef & Arpels HR team, representatives of partner jewelry schools, and agents of the French national employment agency will provide you with information tailored to your career goals. 

There are three ticket categories:
- Exhibition ticket: valid solely for the exhibition, where you can discover time-honored and contemporary creations by Van Cleef & Arpels. Guides will be on site to answer your questions and offer you a tour, conditions permitting.
- “Savoir-Faire Pathway and exhibition” combo ticket: weekday evenings and all day during the weekend, you can visit both the Savoir-Faire Pathways and the exhibition with a single ticket. The Savoir-Faire Pathways provide an opportunity to meet Van Cleef & Arpels craftsmen, while the exhibition features historical and contemporary creations by the Maison.
- Round table ticket: valid to attend an interactive session focused on professional orientation and career transitions, hosted by members of the Van Cleef & Arpels Human Resources Department and education/training partners.

For safety reasons, we kindly ask you to leave your stroller at the coat check.

Only certified service animals are authorized.

We are dedicated to ensuring the event is inclusive and accessible for people with reduced mobility. 

“de Mains en mains” aspires to promote transmission of savoir-faire and to highlight professions rooted in craftsmanship. As such, all audiences are welcome to discover the exhibition and Savoir-Faire Pathways. 

No, tickets are only valid for a single entry.

Visitors set their own pace, and generally spend between one and two hours exploring the Savoir-Faire Pathway, depending on their level of interest. The visit continues with the exhibition, which takes around 30 minutes.

“de Mains en mains” is held at the InterContinental Lyon – Hotel Dieu, in the Académie area located at Cour du Cloître. Two entrances are available: Bellecour: 7 Rue de la Barre, 69002 Lyon
and République: 11 Place de l'Hôpital, 69002 Lyon.
Directions:
- On foot, by car or by bicycle. Please note that curbside parking in the immediate vicinity may be limited; public parking lots are available nearby.
- Tramway: Line T1, “Guillotière”.
- Bus: “Pont Guillotière RD,” “Bellecour,” or “Cordeliers.”
- Metro: Lines A and D, “Bellecour” or “Guillotière” stations.

A coat check is available to store your personal effects. For safety reasons, suitcases, backpacks and large bags are not authorized in the coat check or at the event. 

We have developed a range of comprehensive educational resources to help you introduce your students to professions in the jewelry arts. On the “Teachers' portal” page, you will find a specific section offering teaching guides and activities available for download. These tools have been designed to help you prepare and facilitate enriching workshops in your class.

To organize a group or class tour of the exhibition, please contact us by email at: demainsenmains@vancleefarpels.com.
Only individual visitors can sign up for the Savoir-Faire Pathway. 

School principals are invited to contact their regional education authority regarding partnerships with the “de Mains en mains” initiative. It is important to express your interest and motivation regarding your classes’ participation in the program. The final decision concerning partnerships and participation lies with the Board of Education.

The class guidance program is an educational support package offered by “de Mains en mains” teams, whereby a class participates in a year-long educational outreach program focused on jewelry professions. Support includes hands-on workshops, guest speakers, encounters with craftsmen and other activities designed to spark students’ curiosity and enthusiasm. For more information on this rewarding program, please see the “Class guidance” section of our website.

Of course! Simply contact us at demainsenmains@vancleefarpels.com to make a group reservation.

Classes visiting “de Mains en mains” enjoy specific conditions for a fuller experience. Subject to availability and depending on the date of your visit, the following advantages may apply:
- a guided tour of the exhibition with a cultural facilitator who will provide greater insight into the Maison’s history and creations.
- an immersion into the Savoir-Faire Pathway, where your students can discover the techniques and specific gestures of jewelry craftsmen.
Don’t hesitate to email us for information on the options best suited to your class and the needs of your students.

Our current job openings are listed on the “JOIN US” page.  

Our website features a wide variety of resources including podcasts, videos, job profiles, testimonials, as well as a map of training schools, for in-depth exploration of the jewelry professions. 

Jewelry professions are open to people with a wide range of qualifications, ranging from basic vocational training to university degrees. Examples include:

- Certificate of Professional Competence (Certificat d’Aptitude Professionnelle or CAP) in Jewelry-making, a basic vocational training program focused on the fundamental techniques used in jewelry production.

- Vocational Degree in Artistic Crafts (Brevet des Métiers d’Art or BMA), which offers students more in-depth mastery of technical and artistic skills.

- Diploma in Artistic Crafts (Diplôme des Métiers d'Art or DMA), an advanced training program focused on creation and design.

- Specialized training programs in gemology for aspiring gemologists. 

Creation of a piece of jewelry is a collective process involving close collaboration among some ten different professions. Each profession requires specific skills, and each plays an essential role in the production process. Below is a non-exhaustive list of the main jewelry professions:

• Designer: Creative professional who imagines new creations and depicts the associated shapes and colors in a gouache rendering.
• Stone Expert: Craftsman specialized in the identification and selection of precious or ornamental stones.
• Model maker: Starting from sketches, model makers create three-dimensional mock-ups of creations to better study their volumes.
• 3D designer: Starting from sketches, these creative professionals design a digital model of jewelry pieces.
• Caster: Casters turn wax models of jewelry creations into fully formed gold pieces.
• Jeweler: Craftsman specialized in manufacturing jewelry pieces in precious metal, often adorned with stones.
• Gem setter: Gem setters adorn jewelry pieces with precious or ornamental stones.
• Lapidary: Craftsman specialized in cutting and polishing precious and ornamental stones.
• Diamond cutter: Specialist in the art of cutting diamonds and shaping rough stones to bring out their full radiance.
• Polisher: These craftsmen bring out the full radiance of jewelry creations through polishing procedures.

Please write to us at demainsenmains@vancleefarpels.com.