Visitor's guide: DIVA, a Brilliant Story - highlights

EN

DIVA,

a Brilliant Story Discover 30 highlights

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Welcome Dear Visitor, On behalf of the whole team, I would like to welcome you to DIVA, the museum for diamonds, jewellery and silver. DIVA is located in a district where silversmiths and jewellers lived, worked and sold their products for more than 500 years. On these very streets, Antwerp built its reputation as a world centre for diamonds and silversmithing.

In fact, DIVA’s courtyard garden, named Leonie Glassplein, adjoins the Zilversmidstraat, mentioned as Platea Argentariorum in 1264 and as Silversmitstrate in 1307. This street was home to silversmiths, including the oldest known silversmith in 1288: Petrus Aurifaber (Petrus the goldsmith).

Located on the Grote Markt was the building, named Spaengien (House of the Spaniards). In the 16th century, the ground floor served as a trading hall where jewellers and silversmiths sold their goods at more than twenty different stalls.

A little further along is the Zwartzustersstraat, then a busy shopping street where diamond, gemstone and other traders were based, as evidenced by the surviving buildings named Diamant (Diamond) and den Robijn (Ruby).

On the Hofstraat, 300 meters from the museum, is a building, named Den Rhyn, and concealed behind it a 16th-century building with an inner courtyard. The complex formed the Oude Beurs – the Old Bourse – 1

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where merchants from home and abroad would gather to buy and sell goods. The bourse had links with the guildhall of the Antwerp gold and silversmiths’ ‘natie’ (loosely: an organized group of workers engaged in stevedoring-type activities).

So those looking for objects made of gold, silver or precious stones would make a beeline for the district around DIVA. Today DIVA’s permanent collection presentation, DIVA, a Brilliant Story, is a showcase for similar objects and jewellery.

This tour picks out the highlights of DIVA’s collection.

I do hope you enjoy it.

Eva Olde Monnikhof Director DIVA

Give your eyes a moment to adjust to the dark rooms, which show DIVA’s treasures at their dazzling best.

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Room of Wonder: collecting and inspiring During the 16th and the beginning of the 17th centuries, Antwerp was a global centre for the production of luxury goods.

Wunderkammern – rooms of wonder, cabinets of curiosities and rarities – were very popular in Antwerp during the Golden Age. This contemporary interpretation of a Wunderkammer brings together in a cocoon of luxury valuable objects from every corner of the globe.

On entering the Room of Wonder, turn left immediately.

There on the left-hand side is the first highlight.

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Pendant with rose-cut diamonds and enamel Western Europe, 1640-1660 St Willibrord Church collection, Antwerp, in storage at DIVA, B503/4 This piece of jewellery is to the right of the jug with tulip motif, wall 3 .

This pendant is set with Amsterdam rose-cut diamonds. This cut is older than the brilliant and has a lot less shine. An Amsterdam rose cut consists of 24 triangular facets, of which six come together in an apex at the top. The cut is flat at the bottom. Characteristic of the rose cut is that these diamonds were set on a foil. This was usually leaf silver or tinfoil, a silver-coloured foil, which enhances the white colour and dazzle of the diamond.

The jewel had a little box at the back, but the lid is missing. The back is decorated with enamel flowers and tulips. Between 1634 and 1637, speculation in tulip bulbs drove the price to extremes and during ‘tulip mania’ tulip bulbs were even exchanged for canal houses in Amsterdam.

In the mid-17th century, the tulip motif also appeared frequently in art. This jewel is a rare survivor from that period. We know from a number of portraits and design sketches that similar pendants had a ribbon bow, which was also part of the jewel. Look carefully and at the bottom of the pendant you’ll see a little ring from which a pearl probably hung.

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Gold cluster ring with diamonds and enamel Europe, ca. 1670-1690 King Baudouin Foundation collection, Christian Bauwens fund, in storage at DIVA, B512/25 This jewel is below the pendant with rose-cut diamonds.

A cluster ring is a ring in which smaller diamonds are set closely together around a large central diamond. This oval cluster ring from the 17th century, is very rare. Rings with a hinged lid containing a miniature portrait are few and far between.

The ring may have been a memento of a deceased person or an engagement ring. If a memento, the little figure refers to the risen Christ who appears to Mary Magdalene as the gardener. If an engagement ring, the focus is on the fecundity of spring. The rope on the gardener’s shoulders is proof of his dedication and the rose symbolizes love.

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Silver owl cup Master with pelican, Antwerp, 1548-1549 King Baudouin Foundation collection, in storage at DIVA, B512/1 This object is in a black display case in the centre of wall 2 .

Owl cups – so called because of their shape – were highly prized in the Netherlands and German-speaking areas during the 16th and 17th centuries.

This owl cup is the oldest known specimen with Antwerp marks. It is made from a hollowed-out coconut mounted in silver, which makes it a precious and exotic object.

When this cup was made, Antwerp was an international trading centre. Portuguese traders shipped exotic curiosities like coconuts, nautilus shells and ostrich eggs to Western Europe from Africa, India and America, usually through the port of Antwerp. Coconuts were prized for their purported medicinal properties as well as their novelty value. It was also believed that poison unwittingly drunk from a coconut cup was neutralized by the exotic drupe.

Engraved under the detachable head of this Antwerp owl cup is the verse: ‘Als alle ander fogels sin thoe neste sois min flige beste’, which translates as: ‘When all the other birds are in their nest, my flight is best.’

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Gilded tazza Master with the uncial M, Antwerp, 1548-1549 DIVA collection, S79/356 This object is on wall 5 , opposite the owl cup.

Under Italian influence, the wide drinking cup with a shallow bowl on a high stem became fashionable even before 1550. This type of drinking cup (otherwise known as a tazza) was also used for serving fresh or candied fruit and other sweets. Drinking cups were deemed good diplomatic gifts, too, or they were presented as lottery prizes or trophies for shooting and rhetorician competitions.

The wave pattern on this drinking cup on a low foot produces a play of colours when filled with red wine.

Make your way to the next space via the passageway next to the painting (reproduction) of the goddess Flora. You’ll come to a wall covered with snuffboxes.

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Gold snuffbox with diamonds C.M. Weishaupt, Hanau, ca. 1875-1883 King Baudouin Foundation collection, Christian Bauwens fund, in storage at DIVA, B512/9 Small ornate boxes for holding snuff were particularly fashionable in the 18th century, but they were still in vogue in the 19th century too. The materials used varied from simple copper to extremely costly versions set with diamonds, enamel and/or miniatures. Like pocket watches, snuffboxes were an indicator of wealth, but also of preferences and taste. In royal circles snuffboxes were often given as diplomatic gifts, as indeed was this snuffbox commemorating the birth of Archduchess Maria Elisabeth of Austria, daughter of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and Princess Stefanie of Belgium.

In the 19th century, unfinished gold snuffboxes were often purchased from the firm C.M. Weishaupt in Hanau and customized by crown jewellers such as Auguste Dufour in accordance with their client’s wishes. King Leopold II had his portrait integrated into this one and encircled with diamonds. It dates from ca. 1883.

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Gold snuffbox with rocaille decoration Pierre Croissant, Paris, 1739-1740 DIVA collection, Pierre Lunden bequest, S75/139 The gold snuffbox was based on a design sketch by the famous French designer Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier. This beautifully executed box is a fine example of the Rococo style. In 1815 King William I gave it to Jean van Hal, great grandfather of jonkheer Pierre Lunden. Van Hal had been instrumental in returning to Antwerp paintings by Peter Paul Rubens which had been seized and taken to Paris during French rule. This precious gift was a demonstration of William I’s gratitude and appreciation for the part Van Hal had played.

Who was Jonkheer Pierre Lunden?

Jonkheer Pierre Emile Lunden (1887-1975) was a member of a noble Antwerp dynasty. His ancestors had links with Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) through Helena Fourment, the illustrious painter’s second wife. Pierre Lunden headed up an insurance company in Brussels and was an art and music lover. Though initially interested in collecting Chinese porcelain, he later turned his attention to 18th-century silver from the Southern Netherlands. Both collections embellished his home.

In 1975 Pierre Lunden bequeathed his collection to the Provincial Museum Sterckshof, what is today DIVA. 11

Silver windmill cup Master with six-pointed star, Antwerp, 1603-1604 DIVA collection, S67/1 This object is on wall 8 .

This silver windmill with engraved adornments and miniature figures is actually an ingenious drinking cup. It was manufactured in 1603-1604 by the ‘Master with Six-pointed Star’, an Antwerp silversmith known by that name because of his mark. At that time, windmill cups had long been used as sources of merriment at festive events and drinking games.

What made them such fun was that they could not be set down unless they were empty. The player would put the windmill’s sails in motion by blowing through a tube, and as long as they were turning, he was allowed to drink. If the cup was not empty by the time the sails stopped turning, the clock’s hand indicated the number of extra cups the player had to drink.

Continue to the space with the sofa.

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The exotic salon Down the centuries, European elites were astonished and fascinated by rare and exotic objects and materials from Asia and Africa.

Veritable crazes sprang up: Chinoiserie, Turquerie, Indomania, Egyptomania and Japonisme. Visual art, design, fashion and jewellery were all inspired and influenced by Asia and Africa.

Peacock brooch with diamond, sapphire, emerald, ruby and pearls After a design by Gustave Baugrand, France, 1867 or later DIVA collection, DMK05/1 You will find this jewel just round the corner on the right-hand side.

The peacock brooch is an example of superb craftsmanship. The gemstone decorated feathers are set en tremblant, creating a trembling effect. The rubies are of exceptionally high quality and come from Burma (now Myanmar), while the sapphires are from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and the emeralds from India.

In 1867, Gustave Baugrand exhibited a peacock brooch at the Paris International Exposition together with other jewellery, silverware

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and Egyptian-themed objects, thus capitalising on the interest generated at the time by Egyptologist Auguste Edouard Mariette’s excavations and the impending opening of the Suez Canal.

Aigrette with rose-cut and table-cut diamonds Presumably Great Britain, ca. 1780 DIVA collection, DMK02/2 You will find this jewel on the same wall as the peacock brooch, wall 12 .

The European aigrette was inspired by a sarpech, an Indian turban ornament.

Feathers and a pearl were often attached to the turban ornament, which was set with precious stones. From the 17th century, bird plumes were gradually replaced by feather-shaped jewels in which diamonds were set in silver. In the 18th century, fashion dictated that aigrettes could also be pinned on, so European men wore the jewel on their hat and women attached it to their hair or their clothing. A pin was added to this one adjacent to the second feather, so that the jewel could be worn as a brooch.

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Silver coffee pot Jean-Louis Philippront, Aat, 1783 DIVA collection, Pierre Lunden bequest, S75/31 You will also find this object on wall 12 .

This type of coffee pot derives from the Persian copper coffee pot, recognizable by its long, relatively narrow neck.

As silver is a good conductor of heat, a silver coffee pot will retain heat and keep the coffee hot for longer. The handle is made of wood, a material which changes temperature quickly so that you don’t burn your hand when pouring the coffee.

Coffee took root in the Arab world in the mid-15th century.

Raw coffee beans found their way to Europe via Venice in 1615.

The first coffee beans to arrive here were displayed as exotic finds in collections of curiosities. Around 1650, coffee imports increased and the first European coffee houses were established.

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Over the centuries worshippers have gifted jewellery to churches and above all to Our Lady. Gifted jewellery sewn to cushions or into frames was often carried through the streets in processions with the statue of the Virgin Mary. In other instances the jewellery was incorporated into statues of Mary.

Flemish heart surmounted by trophy with rose cut diamond Dionisius Suerickx, Mechelen, 1832-1869 DIVA collection, S75/182 The Flemish Heart is a typical piece of jewellery that was often gifted to the Church. The exact meaning of the Flemish Heart is unknown.

The cornerstone of their popularity appears to have been people’s devotion to Our Lady, which spread mainly from Antwerp in the 18th and 19th centuries. The city-on-the-Scheldt first expressed its bond with the Virgin Mary as its patroness in the 12th century.

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The Flemish Heart consists of a heart shape with a diamond at its centre, surmounted by either a crown or a trophy consisting of a torch, quiver and bow. The trophy refers to the attributes of Cupid, the god of love, and symbolises the victory of love. According to some jewellery historians, the central diamond represents the heart of Mary herself. DIVA has several Flemish Hearts in its collection. The differences in quality and use of materials show that this piece of jewellery was loved by different social classes.

Partly gilded sun monstrance Jan Pieter Antoon Verschuylen, Antwerp, 1861 DIVA collection, S2013/9 This object is in the middle of wall 15 .

A monstrance is a liturgical vessel used in the Roman Catholic Church to display the consecrated Eucharistic host.

A crescent-shaped stand called a luna holds the Host securely in place. Monstrances were first used in the 13th century. From the baroque period the Host was emphasized by rays of sun which symbolize divine triumph.

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Platinum brooch with Egyptian motifs, set with diamond, ruby, onyx and emerald Lacloche Frères, Paris, 1926 DIVA collection, DMK03/7 This piece of jewellery is on wall 13 , to the right of the lift.

In the centre of this brooch, surrounded by diamonds, lies an Egyptian figure holding a papyrus leaf. Papyrus symbolises the green, fertile northern half of Egypt and refers to growth, youth and strength. The ancient Egyptians used it to manufacture a writing surface. Much knowledge and insight about Egyptian civilisation has been gleaned from hieroglyphics, examples of which are depicted above the figure and to its sides.

Napoleon’s 1798 expedition raised Europe’s interest in Egypt, but it was the discovery and excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb by Howard Carter in 1922 that sent the continent into an Egyptomania frenzy. Both the film and luxury industries were gripped by ‘Tutmania’, which left its mark on clothing, furniture, interiors and all manner of accessories.

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Yellow gold, art-nouveau pendant with plique à jour enamel, diamonds in old brilliant cut, labradorite and demantoid garnets Léopold Van Strydonck, Belgium, ca. 1900 DIVA collection, S87/39 This piece of jewellery is on wall 14 , to the left of the lift.

In terms of its shape, the pendant references the staghorn fern, a plant which attaches itself to other living plants without feeding off them. The delicate leaf work was decorated with translucent green plique à jour enamel.

Enamel is coloured glass powder glazed at a high temperature.

Dragonflies appear to be sitting on the teardrop-shaped labradorite underneath.

Though diamonds tended to be part of the total effect rather than the centrepiece in the art-nouveau movement, this pendant is an exception. Art Nouveau is one of the names given to an international decorative style which was at its most popular around 1900.

It is also known by its German name Jugendstil. Both words imply innovation and Belgium was a pioneer, not least thanks to the architecture of Victor Horta. In jewellery a key figure was the Parisian jewellery designer René Lalique. In Belgium Léopold Van Strydonck, along with Philippe Wolfers, represented the art-nouveau movement in jewellery and silversmithing.

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Atelier: creation and craftmanship Silversmithing and diamond processing merge in a timeless workshop. A look behind the scenes links past and present. The tools you see on the wall looks more or less the same as those used in workshops for hundreds of years. Many techniques have also stood the test of time, though today they are sometimes used in a slightly different way.

The main innovation is in the use of computers, lasers and 3D-printers. These advances make for greater accuracy.

• Watch the film showing a ring being made.

• Take a seat on a stool at the touchscreens: on the left you can learn more about diamonds and on the right more about silversmithing. You can also listen to the personal stories of diamond-cutters and silversmiths.

• Open the drawers and you’ll find objects that illustrate the techniques discussed.

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Pair of granulation bowls David Huycke, Sint-Niklaas, 1996-1998 DIVA collection, S98/15 These objects are in the middle of the rack on the right.

In the 16th century, craftsmen started decorating silver utensils with pearl borders. Pearls, granules, or tiny silver balls are still used by silversmiths. For example, David Huycke puts a modern spin on the ancient technique of granulation, creating dishes by soldering together little bead-like balls.

Silver caster Leonard Joseph Ferrier, Antwerp, 1765 DIVA collection, S2019/1 You’ll find this object below the granulation bowls.

A caster is usually used at the table for sprinkling sugar, ground pepper or other spices.

Unlike the other caster in this space, this one

by Leonard Joseph Ferrier (°1726) used the openwork technique.

Latticework, scrolling foliage and rocaille ornamentation spill over into one another. Ferrier surpassed every other silversmith with his secret method for casting silver, as exemplified by the very delicate openwork pattern on the caster. The caster sits in a liner pieced with a number of holes at the top.

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Replica of the Lesotho Promise DIVA collection, S2017/12 Special thanks to DIAMCAD You will find this replica to the left of the television screen and to the right of the snuffbox.

Though the number of diamond-cutting shops in Antwerp is small these days, Antwerp is still known throughout the world for the quality of its cuts. Several high-tech cutting shops in Antwerp’s diamond district specialize in processing large and extremely valuable diamonds.

In 2006 a rough 603-carat diamond was found in the Letseng mine in Lesotho. At the time, the stone was the fifteenth largest diamond ever found and it was named the Lesotho Promise. Diamond company Graff and its partner company Safdico, paid 12.36 million dollars for the rough diamond and decided to have the stone examined and cut in Antwerp. During a process that lasted 18 months, it was transformed into 26 diamonds of different cuts.

The colour is D rated (exceptionally white +) and the total value of the cut diamonds was estimated at 50 million dollars.

Here you see reproductions of both the rough stone and the cut diamonds which together make up the Lesotho Promise necklace.

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Trading room: Network and trust The diamond trade has been operating through international networks for centuries. Trust is very important in a business where deals worth millions are sealed with a simple handshake.

The diamond trade has existed in Antwerp for more than 550 years. This long, shared history has had its high points, but also its low points. A leitmotiv in the story is the international dimension of the diamond trade and the various nationalities and religious communities that participate in it.

This multiculturalism also plays a role in Antwerp’s diamond district today, where 84% of the world’s rough diamonds and 50% of its cut diamonds are traded. Antwerp is known as “diamond city” with good reason.

• The touchscreens arranged around the globe will show you where rough diamonds come from and how they are mined.

• The globe illustrates how diamonds have travelled to Antwerp since the 16th century. The various maps of the world are linked to seven short films, which shed light on six historical characters who played an important role in Antwerp’s diamond trade through the centuries. The last short film takes you behind the scenes in today’s diamond trade.

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Ring with pointed diamond Found in Nieuwlande (Zeeland), ca. 1500-1530 DIVA collection, S91/6 You’ll find this jewel on the right in display case 1 immediately after entering the room.

One of the oldest rings in DIVA’s collection, this gold ring contains the oldest diamond cut: the point cut. The point cut of this diamond is the earliest known cut and retains the natural shape of the diamond, the octahedron (eight faces). The faces are smoothed and the points at the top and bottom retained, hence the name of the cut.

This diamond may look dark, but diamonds can only shine by reflecting light. Light is reflected through different facets or cut ‘faces’. As the point cut only has eight facets, it shines far less than a modern-day, round, brilliant cut with 57 or 58 facets. The setting encloses more than half the diamond. This, too, influences the diamond’s light performance and consequently its brilliance.

Corsage jewel with table-cut diamonds Presumably Iberian peninsula, 2nd half 17th century DIVA collection, DMK96/110 This jewel is in display case 2 .

This jewel consists of a wide arched motif, a crown and five little pendants. The more than 100 table-cut diamonds are set in 26

an openwork floral motif. The style points to the Iberian peninsula where silverwork was as highly rated as the precious stones themselves.

These sort of jewels often have two hooks on the back for hanging them from the corsage, i.e. the bodice of the lady’s dress. A pin was added to this one at a later date.

ECC Tennis Racket Peter Varozza, Arent & Van Leeuw, Antwerp, ca. 1986 AWDC collection, in storage at DIVA, B534/1 This object is in display case 7 .

This gold tennis racket set with 1,617 diamonds illustrates both Antwerp’s craftsmanship and the availability of diamonds of the highest quality. All the diamonds are of high rating, E to F, which means they are rare to exceptionally white in colour. The racket was designed by Varozza in 1986 and made by Arent & Van Leeuw.

The letters ECC stand for the European Community Championships with reference to the tennis tournament held in Antwerp until 1998. In 1985, Ivan Lendl took home the original version of the racket for winning the tournament three times in four years.

No other male tennis player managed to repeat his achievement, which is why this one is here for you to admire today.

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Dining room: Luxury consumption and distinction A table decked with silverware was long regarded as a status symbol. As eating culture in the 18th century became more refined, a whole variety of tableware found its way onto dining tables: oil and vinegar stands, mustard pots, salt, pepper and sugar shakers, sauce boats and tureens. Marvel at the silver tableware from the 18th through the 20th centuries on display in DIVA’s dining room.

• The touchscreens in the table introduce you to five historical characters and their eating habits.

• Open the drawers in the tables for more information about the type of objects on the table.

• Or crawl under the table with the salt-cellars for a quirky photograph!

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Tureen belonging to the De Meester family Joannes Cornelius Hendrickx, Mechelen, 1782 King Baudouin Foundation collection, Léon Courtin-Marcelle Bouché fund, in storage at DIVA, B512/6 You’ll find this object in the centre of the room.

In the 18th century, the practice was to lay out on the dining table a magnificent profusion of foods all at the same time, after the example of the French court. A variety of tastes, textures and forms were pleasing and tantalizing both to the eye and to the tastebuds.

This way of presenting dishes came to be known as service à la française in the 19th century, when service à la russe caught on and the courses were served one after the other. Tureens containing soup or stew were an almost indispensable item of dinnerware in the service à la française.

In 1782, Joannes Cornelius Hendrickx (1740-1811) created an exceptional sample in Louis XVI-style, commissioned by Pierre de Meester (1724-1784). 18th century silver tureens from the Southern Netherlands were quite rare and were only manufactured in production centres with a wealthy clientele.

Certainly, this richly decorated showpiece stirred the conversation at the dinner table and highlighted the envious position of its owner. After all, the showpiece included such elements as the coat of arms of the De Meester family and musical instruments to inspire the dinner guests.

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Demi-parure with sapphires, natural pearls and rose-cut diamonds Arthur Dufour, Brussels, 1869-1877 King Baudouin Foundation collection, Christian Bauwens fund, in storage at DIVA, B512/8 You’ll see this jewel across the other side of the room as you enter.

The term parure refers to a set of matching jewellery, intended to be worn together. These matching ensembles can consist of a comb, a tiara, earrings, a necklace, a brooch, a buckle and bracelets.

A demi-parure usually consists of a necklace or brooch with matching earrings or bracelet. In this case, it consists of a brooch that can be transformed into a pendant and a pair of earrings. The jewellery set has been kept in its original case bearing the gold stamp of Belgian royal warrant jeweller Arthur Dufour. The jewel is very much in keeping with French fashion in the Second Empire (1852-1870). Rich ladies wore silk crinoline dresses and on official occasions they flaunted eye-catching diamond jewels, cut to sparkle brilliantly in the candlelight. Diamonds were easier to obtain after the discovery of diamond mines in South Africa in 1867, giving large jewellery houses a great boost.

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Silver tankard Jean Dufour & Frères, Brussels, ca. 1862 DIVA collection, S2020/30 You will see this object on your left as you enter the room.

Tankards are usually made of pottery, porcelain, glass or pewter. A silver tankard of this size is extremely unusual for Belgium, particularly one that is so richly decorated.

The makers drew inspiration from objects associated with beer.

Depicted on the lid are a brewer’s tools, including a stirrer, and ingredients for beer like hops. The handle takes the form of a man dressed as a brewer. Depicted under the spout is a mascaron with bunches of grapes in his hair. He represents Bacchus, the Roman god of merriment and drunkenness. The main scene on the tankard is set in front of an inn, where a motley crowd of people are dancing, singing and drinking and clearly enjoying themselves.

This scene closely resembles the paintings of the Antwerp painter David II Teniers (1610-1690), and the later engravings of village scenes based on them.

From 1829, the maker of this tankard, the Brussels firm Jean Dufour & Frères, took Belgium’s production of silver and jewellery to a whole new level. Moreover the company was purveyor to Belgium’s royal family.

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The next room, the Vault, is on the first floor. Follow the signs to the staircase and visit the rest of the exhibition.

You may like to take the lift from the Room of Wonder.

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Vault: authenticity and transparency Is it genuine or fake? Because of their intrinsic value, precious stones and metals attract falsifiers and swindlers.

How can you recognize a natural diamond? What do the marks on silver objects tell us?

Answer the statements on the cards in the middle of the room. The answers refer you to information hidden in the drawers and cupboards in the Vault.

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Mermaid pendant Presumably Reinhold Vasters, ca. 1870-1880 DIVA collection, DMK10/1 You’ll see this jewel in the Centre on the right-hand side as you enter the space.

At first glance, this would seem to be a Renaissance piece from the 16th century, a period when colourful, sculptural jewellery with large, table-cut gemstones and enamel was very popular.

The well-trained eye can tell from the goldsmithing, finishing and shape of the figures that it dates not from the 16th, but from the late 19th century. Renaissance jewellery was popular during the Romantic period and at fancy dress balls in the second half of the 19th century. The demand for and limited supply of 16th-century jewellery quickly led to forgeries and imitations capable of duping even seasoned antique dealers and collectors.

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Reproduction Vault 2025 contains a reproduction of the 1447 Decree banning the trade in fake (gem)stones. The original is preserved in the Antwerp City Archive (Archief Privilegiekamer, Gebodboeken van de Antwerpse magistraat).

A modern-day translation of the Dutch reads: ‘Nobody shall purchase, sell, pawn or trade fake or imitation stones, once those stones have been set in gold, silver or gilded brass, whether they are imitation diamonds, rubies, light-red rubies, emeralds or sapphires or any other fakes.’

This document shows that Antwerp’s diamond industry is more than 570 years old.

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Boudoir: Diamond Divas Diamonds fire the imagination, as do the newsworthy divas who flaunt them. Prepare to be dazzled in DIVA’s boudoir where a number of 19th and 20th-century jewellery fashion trends are on display. The emphasis is on diamond jewellery and the awesome women who brought these sparkling gems to life.

In some places you’ll find integrated screens providing more information about the jewellery on display, and about those who wore it and how.

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Snake jewel with old brilliant-cut and rose-cut diamonds and rubies Anonymous, France, ca. 1860 DIVA collection, DMK99/4 This jewel is in the centre of display case 1 on the right-hand side as you enter the Vault.

This piece of jewellery is made of gold and coated with transparent enamel on a scale-like engraved base, creating the illusion of snakeskin. The body is made up of cone-shaped links which hook together. This flexibility means that the snake can be worn around the wrist or the neck.

The jewel dates from 1860, a period when snake jewellery was very popular. It had not always been this way: for centuries, the Christian faith associated snakes with the Devil. In the 18th century, this gradually changed thanks to the discovery of artefacts from ancient times. Snakes became popular as a jewellery motif after Queen Victoria wore a snake bracelet for her First Council as the new queen of England in 1837. By wearing that bracelet she showed she had, or aspired to have, the wisdom of a snake.

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Garland necklace with European-cut, rose-cut, old brilliant-cut, and octagonal-cut diamonds Presumably Lacloche Frères, Paris, 1900-1910 DIVA collection, DMK05/2 You’ll find this jewel in display case 2 .

Sensual, luxurious fabrics, excessive quantities of lace and elaborate details became the fashion trends. The S-shaped silhouette, created by a new type of corset, drew attention to the bust and neck. In the evenings, high-necked tulles and lace collars were replaced by low-plunging necklines which lent themselves to lacelike necklaces.

The refinement and delicate structure of belle-époque jewellery had never been seen before. Very fine garlands, flowers and bows were produced using platinum. This precious metal was stronger and lighter than silver and gold and therefore ideal for producing lace-like jewellery. This diamond necklace is a good example of the garland style.

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Multi-coloured brooch with coral, malachite and lapis lazuli flower motifs, set with old brilliant-cut diamonds Design Boucheron, Paris, 1923-1925 DIVA collection, DMK03/1 You’ll find this jewel in display case 3 .

During the 1920s, jewellery designers were influenced by the intense use of colour and geometric shapes of art movements, such as Fauvism, Cubism, Suprematism and Futurism. They created colourful jewellery by using precious stones, such as topaz, aquamarine, tourmaline and turquoise. Furthermore, they looked for contrast by combining transparent faceted precious stones with matt stones. Coral, jade and lapis lazuli stood out well against diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and rubies. This brooch with flower motifs beautifully illustrates the polychrome style of the 1920s.

Fruit baskets, flowers and exotic birds cut from coloured gemstones appeared frequently.

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Platinum art-deco brooch with brilliant-cut diamonds Liboire Sauvage, Ghent, ca. 1925 DIVA collection, S2020/7 You’ll find this jewel in display case 3 .

The brooch was designed by Liboire Sauvage, who founded the jewellery house Sauvage in Ghent in 1903. After Liboire’s death, his wife and son Constant carried on the business under the name Sauvage Frères. The brooch is very much in character with other creations by this house and in the development of the art-deco style in Belgium.

Though French art deco greatly influenced Belgian jewellery designers, there is nevertheless a clear difference in form and tendencies. Belgian work is generally heavier in finish. Sauvage’s jewellery is less colourful than French pieces from the 1920s. Sauvage used precious stones other than diamonds sporadically and sparingly, and the influence of nature, orientalism and exotic elements was limited. The typical abstract, geometric shape of art deco is clearly visible.

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Tiara with wings set with brilliant-cut and rose-cut diamonds Anonymous, France, ca. 1899 DIVA collection, DMK00/7 You’ll find this jewel in display case 4 .

It’s not every day that you wear a diamond tiara. This ingenious tiara transforms into two brooches. The wings have been placed on rails, which means they can be moved and also removed.

This winged tiara reflects the fashion trend of haute joaillerie around 1900. Famous jewellery houses, such as Chaumet, introduced similar designs. These winged tiaras may originally have been inspired by the Ancient Egyptian winged sun disk. Another influence were the international performances of Wagner’s opera Die Walküre; his Valkyries from Norse mythology, called Walküren, wore winged helmets. The female public supposedly adopted the style in honour of the composer. For the rich elite, a diamond tiara was the jewellery item to express the exuberance of life at the beginning of the 20th century.

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Colophon This guide is a publication of DIVA, museum for diamonds, jewellery and silver.

Coordinator: Leonie Maerevoet Editors: Els Crollet, Leonie Maerevoet, Catherine Regout Editors-in-chief: An Labis, Leonie Maerevoet Translator: Alison Mouthaan-Gwillim Graphic designer: Gunter Segers Images © DIVA, photographs: Frederik Beyens, Dominique Provost, Reinier RVDA, Sigrid Spinnox © Graff Diamonds © 2021 DIVA for this publication, all rights reserved.

Publisher: Eva Olde Monnikhof, director DIVA, Gildekamersstraat 9, 2000 Antwerp Copyright registration: D/2021/14.608/15 Disclaimer: While DIVA has made every effort to acknowledge all copyrights in accordance with copyright law, anyone who believes that an omission has occurred should contact DIVA. Thank you for your visit.

Draw inspiration from the introduction to this guide to explore the streets around DIVA. 45

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