Multiplicity

“Multiplicity is a method of knowledge,” writes Italo Calvino, “a network of connections between the events, the people and the things of the world.” This concept also applies to the world of design, fashion, and jewelry, in which collections are born from a stylistic idea that is expressed through a range of creations.

Calvino’s notion of Multiplicity can also be seen in Van Cleef & Arpels’ jewelry in the way individual pieces transform in their own right, for example, the ingenious Passe-Partout.

It can also be found in pieces such as the Minaudière, invented by Charles Arpels in 1933. The Minaudière is a functional precious bag which has also become a symbol of its era.

What other types of multiplicity will you encounter in this room?