By Meg A. Parsont
The newest exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History, which opened April 11, is truly out of this world.
Cosmic Splendor: Jewelry from the Collections of Van Cleef & Arpels showcases a dazzling array of jewelry creations and timepieces that celebrate the wonders and mysteries of our universe. Spanning approximately 100 years, the items in this exhibition – the second in a partnership between the museum and Van Cleef, the legendary French jewelry house – transport visitors to the moon, stars, and planets of our universe through more than 60 pieces.
Upon entering the Melissa and Keith Meister Gallery in the museum’s gems and minerals halls, visitors are immediately plunged into an enchanting and immersive experience. The dimly-lit gallery is illuminated by thousands of tiny white lights, reminiscent of the night sky. Audrey Hepburn softly croons “Moon River” over the sound system. The playlist also includes David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” and Chet Baker’s “Star Eyes,” interspersed with voices from NASA, including the Apollo 11 proclamation, “We have liftoff.”
The exhibition features display cases devoted to various celestial themes: space, the universe, the moon, the sun, planets, stars, and the Zodiac. Among the earliest featured pieces is an Art Deco-style table clock, circa 1930. Made of yellow gold, silver, and enamel, the streamlined design of the dial, with two gold beads denoting the hour and the minutes, evokes planets moving within a cosmic system.
In a display case titled Across the Universe, the abstract Spiral clip, 1942, was inspired by Kinetic Art, with platinum, yellow gold, rose gold, rubies, and diamonds creating the pulsating effect of a star or galaxy. The popularity of the Zodiac in the 1970s is well represented in a collection of rings and pendants in the display called Lucky Stars.
Several particularly complex creations reflect one of the trademarks of Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry: the pieces are often more than what they originally seem. In the Beyond Earth display case, which features jewelry inspired by worlds beyond our own, the Trappist transformable necklace from 2021 – which takes its name from the TRAPPIST-1 star system – can be transformed into 11 different styles, including nine necklaces, a clip, and a pair of earrings.
In a display case themed Take Me Away – devoted to pieces that evoke the grandeur of space – the Explosion stellaire transformable necklace, 2021, made of white gold, rose gold, sapphires, and diamonds, can be separated into two necklaces, and the pendant can be detached and worn as a brooch.
Other treasures showcased in Cosmic Splendor include a gold medallion clip in the Lunar Wonders display case that has been etched on the back with the autographs of the Apollo 11 astronauts. In that same case, another clip demonstrates the craftsmanship of Van Cleef & Arpels: employing a watch mechanism, the white gold, lapis lazuli, and diamond-paved Autour de la Lune, 2010, depicts a rocket that circles the moon.
Some pieces in the exhibition are connected to very specific astronomical phenomena while others are loosely inspired by celestial wonders. One – the Tampa necklace, 2010 – pays tribute to Jules Verne’s 1865 novel “From the Earth to the Moon.” The design includes a gem-encrusted space capsule with loops of diamonds tracing its flight. Like some of the other spectacular creations on display, the pendant of this necklace can be detached and worn as a clip.
In a press release about the exhibit, Sean M. Decatur, the museum’s president, said: “We are so pleased to partner with Van Cleef & Arpels to celebrate the enduring inspiration of the cosmos through this spectacular showcase of natural beauty, creativity, and craft.” Added Catherine Renier, president and CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels: “The Museum is the perfect setting to share our profound fascination for the Cosmos.”
Cosmic Splendor is open to the public through January 4, 2026. Admission to the exhibit is included with general admission.
Subscribe to West Side Rag’s FREE email newsletter here. And you can Support the Rag here.
This is definitely my kind of jewelry! (Aside from the astronomical prices, that is.)
Ad astra!
Blingy, bling.