Jewelry is not only appreciated for its gorgeous, glittery radiance, but is also used to reveal the nature and demeanor of its wearers. In periods of interaction between the East and the West, the possibilities for materials, techniques, and designs expanded, leading to more diverse jewelry styles and imbuing the pieces with deeper cultural meaning.

The main theme of the exhibition at National Palace Museum in Taipei (http://www.npm.gov.tw/en/visiting/exhibit/exhibit_04.htm?docno=815) is the story of jewelry and its patrons, which is presented by a comparison between the jewelry of the Qing court and that of the Western nobility. The imperial style will be introduced first to show the classic model of jewelry. This will be followed by the theme of contemporary fashion. The final section will present the ways in which East and West encountered one another at different points and places in time, their incorporation of elements from each other’s cultures, and the magnificent fruits born of this contact. The exhibition, ending on September 9, 2012, is composed of 470 pieces of jewelry from the collection of the National Palace Museum and special loans from the Cartier Collection and the Shenyang Palace Museum.