European Heritage Days — Exhibition: “The Crystallization of Rubies and Sapphires, from Paris to Monthey: The Legacy of a Jewelry Heritage”

The exhibition opens with a look at the major French scientific discoveries of the 19th century.

In particular, those of crystallographer Edmond Frémy, a pioneer in the creation of gemstones, and Auguste Verneuil, who revolutionized the production of crystallized stones through his famous flame-fusion process.
The exhibition then traces the spread of this expertise from Paris to Switzerland, all the way to Monthey, where the Djeva company would go on to develop a significant production of crystallized rubies and sapphires in the 20th century. Visitors discover how an innovation born at the Natural History Museum of Paris became part of Valais’s industrial heritage. Crystallization machines, furnaces, cutting tools, technical archives, and gem samples illustrate this connection between scientific discovery and the art of jewelry making. The exhibition also highlights the dual nature of these gemstones: they are unique objects with multiple applications, but also luxury materials intended for high-end jewelry, precision watchmaking, and advanced technologies.
Through this history, visitors come to understand that the crystallization of rubies and sapphires represents a dialogue between mineralogical discovery, industry, and the aesthetics of luxury, highlighting 21st-century values: ethical and environmentally responsible gemstones.

Free of charge. Please make a reservation via text message or WhatsApp at +41 (0)78 601 00 88.

Pets allowed

Pets not allowed