From Cartier masterpieces in Melbourne to centuries of diamond culture in Antwerp, these spectacular exhibitions offer the perfect excuse for a culture-filled escape.
In 2026, museums and maisons around the world are opening their archives, bringing rarely seen royal jewels, historic creations and contemporary designs into public view. Some exhibitions explore the heritage of celebrated houses, while others examine jewellery through the lenses of art, fashion, theatre and cultural identity.
Whether you are planning a European city break or a journey further afield, these are the jewellery exhibitions worth building a trip around.
CARTIER, Melbourne, Australia
National Gallery of Victoria, until 4 October 2026
The year’s blockbuster jewellery exhibition belongs to Melbourne. CARTIER brings together nearly 400 jewels, watches, precious objects and archival pieces, charting the maison’s evolution across more than a century of design.
Alongside Cartier’s signature tiaras, necklaces and gemstones are creations owned or worn by Princess Margaret, Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Rihanna, Andy Warhol and more. Created by the V&A in partnership with the National Gallery of Victoria, the exhibition also includes pieces never previously shown in Australia.
GLANZSTÜCKE: Van Cleef & Arpels High Jewellery × Masterpieces, Vienna, Austria
MAK – Museum of Applied Arts, until 27 September 2026
One of Europe’s most ambitious jewellery exhibitions brings the artistry of Van Cleef & Arpels into conversation with the remarkable holdings of Vienna’s MAK. GLANZSTÜCKE: Van Cleef & Arpels High Jewellery × Masterpieces from the MAK Collection features approximately 500 objects, including more than 300 creations from the Maison’s patrimonial collection. They are displayed beside medieval textiles, decorative arts and ingenious designs from the Wiener Werkstätte, revealing parallels in colour, geometry, nature and craftsmanship.
Rings That Rock, Antwerp, Belgium
DIVA Museum, until 8 November 2026
The Belgian city’s DIVA Museum explores more than seven centuries of ring culture in Rings That Rock. The exhibition moves from royal jewels and historic symbols of authority to engagement rings, men’s jewellery and unconventional contemporary pieces. Rare pink and heart-shaped diamonds appear alongside designs that question traditional ideas of value, status and romance.
Magnificent Jewels!, Doesburg, Netherlands
Lalique Museum, until 27 June 2027
The newly renovated Lalique Museum in the Dutch city of Doesburg has reopened with an exhibition devoted to the imagination and technical brilliance of Art Nouveau and Art Deco jewellery. Magnificent Jewels! presents more than 130 rare creations by René Lalique and his contemporaries. Together, they trace the development of modern jewellery from the late 19th century into the early decades of the 20th.
Expect sensuous natural forms, expressive female figures and innovative combinations of gemstones, enamel, glass and metal. Rather than simply showcasing precious materials, the exhibition reveals how designers transformed jewellery into wearable art.
Around the World in Jewellery, Doha
M7, 27 October to 26 December 2026
One of the region’s most significant jewellery exhibitions arrives in Doha this autumn. Around the World in Jewellery will bring together more than 500 pieces from global collections.
Rather than focusing on a single maison or period, the exhibition considers jewellery as a universal form of expression. Its objects reveal how adornment has communicated identity, status, culture, spirituality and belonging across different civilisations. The show forms part of Qatar Museums’ expansive autumn programme and will coincide with exhibitions dedicated to Erdem, contemporary craft and regional design.
An Ode to Nature, Singapore
Raffles Arcade, until 25 August 2026
Travellers heading to Singapore before the end of August can still catch An Ode to Nature by Van Cleef & Arpels. Presented at Les Jardins Secrets inside Raffles Arcade, the intimate exhibition features 28 creations dating from the 1940s to the 1990s, accompanied by seven archival documents. Birds, flowers and foliage reveal the enduring influence of the natural world on the maison’s designs.
