I stepped out of the Metro at Concorde so I could see Place de la Concorde before continuing on to the museum. The Grand Palais is just that...Grand. In reading The Devil in the White City (highly recommend!), it was difficult to imagine just how grandiose the World Exposition buildings had to be in order to house such extravagant exhibitions--mini worlds contained inside. But once you see the Grand Palais towering over you, such that you can't even see its iconic domed glass roof from the surrounding sidewalks, you begin to understand the magnificence of the World Expositions.
I walked the entire perimeter of the palace before finding the correct entrance and a staff person managing the entrance informed me that it would be a 2 hour wait. Ugh...two hours?! But the exhibit closed on the 16th and I had (at the time) been planning to be out of town this weekend, so I decided to suck it up so I could see the exhibit. Unfortunately, I had decided against bringing my Kindle--a mistake I will not make again while I'm here!
The exhibit was crowded. I know, Captain Obvious. But really, I've never been in a museum exhibit that was THAT PACKED before...ever. So many people! But immediately understandable since the first thing you see when you walk in is a rotating display of dazzling tiaras.
Photos can't do the tiaras justice, but OH MY GOSH. I was practically drooling. And so many of the items in the exhibit (not just some of the tiaras) had descriptions that said the item was found at auction (usually at Christie's in London) in horrible disrepair and the item barely survived. It baffles me how someone could let something so beautiful and so expensive turn into a piece of junk.
Speaking of tiaras, the tiara that Kate Middleton wore for her wedding to Prince William was also on display. I stared. For a very long time. (Sorry, no photos were allowed for that one!) I'm kind of really into all things Duchess Kate, so it was pretty freaking awesome for me.
There were plenty more amazing pieces of jewelry--rings, necklaces, brooches, bracelets--but there were also plenty of other pieces like the Cartier mystery clocks, figurines, stationary, photos, and a few dresses. The exhibit also showcased the famous women who loved their Cartier pieces. Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Grace of Monaco (Grace Kelly), Barbara Hutton, Marjorie Merriweather Post, Maria Felix. Some of their jewelry and accessories were included in the display with photos of them wearing their Cartier. Princess Grace's TEN CARAT engagement ring and a pearl and diamond tiara were included. My jaw nearly dropped to the floor!
All in all, a stunning exhibit where the jewels dazzled! I'm quite glad I got a chance to see this incredible collection before the exhibition ended!
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