A pair of clocks with mirrors and lion-shape decorations are among six timepieces benefiting from the cooperation between the Palace Museum and Cartier. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

The Symbols of Power section of the exhibition displays tiaras, bracelets, necklaces and other items of jewelry owned by royal courts and celebrities from all over Europe, Asia and North America, which combine to present a sparkling fiesta for the eyes. An emphasis was particularly placed on presenting the rise of the modernist style of the early 20th century, marking the birth of the Art Deco movement and plotting the evolution of fashion.

"It's difficult to say where their home is because they are part of the patrimony of history and humanity," Vigneron says.

Wang Yuegong, Chinese curator of the exhibition and director of the department at the Palace Museum studying royal life and imperial rituals, notes that it is a pity that they were unable to find a Chinese emperor in the Forbidden City who once owned Cartier jewels.

However, this absence did not curb their creativity.

"Considering that jewels represented power in the West, we have to confess that there are boundaries between the different cultures," Wang Yuegong says. "And that's the reason for mutual learning. These exhibits show visitors how the lines between different cultures can become blurred and begin to merge naturally."