Discovering one of the most exceptional collections of antique jewelry
Dressed in a black suit and tie, Kazumi Arikawa greets his guests formally with a handshake and a bow. He was in New York for the premiere of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's antique jewelry exhibition, "The Body Transformed," which closed in February.
His company, Albion Art, which has outlets in Tokyo and Fukuoka, was the main sponsor of the exhibition. In addition to his sponsorship, Mr. Arikawa donated three pieces of antique jewelry to the museum.
In the very closed circle of fine jewelry collectors and academics, Mr. Arikawa is famous for his love of antique jewelry and art in general, but in the West he is almost unknown. Yet he has an incredible collection of nearly 800 historical jewels , amassed over more than 30 years. Although he has lived in Japan his entire life, the vast majority of his collection consists of antique Western jewelry. He has pieces from all periods, from Antiquity to the Renaissance to more contemporary vintage jewelry.
His sponsorship of the New York museum's jewelry exhibition has allowed him to emerge from the shadows. He now wants to share his collection with a wider audience. He is exploring several avenues, including opening a museum in Kyoto that would exhibit his pieces. If this project were to materialize, this museum would become one of a kind, for those who have had the chance to admire his antique jewelry.
“ I believe that the Albion Art collection must be one of the most exceptional private collections of antique jewellery in the world, ” said Vivienne Becker , a renowned jewellery historian and author who has been fortunate enough to examine more private collections of antique jewellery than anyone else.
Kazumi Arikawa, a man in search of a passion
In a way, Mr. Arikawa was a man in search of a passion. He first wanted to become a politician, but his mother opposed it (he lost his father when he was 10 years old). He then studied for 2 years to become a Buddhist monk . After that he threw himself heart and soul into his studies.
" When I returned to the real world, I was interested in knowledge and philosophy. I wanted to become a university professor, but I had little self-confidence, " he said.
When he was young, his mother opened a small jewelry store. His sister took over the shop, and during his period of indecision he started helping out. Little by little, he became interested in jewelry, but in a completely different way.
“ I took my involvement in the family business very seriously, I gave it my all and in the first year I managed to triple the turnover, ” he said. “ I wanted to be the best, it’s in my nature. However, at that time jewellery was not artistic, it was more of a commercial product. It was also at that time that treated stones started to come onto the market. I knew that I also had a responsibility to our customers, I had to be honest. I then stepped away from the jewellery business for a year to study management. ”
During this period he stayed for 3 weeks in Paris . He visited the jewelers of the Place Vendôme , and their luxury jewels . He then headed to London to visit the Victoria and Albert Museum. He claims that its jewel gallery changed his life.
When he returned to Tokyo, he explained to his sister what he had seen, how his vision of jewelry had changed. She then recommended that he visit 2 antique jewelry shops in Tokyo.
“ I visited one of these jewellers to realise how sophisticatedly beautiful these antique jewels are. I remember marvelling at the finesse of Edwardian jewellery, ” he said. “ I was so inspired. I had a moment that shook me from the inside out. It was a physical and emotional, visceral response to the great beauty of a jewel. ”
He befriended the owner, who entrusted him with four pieces of jewelry worth about $10,000.
“ I will never forget that act of kindness, it changed my life. I remember one of those 4 antique jewels, it was a beautiful diamond brooch. I sold it immediately to customers of the jewelry store, to private customers. That’s what I continued to do for the next 15 years. I then opened a small antique jewelry shop in Fukuoka over 30 years ago, that’s where it all started. A few years later, I became the first antique jewelry dealer in Japan. After that, my ambition was to become the best dealer in the world. ”
He credits his training as a Buddhist monk, a religion he scrupulously follows, with giving him an appreciation for Western jewelry.
“ I realized through my Buddhist training that jewelry is not just decorative. It has a spiritual dimension as well. My understanding of the true nature and beauty of jewelry comes half from Buddhism, the other half from the impact that comes from handling such works of art, ” he said. “ I was now on a mission to create a true culture of jewelry, to show its true meaning. After that all my doubts evaporated. I was no longer looking for myself, I knew where I had to go. The light appeared from the brilliance and infinite depth of gemstones and jewelry. ”
Acquire beauty and save the planet
Determination and passion are evident in this man. Collecting antique jewelry is not only his life's work, but also his way of making our world a better place.
“ My criterion of choice is beauty. I choose masterpieces. Today I am able to buy the most beautiful, important and historical antique jewels, including Russian imperial jewels, ” he said. “ I sometimes pay a lot, but I always feel that they are undervalued. ”
“ The most pressing contemporary issue today is the environment. Due to pollution and overconsumption, we are damaging the beauty of the planet, the air, the water, the forests. If we lose these vital elements, if we lose this essential beauty, we will perish. This beauty is crucial, it is not a luxury or something superficial. Beauty is essential to our survival. I think this can be demonstrated through the beauty of jewelry, which is the fruit of the most precious natural treasures of our planet. This understanding can change our values, help us achieve this change of attitude that has become so urgent .”
Since he collected on the basis of beauty, he was able to buy pieces at prices that would be considered ridiculous today. For example, he developed a fondness for tiaras long ago, long before they became fashionable among collectors.
“ When I started buying tiaras 35 years ago, they were cheap even though they had lots of diamonds. Nobody wanted them. When I went to auctions or to antique jewelry dealers, I could hear them saying, ‘Take me back to Japan.’” “Early on, I bought a Fabergé tiara, which was worth half of my stock of antique jewelry. But I thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. My collection grew to 150 pieces. ”
Cameos are another of Arikawa's passions, particularly because of their commonality with Buddhist sculpture.
" Even 35 years ago I was fascinated by the art of stone engraving, by the motifs of Greek gods, goddesses and heroes that can be found on ancient cameos. For the ancients, cameos were sacred sculptures, they had a spiritual dimension, a power. During the Renaissance, stone engraving was considered the ultimate artistic mastery, much more precious than painting. This art was still new, while engraving dates back to antiquity. "
Painting eventually took over the art world, but now the time has come for jewelry as an art, according to Arikawa.
“ Jewelry is starting to be appreciated as a true work of art, ” he said. “ It’s kind of a return to the roots, to its essential role. I hope I’m influencing the history of art. Jewelry represents the beauty of the universe, the beauty of truth. ”
Photo credits: Albion Art
