Louisa Guinness Gallery opens its doors to the Surrealist Jewels 101 exhibition that runs from 26 September 2025 to 7 November 2025. Curated by Louisa Guinness, the exhibition is a celebration of the 101st anniversary of the ground-breaking surrealist movement. It brings together historic pieces, loans, new acquisitions and commissions, many of which have never been shown publicly.
Read more about surrealist jewels here.
One of the highlights is Salvador Dalí's 'Eye of Time', a platinum, diamond, ruby and blue enamel brooch with a mechanical watch movement (above), made in 1949 for his wife Gala. This iconic work has not been seen in London since the 1960s and will be available for viewing only from 24 - 26 September.
"This isn't just a jewellery show about surrealism, it's a surrealist experience," says Louisa Guinness. “I've spent years collecting and curating artist-made jewellery, and I know when a piece pushes boundaries. I chose these works because they each capture something surreal, something unforgettable. Whether it's a master or a new voice, the artists in this show are all speaking surrealism, that's what matters.”
Diving into the gallery's own collection of artist-made jewellery, the show presents significant works by Salvador Dalí, Man Ray, Claude Lalanne, Niki de Saint Phalle, Arman, César, and Max Ernst, as well as contemporary jewellery designers and makers such as Hannah Martin, Wenju Tseng, Martina Kocianova, Veronika Fabian, Jiayang He and Roei Palant.
"Placing new voices alongside established names is a fundamental part of the gallery's ethos," says Louisa Guinness, "a curatorial approach that creates unexpected dialogues between generations of artists. The exhibition offers the opportunity to explore intricate, one-of-a-kind jewellery that challenges our perception of reality and logic while transporting visitors into a world of surreal imagination."
Louisa Guinness opened her gallery dedicated to art jewellery in 2003, to showcase artist-made jewellery, each a wearable sculpture or work of art in its own unique way. Historic works by artists are offered alongside collaborations with over 25 contemporary artists and independent jewellers in what Louisa Guinness describes as a 'curative assembly.'
