A French jewelry company will hold a series of special lectures this summer in Tokyo to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its entry into the Japanese market and to share its knowledge and expertise, the firm's CEO said Wednesday in Tokyo.

Nicolas Bos, CEO and president of Van Cleef & Arpels, told a news conference that its school, L'Ecole Van Cleef & Arpels, will offer lectures and workshops on art history, gemology and craftsmanship from July 17 to 31 at Tokyo Station Hotel.

"This school has several missions, including sharing the skills and knowledge gained through our long history in the business," he said.

Experts will offer 56 classes, each lasting four hours, with seats available for 12. The lectures will be given in French, with Japanese interpretation. As of Monday, two-thirds of the seats had been reserved, according to a company official. The fee is ¥60,000 and ¥80,000, depending on the class.

The company opened its first shop in Paris' famed Place Vendome in 1906 and entered Japan in 1973 as the first premier European jeweler.