Curations: Van Cleef & Arpels continues to reimagine vintage jewellery designs for modern-day wear
- The French luxury brand’s Alhambra collection reinterprets its signature four-leaf clover motif for a new decade with long necklaces and a jewellery watch
- The Perlée collection draws from the maison’s archives to revive the Tartelette ring design from 1948 for a trio of diamond pavé pieces
The storied history of Van Cleef & Arpels begins with a Parisian tale of love. In 1895, Alfred Van Cleef, the son of a lapidary, tied the knot with Estelle Arpels, the daughter of a precious stones dealer. From their union, the maison of Van Cleef & Arpels was born at 22 Place Vendöme in 1906, representing a combined vision for high jewellery. Twenty years later, the couple’s daughter Renée Puissant took over as artistic director, and developed the signature style that Van Cleef & Arpels is known for today.
The creations envisioned by the maison’s founders and first designers have developed into an ongoing record of the French luxury brand’s history, as the pieces have been reimagined multiple times over the decades. This year, Van Cleef & Arpels unveiled updates to two of its classic collections, which once again reinterpret the timeless designs.
Alhambra collection gets lucky again
“To be lucky, you have to believe in luck,” said Jacques Arpels, the nephew of Estelle Arpels who managed Van Cleef & Arpels during the 1940s. He promoted this notion by collecting four-leaf clovers from the garden of his house and presenting them to his staff with a copy of an inspirational poem titled Don’t Quit.
This symbol of luck has long been a cherished emblem of the maison, with the four-leaf clover first making an appearance in its records in the 1920s. In 1968, it served as the inspiration for the design of the first Alhambra long necklace, made of 20 clover-shaped motifs fashioned in creased yellow gold and outlined with intricately set golden beads.
The distinctive necklace design had instant appeal for its ease of wear and versatility – the long chain can be doubled up, draped down your back or wrapped around your wrist. The Alhambra collection has since grown to include bracelets, rings, earrings and watches, using a variety of materials. This year, it evolved even further by incorporating different precious materials.
