Van Cleef & Arpels Jewellery
Van Cleef & Arpels Jewellery
Van Cleef & Arpels is a French luxury jewelry brand. This family business was established in 1896 by two Dutch diamond cutters. The company is based in Paris and offers beautiful diamond jewelry. In addition to diamonds, Van Cleef & Arpels also makes many other luxury items.
Passe-Partout necklace
The Passe-Partout necklace is a versatile piece that can be worn on different occasions. The necklace is made from two flower clips and a flexible gold chain. It can be worn as a choker, necklace, or even a bracelet. It was designed for versatility and is available in a variety of colors.
The Passe-Partout necklace was introduced in the 1940s and was worn by celebrities such as Paulette Goddard, the wife of Charlie Chaplin, and Doris Duke, the heiress of a large textile company. The necklace was originally composed of two large flower clips set with a ruby or coloured sapphire center. Helene Arpels wore a Passe-Partout necklace at the 1939 Prix de Diane.
Van Cleef & Arpels is an exceptional jewelry company with an impressive history. The company is renowned for its unique designs, exceptional craftsmanship, and high-quality materials. The company has been in business at its current address in Paris since 1906. In its early years, the jewelry house focused on designing and creating unique pieces by combining precious metals and wood. Later, the company diversified into other areas of jewelry design, including watches.
A Passe-Partout necklace from Van Cleef & Arpels was a one-of-a-kind piece. The piece sheds light on the brand’s love of metamorphosis. A single diamond pendant can cost up to $300,000.
Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry is known for its high-quality craftsmanship and playful designs. It is a company that is in tune with its cultural climate. After the discovery of the Tutankhamun tomb in 1922, the firm made lavish pieces based on Egyptian themes. Its Egyptian themes continued to influence the company’s style and design after World War II. It also influenced the use of unusual stone combinations.
Eva Peron’s Flag brooch
In the late 1940s, Eva Peron owned a beautiful Van Cleef & Arpels brooch, which depicted the Argentinian flag. This piece was once a crown jewel, but is now on the market for an estimated $300-500 thousand. Interestingly, Van Cleef & Arpel’s does not disclose who bought the brooch.
The Argentine First Lady was well-dressed when she wore the beautiful piece of jewelry. During her visits to France, she became acquainted with a wide variety of designers, including Christian Dior, Jacques Fath, and Pierre Balmain. When she returned to Buenos Aires, she had a complete makeover, complete with platinum and gold hair. She also wore beautiful fairytale gowns. Eva Peron’s Flag cleef arpels brooch most likely came with her on the same flight from Paris to Buenos Aires.
Many of the pieces of jewellery designed by Van Cleef & Arpels are mysterious and can fetch up to seven figures in auction. This is often due to the rarity of the piece, its special provenance, or its design. However, even if the piece isn’t a Mystery set, the style alone can make it an instant collectible. Moreover, the pieces often command a high secondary market price, making them a valuable purchase.
Eva Peron’s Flag cleeve arpels brooch, as it is commonly known, commemorates the first lady of Argentina from 1946 to 1952. While she was adored by her people, Eva Peron’s short life was filled with controversy. As Argentina’s first lady, she was known as its “spiritual leader.” Her tireless efforts to fight economic injustice and ensure human dignity were well-known in her day.
Jacques Arpels
Jacques Arpels was a born collector. In his garden in Germigny l’Eveque, he collected four-leaf clovers to give to his staff members. He was the nephew of Estelle Arpels, who was also the co-founder of the famous jewellery house. She was the daughter of a stone-cutter and a precious stone dealer. The two met and married and started a family.
The jewelry house has an illustrious history. Its exquisite jewels have been worn by royalty and Hollywood stars alike. The grandson of one of the firm’s founders, Claude Julien Arpels, remembers a trip to India in 1956. While there, he met a white tiger and came across a cluster of diamonds in the middle of a grove. During the visit, the Maharajah invited Arpels to select a few of them. When the tiger saw the jewels, he had to consult an astrologer to make sure they were indeed the ones he wanted.
Since the early 1920s, Van Cleef & Arpels has added new pieces to its collection. They are known for blending rock crystal, onyx, and mother-of-pearl in beautiful designs. The collection includes pieces from the famous Alhambra collection. The Alhambra collection is made up of nearly two hundred pieces, which makes up around half of the company’s total jewellery line.
Jacques Arpels took inspiration from the rich patterns he encountered during his travels. His design for the Alhambra series draws upon the Moorish quatrefoil, which is a lucky charm. It references the quatrefoil, which is also the symbol of the Alhambra palace.
The Alhambra collection
Inspired by the special powers of talismans, the Alhambra collection by Van Cleef & Arpels has a magical feel. The pieces are inspired by the motifs of the Alhambra Palace in Spain and incorporate traditional Moorish and Gothic architecture.
The jewelry in the Alhambra collection features a variety of precious and semi-precious stones. The designers at Van Cleef & Arpels carefully select the gemstones and then carefully match them with the perfect hues. Mother-of-pearl creations from this collection are particularly popular.
The Alhambra collection includes necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings. The designs emphasize symmetry and scale. They feature a variety of gemstones including lapis lazuli and chalcedony. This collection is also notable for its capsule collections.
A stunning example of the Alhambra collection by Van Cleef & Arpels is an opera-length necklace. Another stunning piece is the Vintage Alhambra collection, which is a reproduction of first editions. The Magic Alhambra collection incorporates an asymmetrical design with up to 20 diamond motifs.
Inspired by the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain, the Alhambra collection was launched in 1968. The collection includes pieces with motifs representing luck, love, and health. The Alhambra is one of Van Cleef & Arpels’ most enduring collections. The collection’s motifs have evolved over the years.
The Alhambra collection is a testament to the expertise of the High Jewelry Maison. Each piece is made by different crafts including stone setting and polishing.
Elizabeth Taylor’s jewels
During her life, Elizabeth Taylor has adorned herself with many beautiful pieces of Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry. She wore several pieces during her time as a model, including a cuff bracelet and a diamond ring. Her collection is a mix of pieces she bought herself, as well as pieces she was gifted by Richard Burton and Michael Jackson.
A gold necklace fashioned of circular and rectangular links, the Sevres sautoir necklace features diamond accents that accentuate the gold surface. The necklace can be worn as a single bracelet or a group of bracelets, depending on your preference. In 1973, Elizabeth Taylor wore this necklace while disembarking a plane from Los Angeles, where reporters were waiting to question her about the breakup with Richard Burton.
Another famous piece that was gifted to the famous actress by Richard Burton is an earring made of coral and diamonds. Known as the Taylor-Burton diamond, this piece has a history dating back to 1969, when Burton bought it for her. The earrings were later worn by Taylor during a press conference in 1983 and years later, after their divorce.
The actress also owned diamonds from Blockbuster Maisons. She also possessed a love for antique pieces. Her diamond necklace dates back to 1900, and features old mine diamonds set in platinum. She paired her diamond necklace with a pair of girandole ear pendants that evoke Georgian treasures. The original version of these earrings was set with paste stones.
Creating timeless pieces of jewellery is a complex process. It involves finding the right balance between the timeless and the trendy. Choosing between one extreme or the other can compromise the potency of a piece. The most classic pieces combine these two elements to create something enduring.
Van Cleef & Arpels Jewellery
