Van Cleef & Arpels unveils the Alhambra Blue Agate collection
Van Cleef & Arpels showcases the unique radiance of blue agate in its latest Alhambra collection.
Not just a jewel but an emblem of luck that has been cherished since being created in 1968, the Alhambra motif has thrived as the embodiment of positivity. Continuously evolving, whether defined by new combinations of materials, featuring various functionalities or adapted into different motif sizes, this Van Cleef & Arpels icon never ceases to spring a delightful surprise at each juncture of its reinvention.
At the core of the Alhambra is the quatrefoil emblem synonymous with luck, transforming the jewellery into a lucky charm. This value of fortuity has long inspired the Maison’s creations, galvanised by how Jacques Arpels often picked four-leaf cloves from his garden at Germigny-l’Évêque to gift his staff along with a copy of the poem “Don’t Quit” as an invitation always to have hope. It was also this nephew of the Maison’s co-founder Estelle Arpels who coined the saying, “To be lucky, you have to believe in luck.”
Half a decade ago, the Alhambra collection marked its 50th anniversary and presented a yellow gold Vintage Alhambra necklace, bracelet, and earrings with the guilloché aesthetic for the first time, joined by the Sweet Alhambra watch. The following year, diamonds were used to adorn the guilloché yellow gold of a long necklace, bracelet and pendant, along with the Sweet Alhambra watch integrating this decoration with iridescent mother-of-pearl.
The evolution ensued in 2020 with guilloché yellow gold appearing on the inaugural Vintage Alhambra ring alongside four Magic Alhambra long necklaces. The next year in 2021, the secret pendant watch debuted under the Alhambra collection, before a long necklace, bracelet, pendant, ring and pair of earrings were unveiled in guilloché white gold in 2022. Last year, the highlight came in the form of pairing of rose gold with carnelian, launched together with the Alhambra’s first reversible ring in guilloché rose gold set with a central diamond on one side and carnelian on the other.
As an enduring representation of Van Cleef & Arpels’ jewellery savoir-faire and expertise, the Alhambra illustrates the Maison’s unparelleled selection of stones, materials and hues. Used since the 1910s to enhance watches, and since the 1930s to deck cases, powder boxes and minaudières, the guilloché motif interestingly started its journey with the Alhambra collection in 2018 for its 50th milestone. Eventually, ornamental stones and diamonds were enlisted to accentuate the gilt luminosity of the guilloché’s delicately textured sunbeam-like streaks.
THE ALHAMBRA’S 2024 ITERATIONS
For its latest 2024 capsule, Van Cleef & Arpels has chosen to partner the lustre of guilloché yellow gold with the beautiful tonalities of blue agate in these pieces: the Sweet Alhambra watch and Vintage Alhambra reversible ring along with a pendant and earrings.
A transformative piece rooted in the Maison’s tradition of convertible jewels, the Vintage Alhambra reversible ring, introduced in 2023, is reimagined this year. Its two faces — one in guilloché yellow gold set with a diamond and the other in blue agate — are augmented with a double-beaded contour. The ring’s body, lined with three rows of golden beads on the exterior and a half-round band of gold for inner part, holds the principal motif fitted with a mechanism which rotates fluidly and seamlessly. Even the close-set diamond on the guilloché motif is designed to sit at a specific height that maximises the stone’s sparkle while ensuring comfortable wear. A testament to the Maison’s immaculate craftsmanship, each component of its Alhambra jewellery is assembled and adjusted by hand.
Launched in 1988, the Alhambra watch collection has birthed a new variant for 2024: the Sweet Alhambra Blue Agate watch, juxtaposing guilloché yellow gold and blue agate and powered by a quartz movement. To secure the clover motifs, the rounded prongs of the beaded setting echoing the golden beads are expertly folded down and then polished by jewellery artisans. The creation of this jewellery watch entails fifteen successive steps, including strict rough stone selection, meticulous material pairing, gem-setting and casing of the movement and dial.
Concerning blue agate, a variant of translucent chalcedony, the gemstone is no stranger to the Alhambra, first introduced to the collection in 1989 and meeting the Maison’s strict selection standards in pure material, intense colour and a lustrous surface. In each of these new Alhambra designs, one can appreciate the flawless chromatic harmony of the blue agate accentuating the clover motifs — precisely matched in hue, shade and opacity — infusing the creation with uniqueness and allure. Due to the microcrystalline structure of blue agate, utmost care and delicacy are needed to polish the Alhambra. As a final touch, the beaded contour that perfectly borders each Alhambra motif further intensifies the magnetic combination of brilliant guilloché and deep blue agate.
