Van Cleef & Arpels High Jewellery pieces that represent timeless and transient qualities
Showcased at Van Cleef & Arpels: Time, Nature, Love, these High Jewellery creations symbolise the eternal and ephemeral virtues of the Maison’s savoir-faire in portraying poetic beauty.
Zip necklace (1951) in yellow and rose gold with rubies and diamonds.
Imagined by artistic director Renée Puissant, daughter of co-founders Alfred and Estelle Van Cleef, this ingenious and modern masterpiece exemplifies the Maison’s flair for transformable and multifunctional jewellery. Patented in 1938, the avant-garde creation transforms into a bracelet simply by sliding its tassel, as per a real zipper.
Dancer clip (1942) in yellow and white gold with rubies and diamonds.
The passion held by Louis Arpels for ballet and opera inspired the first Dancer clips created by Van Cleef & Arpels in 1941. Translated from its archives of true-to-life sketches of ballerinas, the dancers’ gestures and poses evoke movement while their diamond faces illuminate the meticulously rendered exotic costumes in gold and precious stones.
“37” clip (1937) in yellow gold with rubies and diamonds.
Perched at the confluence of nature and couture, the stylised clip’s design juxtaposes a bow and a flower. The flexible gold ribbons that infuse the composition with an ethereal quality are a nod to the Maison’s penchant for flora in perennial motion. The full-hollow dichotomy gave birth to an aesthetic echoed by the Maison’s Silhouette Flowers from the 1930s.
Bird of Paradise clip (1942) in yellow gold and platinum with rubies, sapphires and diamonds.
Among the Maison’s many bird-themed pieces created since the 1920s, this Bird of Paradise clip from 1942 embodies its tradition of drawing inspiration from nature. Sculpted in mid-flight, the bird’s silhouette emphasises size and volume, while its feathers are exquisitely rendered in sweeping graphic lines, striking a dynamic contrast between light and colour.
Romeo and Juliet brooches (circa 1951) in yellow gold with emeralds, rubies, sapphires and cultured pearls.
Mythical love stories taken from classic theatre were interpreted by Van Cleef & Arpels in the early 1950s. It spawned two pairs of clips including this one of Romeo and Juliet, the star-crossed lovers of Shakespeare’s masterpiece (1597). The simple composition conjures a poignant sincerity while affirming the Maison’s taste for stylised representations.
Lovebirds brooch (1945) in platinum and yellow gold with rubies and diamonds.
Van Cleef & Arpels has always exalted tender emotions in its creations, epitomised by its very first piece sold in 1906. Harking from the Maison’s Lovebird jewels in the 1940s, this brooch encapsulates its twin loves: love and nature. The feathered couple elicit softness and gentleness in their heart-shaped embrace.
Photography: E Shin Goo
Creative Direction: Younghee Suh
All jewellery Van Cleef & Arpels collection
