California beach bracelet in white gold with colored sapphires, onyx, and diamonds; Perlée sweet clover bracelet in rhodium plated 18ct white gold with round diamonds, Van Cleef & Arpels; dress, Tory Burch. Photo: Jason Kim
Van Cleef & Arpels’s name goes hand-in-hand with high jewelry. What truly sets the jewelry house apart from the rest, however, is its incredible stone expertise and long heritage of stone craftsmanship — something that is evident in every creation it proudly produces.
A walk down memory lane with Van Cleef & Arpels
Van Cleef & Arpels was born out of a story of love, with the marriage of Estelle Arpels – the daughter of a precious stone merchant – and Alfred Van Cleef, the son of a lapidary. Ever since its inception in 1906, exceptional stones have been the very foundation of the brand, with nothing but the very highest quality gems making the cut. From white diamonds to colored gems, from mother-of-pearl to hard stones, Van Cleef & Arpels has searched the earth for the best of the best to create pieces that spotlight its signature style and savoir-faire.
Kiss at the balcony earrings with detachable pendants in 18ct white gold with black spinels and diamonds; Harmonia ring in 18ct white gold with one oval-cut green tourmaline, blue and mauve sapphires, onyx, and diamonds, Van Cleef & Arpels; dress, Naeem Khan. Photo: Jason Kim
Every high jewelry collection belonging to Van Cleef & Arpels today serves as a celebration of emeralds, rubies and diamonds. Cases in point: timeless pieces like the Merveille d’émeraudes necklace, Rubis en scène bracelet and Tendresse étincelante earrings all have been crafted using rare batches of precious gems, and all bear an age-old story. While the necklace weighs a total of 70.40 carats and features five gorgeous detachable Colombian emeralds, the bracelet serves as a tribute to one of actor Marlene Dietrich’s favorite jewels with its 72 Burmese rubies, weighing a total of 84.74…
