Van Cleef & Arpels

Raymond Lee Jewelers Shares with Its Customers the Beauty of Van Cleef & Arpels Jewelry

The French jewelry house of Van Cleef & Arpels, which is also famous for its luxury watches and perfumes, was founded four years before the debut of the 20th century, in 1896. It is renowned for its excellent craftsmanship in precious stones, and its sophisticate pieces featuring flowers, birds, butterflies, and fairy tale creatures. The company’s flagship store is located in Place Vendôme in Paris, a landmark of the French capital. Van Cleef & Arpels is present throughout the world in most important cities, from Europe and America to Asia. The company has even founded a jewelry and watchmaking school, from the desire to share its knowledge and expertise about these extraordinary arts. Van Cleef & Arpels ceased to be a family business in 1999, when it was taken over by the Richemont Group.

Inspiration

Van Cleef & Arpels is inspired by several main themes, which keep recurring in their collections, in ever new and dazzling forms. Whether this luxury jewelry company draws on nature, femininity, or exoticism, the results are always stunning and impeccably crafted. The house periodically reinvents itself, but the primary motifs remain the same: the clover or the fairy, for instance. Another distinguishing feature of Van Cleef & Arpels is the inclination to tell stories through their collections.

Jewelry for the Elite

The house is well known for being among the favorite jewelers of global elite, including royalties and celebrities. Clients include Duchess of Windsor, Elisabeth Taylor, and Princess Grace of Monaco.

The Mystery Setting Technique

Van Cleef & Arpels has introduced a unique procedure in gem setting, for which the company owns the trademark. With this groundbreaking technique, the precious stone is set in such a way that the prongs are invisible, which makes the gem look like it stands on its own. Few master jewelers are able to use it successfully, and with such a high level of expertise as Van Cleef’s experts. Pieces made in this way are very rare due to the large amount of labor involved. For instance, making a simple brooch using this technique requires about 300 hours of work.

Collections
Van Cleef & Arpels high jewelry collections include Bals de Legende, California reverie, L’Atlantide, Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Les Jardins, among others. The titles speak for themselves, and reveal the house’s propensity for the narrative.

Jewelry Collections

Alhambra

Alhambra is an emblematic motif for the house of Van Cleef & Arpels, which was launched at the end of the 1960s. The Alhambra pendants, necklaces, and earrings, made of mother of pearl, gold, diamonds, and gemstones, continue to attract jewelry lovers. The clover, symbolizing luck, but also love, is reproduced in multiple designs and shapes befitting every style. Alhambra jewelry is recognized as a token of luck, and the four-leaf clover has come to be identified with the house of Van Cleef & Arpels. Throughout the collection, consisting of lucky charms, talismans and pendants, the Alhambra pieces epitomize the house’s ultimate love and inspiration: nature.

Alhambra over the Years

The company reinterpreted its popular Alhambra motif over the years. The collection was updated in 2001, when the jewelry design gained more emphasis through the usage of various colors and materials. Combining yellow gold with mother-of-pearl radiance, the house brought new enriching touches to the Alhambra motif. From Vintage Alhambra, reproducing the first Alhambra piece to Infinite Alhambra, the collection has been constantly renewed and enriched. Vintage & Magic Alhambra introduces malachite, while Sweet Alhambra Collection features carnelian. Malachite is a hard stone, highly appreciated for its green hues. The selection of the material is perfectly matched with the motif of the four-leaf clover, and the house’s propensity for nature. Carnelian, on the other hand, emanates warmth, and its deep hue is further enhanced by the careful polishing of Van Cleef & Arpels’ experts.

Perlee

This collection includes delicate glittery pieces, which are beautifully crafted. The colorful beads that adorn the rings and bracelets in the collection in versatile variations can be matched in countless ways to express your personality.

Floral

This collection offers a reinterpretation of natural beauty through gemstones. Colorful flowers and delicate butterflies embellish the rings and necklaces, combining precious stones and gold.

Flying Beauties

With this collection, the house of Van Cleef & Arpels celebrates nature once again by capturing the beauty of winged creatures, such as birds and butterflies, in the form of irresistible jewels.

Men’s Jewelry

Elegance and distinction characterize all Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry pieces for men, including cufflinks and bracelets.

Diamond Breeze

White gold is combined with diamonds in imaginative ways, resulting in amazing jewelry, which can be worn on various occasions to enhance your natural beauty. Deeply feminine, the jewelry pieces in the collection suggest air lightness, enchanting with their finesse and refinement.

Bridal

All the items in this collection, from engagement rings to wedding bands and bridal sets, bear the inimitable signature of the house, which was born out of love. There’s no metaphor here, as Alfred Van Cleef founded the jewelry company together with Salamon Arpels, after marrying Estelle Arpels.

Van Cleef & Arpels Watches

Both women and men’s watches made by the house are instantly recognizable due to the unique blend of imagination, aesthetics, and craftsmanship. Extraordinary Dials, Hummingbird watches, Polar Landscape watches, and Poetic Complications timepieces catch the eye and enchant the senses.

Quest for Beauty

Those who love Van Cleef & Arpels creations, as well as those who are willing to discover them, have the opportunity to visit the house’s heritage exhibition, “A Quest for Beauty: The Art of Van Cleef & Arpels”, which is hosted by the Bowers Museum, in Santa Ana. If you happen to live or travel to California at the beginning of this year, until February 15, you may want to stop by. You will be able to see over 200 outstanding jewelry pieces, including watches and accessories, spanning more than a century of work dedicated to the craft of jewelry and watch making.

If you’re interested in seeing or buying Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry, you can visit Raymond Lee Jewelers‘ showroom or browse our website to get an idea about your options, and make your purchase online.