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Van Cleef & Arpels Shares a Look Into Its Incredible History of Stone Craftsmanship

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 carats.

And then come the earrings, inspired by the Van Cleef & Arpels earrings that Aristotle Onassis offered to Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis in 1968 as a wedding gift. A true celebration of the jewelry house’s ability to not just find the most precious stones, but to also bring them to life with unparalleled skill and creativity, the Tendresse étincelante earrings depict blossoming corolla absolutely drenched in diamonds.

Rose de Noël earrings in 18ct rose gold with carnelian and round diamonds, Van Cleef & Arpels; dress, Versace. Photo: Jason Kim

The Van Cleef & Arpels effect

Be it a decadent piece that tells a tale of the past, or a modern creation that speaks to the woman on-the-go, Van Cleef & Arpels’s bejeweled treasures all share one thing in common — the highest standard in craftsmanship. The Pierres de Caractère collection, first launched close to seven years ago, serves as proof. And now, the newest Pierres de Caractère – Variations collection takes the jewelry house’s love for gems to the next level by spotlighting the spiritual qualities they possess.

Looking at gems from a spiritual eye has given Van Cleef & Arpels a new lens on gemstone combinations. Few know it, but Claude Arpels, nephew of Estelle Arpels, dedicated his life to scouring the world for rare gems, always on the lookout for their “living flame”. “Every stone has a soul of its own”, he once said, and the latest pieces to come through tell the same story.

Palmyre earrings and necklace in18ct yellow gold with diamonds, Van Cleef & Arpels; dress, Naeem Khan; gloves, Dolce & Gabbana. Photo: Jason Kim

Over the years, Van Cleef & Arpels’s dedication to celebrating each and every stone has resulted in countless jewelry pieces that delight the world. From maharajas’ private collections (think Rewa jewels, the Golconda diamonds, and oriental pearls), to Africa, India, Egypt, Thailand, Lebanon, and beyond, the jewelry house has sourced ethereal rocks from every corner of the world, creating some incredible pieces. While flamboyant rubies from Mozambique made their way to the Oriental Princess necklace, the “Prince Edward of York Diamond” transformed into a sparkling pendant, and the yellow Walska Briolette diamond transformed into a key component of a vibrant bird clip.

Frivole Secrète watch in 18ct yellow gold case and 18ct yellow gold dial with round diamonds and 18ct yellow gold flowers; Frivole Between the Finger ring in 18ct yellow gold with round diamonds, Van Cleef & Arpels; dress, Valentino. Photo: Jason Kim

As the pace of the world continues to quicken, Van Cleef & Arpels has not looked away from fresh needs and aesthetics. In the pages of Vogue Arabia, the globally renowned name presents a mix of covetable creations that blur the lines between opulence and functionality. Multi-hued cuffs share space with delicate floral earrings, and waterfall diamond danglers quietly complement sparkling neckpieces. These light-as-air, versatile pieces prove that there’s truly nothing Van Cleef & Arpels can’t do wondrously well — the key is to always let the gemstone be the hero.

Palmyre earrings in 18ct yellow gold with diamonds, Van Cleef & Arpels; dress, gloves, Aknvas. Photo: Jason Kim

Style: Anna Katsanis 
Hair:
Gonn Kinoshita 
Makeup:
Ayami Nishimura at Forward Artists 
Nail tech:
Honey 
Producer:
Danica Zivkovic 
Local production:
Thomas Lynch
Casting director: Tasha Tongpreecha

Model:
Anisa Dagher at Elite NY
Digi tech:
Drew St Ivany
Lighting assistants:
James Clark, Nick Grennon
Hair assistant:
Julianne Laney 
Makeup assistant:
Shoko Kodama
Style assistant:
Ana Mendoza

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