Van Cleef And Arpels Lipstick
Early 20th Century French Art Deco More Jewelry
18k Gold, Enamel
20th Century Art Deco Vanity Items
Malachite, Onyx
Vintage 1960s Vanity Items
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
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Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold
Vintage 1940s French Boxes and Cases
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
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Diamond, Emerald, Malachite, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
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1930s French Jackets
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Antique 1890s Choker Necklaces
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Antique Late 19th Century Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, Silver
Antique 1840s Victorian Bangles
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20th Century American Modern Link Necklaces
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Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
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Pearl, Natural Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Vanity Items
Diamond, Onyx, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
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Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
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Early 20th Century French Art Deco Vanity Items
18k Gold
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Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Vintage 1940s American Retro More Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
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18k Gold, Yellow Gold
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Vintage 1950s French Boxes and Cases
18k Gold
Vintage 1950s French Retro Boxes and Cases
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
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Ruby, Mixed Metal
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18k Gold, Yellow Gold
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Van Cleef & Arpels for sale on 1stDibs
One of the world’s foremost jewelry houses, Van Cleef & Arpels is particularly noted for a focus on technical virtuosity, craftsmanship and artistry, evident since its beginning. Rather than create earrings, bracelets, necklaces and other adornments primarily for the aim of displaying of wealth and opulence, Van Cleef & Arpels sought to produce jewelry that projected the wearer’s taste and style.
The company was formed a year after the 1895 marriage of Alfred Van Cleef, the son of a gem cutter, to Estelle Arpels, daughter of precious-stones dealer Salomon Arpel. Ten years later, Van Cleef & Arpels opened its first boutique on the Place Vendôme in Paris, setting the march on a square now crowded with dealers in bijouterie. (The company still occupies the New York flagship store opened in 1939 at Fifth Avenue and 57th Street.)
Born from a union of expertise in both jewelry making and gem selection, Van Cleef & Arpels distinguished itself with both the consistency of the color and clarity of its stones and the creativity of its designs. In doing so, the house would win a roster of dedicated, fashion-conscious clients that included the Duchess of Windsor, Marlene Dietrich, Barbara Hutton, Jacqueline Onassis and Elizabeth Taylor. In 1933, Van Cleef & Arpels patented its trademark Mystery Setting — a technique by which gems are fitted into an intricate matrix of slots and “drawers” that keep the setting hidden. Another signal innovation was the Zip necklace, introduced in 1951, which can be worn either around the neck or, with the zipper closed, as a bracelet.
But as much as to the firm’s craftsmanship, clients have been drawn by the insouciance and playfulness of Van Cleef & Arpels designers, as well as their attunement to the cultural climate. After the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, the company produced several lavish pieces featuring hieroglyphics and other Egyptian motifs to go along with the geometric Art Deco jewelry of that decade and the next. Following World War II, as symbols of freedom and rebirth, the firm focused on naturalistic forms such as birds, flowers, fruit and flying insects. High society’s 1960s fascination with the Near East and India prompted such pieces as the best-selling Alhambra necklace, popularized by Princess Grace.
Lately, attention among collectors and connoisseurs has centered on Van Cleef & Arpels’s quality of workmanship as much as its glamour. The firm was the subject of a 2012 show at the Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, as well as exhibitions at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California, in 2013 and at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in 2014.
Find an exquisite collection of Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Van Cleef & Arpels is so expensive because it is a well-known company that has a fantastic reputation. Van Cleef & Arpels are universally renowned for high quality jewelry with a focus on detail. High-profile fans of the French jewelry house over the years have included the Duchess of Windsor, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor and many more. Find an extraordinary range of Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry on 1stDibs.