Van Cleef & Arpels, the Magic Alhambra Mother of Pearl Earrings

Suspended from the Magic Alhambra earrings are symmetric shapes in the motif that, since it was introduced in 1968, have become the signature design of Van Cleef & Arpels. The first Alhambra piece was a necklace — a long yellow-gold chain with 20 creased gold motifs, the border of each dotted with golden beads, all appearing as if a four-leaf clover had been touched by King Midas.

In 1895, Estelle Arpels, whose family was in the precious-stones business, married a stonecutter’s son named Alfred Van Cleef, and their union led to the founding of the maison of Van Cleef & Arpels in 1906. It was Estelle’s nephew Jacques Arpels (1914–2008) whose vision guided the creation of the Alhambra motif. Arpels enjoyed seeking out the rare four-leaf clovers growing in the garden of his home in Germigny-l'Évêque. He envisioned the Alhambra motif as a symbol of harmony and good fortune, its form inspired by both the clover and the quatrefoils of Moorish architecture. The design proved perfect for the “La Boutique” collection Van Cleef & Arpels had launched in 1954. Opened at its 22 Place Vendôme flagship in Paris, La Boutique offered more accessible pieces aimed at younger customers who wanted jewelry for everyday wear. Later, stemming from this innovative collection, Alhambra was the biggest hit.

The Alhambra motif, with its name evoking the Moorish palace in Granada, Spain, resonated with a 1960s-era exoticism for styles derived from the Middle East. The talisman of good luck quickly became a popular design, worn with bohemian flair by fashion icons like Princess Grace of Monaco, Elizabeth Taylor and Françoise Hardy. Along with the Magic Alhambra necklace, Van Cleef & Arpels added earrings, rings and even watches that incorporate the emblem’s curves. While a Van Cleef & Arpels aficionado would instantly recognize the motif in any iteration, the Alhambra designs are not showy in their branding and are easily paired with any outfit on any occasion.

The beauty of the Magic Alhambra design is in its refinement and its meticulous craftsmanship, from the selection of high-quality materials to the setting of the stones. For the Magic Alhambra earrings, there are numerous variations that include white gold paired with diamonds or yellow or rose gold paired with black onyx, malachite, mother-of-pearl and more. The Magic Alhambra earrings remain as sought after as the original necklace was in 1968. Van Cleef & Arpels continues to create pieces in the motif that respond to evolving tastes, and as the enthusiasm for Magic Alhambra jewelry grows, so too does the house’s universal renown.

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.

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