1 Carat Van Cleef
1990s More Necklaces
Diamond, Platinum
20th Century Romantic Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Choker Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
20th Century Brooches
Diamond, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Dome Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Early 2000s Artist Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s More Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
Mid-20th Century Artist Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Fashion Rings
Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s Artist Brooches
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Band Rings
Diamond
Late 20th Century Bangles
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Early 2000s Artist Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1950s Artist Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s Engagement Rings
Diamond, Platinum
Late 20th Century Artist More Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
Early 20th Century Artist More Bracelets
Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum
Late 20th Century Artist More Bracelets
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Artist Engagement Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Kunzite, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s Brooches
Diamond, Platinum
20th Century More Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Solitaire Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, Platinum
Vintage 1980s Artist Link Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Bangles
18k Gold
2010s Modern Band Rings
Diamond, Platinum
Vintage 1980s Choker Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Band Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum
Mid-20th Century Band Rings
Diamond, Platinum
1990s Romantic Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s Artist Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold
1990s Choker Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Artist Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Platinum
Late 20th Century Artist Link Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s Artist Brooches
Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Fashion Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1980s Retro More Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Wedding Rings
Diamond, Platinum
20th Century Contemporary Band Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
2010s More Rings
Diamond, Platinum
2010s Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Platinum
Late 20th Century More Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s Band Rings
Chrysophrase, Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s More Rings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Fashion Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1980s Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Artist Hoop Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
2010s Contemporary Wedding Rings
Diamond, Platinum
- 1
Van Cleef And Arpels Biography and Important Works
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 jewelry whose primary aim was the display of wealth and opulence, Van Cleef & Arpels sought to produce pieces that projected the wearer’s taste and style — winning the house a roster of dedicated, fashion-conscious clients that included the Duchess of Windsor, Marlene Dietrich, Barbara Hutton, Jacqueline Onassis and Elizabeth Taylor.
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, the firm distinguished itself with both the consistency of the color and clarity of its stones and the creativity of its designs. 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.