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Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

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1960s Van Cleef & Arpels French Flower Diamond Petal Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
1960s Van Cleef & Arpels French Flower Diamond Petal Earrings. Signed and numbered M39112. Diamond
Category

20th Century French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Yellow Gold Diamond Lotus Flower Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Experience the timeless elegance and exquisite craftsmanship of Van Cleef & Arpels with these
Category

1950s French Modern Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
Classic Van Cleef and Arpels clip on earrings!!!! Designed as flower-heads with round diamonds
Category

20th Century French Romantic Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Gold Clip-On Double Flower Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Tel Aviv, IL
These amazing Van Cleef & Arpels (VCA) earrings are made in 18k yellow gold and feature a floral
Category

1990s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels 1960s Diamond Clip Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
earrings frame the face like petals of a flower. Product Details: Item #: ER-21063 Artist: Van Cleef
Category

Mid-20th Century American Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Platinum

Van Cleef & Arpels Cabochon Ruby & Diamond Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
Van Cleef & Arpels Cabochon Ruby & Diamond Earrings A pair of earrings consisting of 1 center
Category

1970s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage 1980s Diamond Mother of Pearl Flower Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Diamond, Mother of Pearl Flower Earrings A pair of 18k yellow gold flower motif
Category

1980s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Diamond Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
Van Cleef & Arpels's abstract designs are equally sublime and elegant as their famous flowers. The
Category

20th Century French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Gold and Diamond Earrings.
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
Van Cleef & Arpels 18k gold and diamond flower earrings. Centers of the earrings set with 14 round
Category

Late 20th Century French Contemporary Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Asymmetrical Coral & Turquoise Day & Night Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
Van Cleef & Arpels Asymmetrical Angel Skin Coral & Turquoise Diamond Day & Night Earrings A pair
Category

1960s American Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Coral, Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold

Vintage Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Flower Earrings in 18k Yellow Gold w/ Pouch
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Philadelphia, PA
These vintage VCA flower style earrings feature 70 round brilliant cut diamonds totaling
Category

Late 20th Century Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Sapphire and Diamond “Camellia” Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
This pair of Van Cleef & Arpels "Camellia" earrings evoke the camellia flower in strikingly
Category

1950s Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, White Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum

Van Cleef & Arpels Sapphire and Diamond "Camellia" Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
These Van Cleef & Arpels "Camellia" earrings, in blue sapphires and diamonds, evoke the spectacular
Category

1960s American Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Diamond, Platinum

Van Cleef & Arpels Yellow Gold, Diamonds and Sapphire Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Monaco, MC
Van Cleef & Arpels earrings in yellow gold with a stylized "flower" motif with at it's center an
Category

1970s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Collection Diamond Pave Abstract Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Diamond Pave Abstract Earrings in 18k White Gold and 18k Yellow Gold. A pair of
Category

1980s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold

Vintage Van Cleef & Arpels Paris emeralds Diamond Earrings and Ring
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in PARIS, FR
Rare collection "fleurette" pieces Emerald and Diamond Earrings flower and Ring by Van Cleef and
Category

1980s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold

Vintage Van Cleef & Arpels Paris emeralds Diamond Earrings and Ring
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in PARIS, FR
Rare collection "fleurette" pieces Emerald and Diamond Earrings flower and Ring by Van Cleef and
Category

1980s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Rose de Noel Mother of Pearl Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Vca Rose De Noel Earrings Black Mother Of Pearl Crafted in France, these exquisite Van Cleef
Category

1990s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Pearl, Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold

Van Cleef & Arples Platinum Floral Earrings Ruby, Emerald, Sapphires Diamonds
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
sandals for your day-look. Unsigned Van Cleef & Arples made in France Measurments: 7/8in x7/8in Weight
Category

1950s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Platinum

Van Cleef & Arpels Frivole Diamond Emerald 18k Yellow Gold Small Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
These rare Van Cleef & Arpels lever-back earrings from the gorgeous Frivole collection feature a
Category

1990s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Emerald, Yellow Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Large 18k Yellow Gold Diamond Wood Clematis Clip Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Van Cleef & Arpels large clematis flower clip earrings, each flowerhead centering three round
Category

1980s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Yellow Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Earrings Rose De Noel Pink Coral Diamonds 18 Kt Gold
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Paris, FR
VAN CLEEF AND ARPELS Rose de Noel Legendary 18K yellow gold ear clips in the shape of blooming
Category

1970s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Coral, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Turquoise and Diamond floral Ear-clips
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
Van Cleef & Arpels turquoise and diamond floral ear-clips in 18k yellow gold. The earrings are
Category

Late 20th Century French Artist Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond White Coral Yellow Gold Rose de Noël Brooch
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
A rare Van Cleef & Arpels "Rose de Noël" brooch set in 18k yellow gold, each piece designed as a
Category

1980s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Coral, White Diamond, 18k Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Coral Gold Suite
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
A 1980's Van Cleef & Arpels brooch & earring suite, the brooch designed as a curving branch with
Category

1980s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Coral, White Diamond, 18k Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Sapphire and Diamond “Camellia” Brooch
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
& Arpels N.Y. 40223" Literature: Earrings of same design are pictured, in rubies and diamonds, in Van Cleef
Category

1960s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, White Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum

Vintage Pennino Sapphire Blue and Crystal Flower Earrings Circa 1960s
By Pennino Jewelry
Located in New York, NY
Vintage Pennino Sapphire Blue and Crystal Flower Earrings. These aren't real but they do look it
Category

1960s American Modern Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Mixed Metal

Vintage Pennino Sapphire Blue and Crystal Flower Earrings Circa 1960s
Vintage Pennino Sapphire Blue and Crystal Flower Earrings Circa 1960s
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H 0.75 in W 0.75 in D 0.75 in Dm 0.75 in L 0.75 in
Vintage Pennino Emerald Green and Crystal Flower Earrings Circa 1960s
By Pennino Jewelry
Located in New York, NY
Vintage Pennino Emerald Green and Crystal Flower Earrings Circa 1960s. These aren't real but they
Category

1960s American Modern Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Mixed Metal

Vintage Pennino Emerald Green and Crystal Flower Earrings Circa 1960s
Vintage Pennino Emerald Green and Crystal Flower Earrings Circa 1960s
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H 1 in W 1 in D 0.5 in Dm 1 in L 1 in
VCA Style Faux Invisibly Set Sapphire Crystal Costume Flower Clip-on Earrings
Located in Miami Beach, FL
(Van Cleef & Arpels) in the 1930s. These sterling flowers have clear crystals in the center and at the
Category

20th Century Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Crystal, Sterling Silver

Crown Trifari Vintage 1950s Flower Wing White Pearls Openwork Interlock Earrings
By Alfred Philippe for Trifari
Located in Wokingham, England
designers having trained and designed at Van Cleef & Arpels and Cartier. Amongst them was Alfred Phillipe
Category

1950s American Anglo-Indian Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Gold Plate

Crown Trifari 1950s Cluster Flower Bouquet Crystal Openwork Silver Clip Earrings
By Alfred Philippe for Trifari
Located in Wokingham, England
Van Cleef & Arpels and Cartier. Amongst them was Alfred Phillipe who joined Trifari in 1930 as head
Category

1950s American Art Deco Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Silver

Vintage 1970s Signed Crown Trifari Off White Lucite Flower Drop Clip Earrings
By Trifari
Located in Easton, PA
Early 1970s goldtone and ivory colored Lucite flower drop clip back earrings. Marked crown "Trifari
Category

1970s American Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Gold Plate

Vintage 1970s Signed Crown Trifari Off White Lucite Flower Drop Clip Earrings
Vintage 1970s Signed Crown Trifari Off White Lucite Flower Drop Clip Earrings
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H 2.25 in W 1.25 in D 0.3 in Dm 1.25 in L 2.25 in
Cream pearl, gilt metal and grey paste 'flower' earrings, Trifari, USA, 1960s.
By Trifari
Located in Greyabbey, County Down
A beautiful pair of 'flower' or 'camellia' earrings made by Trifari, in the 1960s, with a subtle
Category

1960s American Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Gilt Metal

Trifari Vintage 1980s Large Round Circle Flower Dome Openwork Clip Gold Earrings
By Alfred Philippe for Trifari
Located in Wokingham, England
costume jewellery of the twentieth century, many of its designers having trained and designed at Van Cleef
Category

1980s American Art Deco Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Gold Plate

Jean Mahie 22k Gold Earrings Starry Design
By Jean Mahie
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
devoted customers but also by such famous makers as Van Cleef & Arpels and Cartier. Neiman Marcus began to
Category

1990s Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

22k Gold, Yellow Gold

Jean Mahie 22k Gold Earrings Starry Design
Jean Mahie 22k Gold Earrings Starry Design
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W 1.5 in L 1.5 in
Vintage Cartier Earrings 18k Gold Clip-On Estate Jewelry
By Cartier
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
to date. Comparing to other famous luxury jewelry brands, such as Van Cleef & Arpels or Tiffany & Co
Category

1960s American Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Vintage Cartier Earrings 18k Gold Clip-On Estate Jewelry
Vintage Cartier Earrings 18k Gold Clip-On Estate Jewelry
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H 0.88 in W 0.75 in D 0.63 in
Trifari 1940s Philippe 4PieceParure CrystalFloraMotif GoldNecklaceEarringsBrooch
By Alfred Philippe for Trifari
Located in Chicago, IL
fine jewelry for Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, designed this flora-motif crystal-set yellow-gold
Category

Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Crystal, Diamond, Gold, Gold Plate, Yellow Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Lapis Diamond Gold Flower Earclips
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
total), all mounted in yellow gold, signed VCA for Van Cleef & Arpels, design copyrighted, Made in
Category

1980s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold

Vintage 1959 French Van Cleef & Arpels Gold Flower Earclips
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Atlanta, GA
Pair of 18 Karat Gold Earclips by Van Cleef & Arpels, Paris, 1959 • Signed Van Cleef & Arpels
Category

1950s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Gold Daisy Ear Clips circa 1950 Paris, Péry et Fils
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
Gold “Marguerite” Ear Clips by Van Cleef & Arpels, Paris, circa 1950, Manufactured by Péry et Fils
Category

1950s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Gold

1960s Van Cleef & Arpels Turquoise Diamond Ear Clips
Located in New York, NY
Van Cleef & Arpels: A Pair of Turquoise and Diamond Ear Clips, each designed as a trio cluster of
Category

1960s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, Platinum

M.Gérard Earrings, Yellow Gold Ribbon Flowers Set with Diamonds
By M. Gérard
Located in Paris, IDF
A 18K yellow gold pair of M.Gérard earrings, drawing ribbon flowers, partially enhanced with
Category

1970s French Modern Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Rare Important 18 Karat Large Ruby and Diamond Gold Floral Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
large ruby and diamond floral earrings in the style of Van Cleef & Arpels. Earrings are comprised of
Category

20th Century Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Gold Flower Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
Pair of 18k gold flower earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels, with approx. 4.00cts in diamonds. Earrings
Category

20th Century French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Platinum Diamond Flower Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Holland, PA
Platinum Diamond FLower Earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels. With 13 round brilliant cut diamonds VVS1
Category

20th Century French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Platinum

Van Cleef & Arpels Gold Flower Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
A pair of 18 karat yellow gold earrings, Van Cleef & Arpels, Circa 1960s. Signed Van Cleef
Category

1960s American Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Flower Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
of 6.00 carats. Signed by Van Cleef & Arpels Matching brooch available LU308216992732
Category

20th Century Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Ruby Gold Flower Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
Pair of 18k gold flower earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels, with approx. 3.60ctw in F/VVS diamonds and
Category

20th Century French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Ruby, Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels White Gold Flower Stud Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Greenwich, CT
through beautiful pieces of jewelry. This exceptional white gold flower earrings from Van Cleef & Arpels
Category

1990s American Modern Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

18k Gold, White Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Gold Flower Drop Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Southampton, PA
yellow gold in these dazzling and glamorous earrings from Van Cleef & Arpels. Included Items
Category

Late 20th Century French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Pink Sapphire Diamond Gold Flower Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Holland, PA
18k Yellow Gold Diamond Pink Sapphire Flower Earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels. With 54 round
Category

1990s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Pink Sapphire

Van Cleef & Arpels Sapphire Diamond Gold Flower Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Lifelike flower earrings, the petals sparkling with intense blue sapphires and the centers set with
Category

1960s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Blue Sapphire, Diamond, 18k Gold

Diamond and Pearl Flower Earrings, Signed “Van Cleef & Arpels”
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
. The esteemed house of Van Cleef & Arpels is celebrated for its exceptionally well-crafted and delicate
Category

Late 20th Century Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Large Fleurette Flower Diamond Yellow Gold Stud Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Holland, PA
18k Yellow Gold Diamond Large Fleurette Flower Earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels. With 14 round
Category

1990s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, Yellow Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Yellow Gold and Diamond Open-Work Flower Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
Authentic Van Cleef & Arpels openwork earrings crafted in 18 karat yellow gold and highlighted by
Category

Late 20th Century Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Red And Pink Coral Diamond Gold Flower Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Holland, PA
18k Yellow Gold Diamond Red And Pink Coral Flower Earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels. These
Category

1990s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Coral, Diamond, 18k Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Mother of Pearl Chrysoprase Diamond Gold Flower Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Holland, PA
18k Yellow Gold Mother Of Pearl Chrysoprase Diamond Flower Earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels. These
Category

20th Century French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Chrysophrase, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Yellow Gold Flower Clip-On Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Southampton, PA
pair of earrings from Van Cleef & Arpels. The earrings are made of 18K yellow gold and feature flower
Category

20th Century French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Diamond Mother of Pearl Flower Clips Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Holland, PA
18k yellow gold diamond, mother of pearl clip earrings from Van Cleef & Arpels Flower collection
Category

1980s French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold

Van Cleef & Arpels Rose de Noel Diamond Coral Flower Yellow Gold Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Holland, PA
18k Yellow Gold "Rose de Noel" Diamond & Coral Flower Earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels. These
Category

20th Century French Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring

Materials

Coral, Diamond, 18k Gold

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Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring For Sale on 1stDibs

Surely you’ll find the exact van cleef vintage flower earring you’re seeking on 1stDibs — we’ve got a vast assortment for sale. Every item for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using gold, 18k gold and yellow gold. Making the right choice when shopping for a van cleef vintage flower earring may mean carefully reviewing examples of this item dating from different eras — you can find an early iteration of this piece from the 20th Century and a newer version made as recently as the 20th Century, both of which have proven very popular over the years. A van cleef vintage flower earring from Van Cleef & Arpels, Alfred Philippe for Trifari and Cartier — each of whom created a beautiful version of this treasured accessory — is worth considering. While most can agree that any van cleef vintage flower earring from our collection can easily elevate most outfits, but the choice of a diamond version from the 17 available is guaranteed to add a special touch to your ensemble. See these pages for a round cut iteration of this accessory, while there are also brilliant cut cut and mixed cut cut versions available here, too. If you’re browsing our inventory for a van cleef vintage flower earring, you’ll find that many are available today for women, but there are still pieces to choose from for unisex and men.

How Much is a Van Cleef Vintage Flower Earring?

The price for a van cleef vintage flower earring starts at $240 and tops out at $195,000 with these earrings, on average, selling for $31,450.

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.

Finding the Right earrings for You

In the United States, ear piercing didn’t really become popular until the 1950s and ‘60s, but our desire for a dazzling pair of vintage earrings has deeper roots than that. In fact, wearing earrings actually goes back thousands of years, and you can find many tangible connections between now and then in how we continue to talk about these treasured accessories.

Women wore ornamental earrings — studs and hoops at the very least — in Ancient Egypt, which is home to mines that are among the earliest sources of emeralds in the world. Emerald earrings are highly prized today, and their quality lies in their rich, saturated color. The highest-quality emeralds are green or bluish-green. Earrings worn by the affluent in early Roman civilizations were set with precious stones such as diamonds and pearls, and a clean-looking pop of pearl on the front of the lobe is as timeless as ever. Hoop earrings are imbued with symbolism and cultural significance for many, and on view in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Ancient Near Eastern Art Gallery is a pair of simple gold hoops from Mesopotamia dating to between 2600 and 2500 B.C.

Today, ear piercing is very popular all over the world, and, as a result, it is difficult to overstate how much everyone pines for a good pair of earrings — modernist drop earrings, glamorous Victorian hoops, geometrically complex chandelier earrings, you name it. Sure, jewelry trends and the fashion darlings of social media come and go, but earrings have a staying power that seems impenetrable: The still-strong love affair between British royals and Cartier earrings is more than a century old, glossy 1970s hoops from legacy houses such as Bulgari and Van Cleef & Arpels remain the statement makers they’ve always been and although people have been stacking earrings for many moons, the allure of an expertly mismatched stack of charms and studs still feels fresh and new.

While there is no shortage of modern earring designs to choose from, the classics, like coral earrings, Art Deco–style earrings and diamond drop earrings are still heavy hitters. On 1stDibs, find a wide range of antique, new and vintage earrings today.

Questions About Van Cleef & Arpels
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021
    Van 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.