Vintage 1959 French Van Cleef & Arpels Gold Flower Earclips
View Similar Items
Vintage 1959 French Van Cleef & Arpels Gold Flower Earclips
About the Item
- Creator:
- Metal:
- Weight:19.3 g
- Dimensions:Width: 0.88 in (22.36 mm)Length: 0.88 in (22.36 mm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1959
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Atlanta, GA
- Reference Number:Seller: 044301stDibs: LU1311534953
Van Cleef & Arpels
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, the 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.
- Van Cleef & Arpels Yellow Gold Diamond Lotus Flower EarringsBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Palm Beach, FLExperience the timeless elegance and exquisite craftsmanship of Van Cleef & Arpels with these diamond Lotus Flower earrings from the 1950s. The magnificent earrings, crafted in 18k ...Category
Vintage 1950s French Modern Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Diamond EarringsBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYVan Cleef & Arpels's abstract designs are equally sublime and elegant as their famous flowers. The sensitive, artistic eye, innovative constru...Category
20th Century French Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- 1960s Van Cleef & Arpels French Flower Diamond Petal EarringsBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NY1960s Van Cleef & Arpels French Flower Diamond Petal Earrings. Signed and numbered M39112. Diamond weight appx. 10.50 cts. 1.25 inches. Total We...Category
20th Century French Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Frivole Flower Rose Gold Diamond EarringsBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Banbury, GBSKU AT-1511 Brand Van Cleef & Arpels Model VCARP7RJ00 Date ...Category
2010s French Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Gold and Diamond EarringsBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYVan Cleef & Arpels Vintage Gold & Diamond Earrings 34 round cut diamonds approximately 4.50-5.00 carats , G-H color, VS clarity. Back Type: Clip On Signed Van Cleef & Arpels, and nu...Category
Vintage 1970s French Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, Gold, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Caresse d'Eole 18K White Gold Diamond Flower EarringsBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYA pair of flower shaped gold and diamond earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels. Signed, with maker's marks, stamped 750, numbered. Diamonds weigh approximately 4 c...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, White Gold
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Gems by David Webb, Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels Anchor The Back Vault’s Treasure Trove
Boasting one of the largest collections of David Webb in the world, the firm offers exceptional jewels — always in demand yet never in short supply.
This Turquoise Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra Necklace Is a Rare and Alluring Find
You know the French maison’s famous motif well. But why is this particular piece so in demand?