Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra White Coral Yellow Gold Earrings
View Similar Items
Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra White Coral Yellow Gold Earrings
About the Item
- Creator:
- Design:
- Metal:
- Stone:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:20th Century
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Holland, PA
- Reference Number:Seller: T1928ettd1stDibs: LU3034579531
Vintage Alhambra Earrings
Sketches of four-leaf clovers litter the archives of French luxury jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels (est. 1896), some of which date back to the early 1900s, and the brand’s beloved Vintage Alhambra earrings celebrate the quatrefoil-shaped multicultural motif that has long characterized the maison’s most popular collection.
“To be lucky, you must believe in luck,” Jacques Arpels (1914–2008), nephew of Van Cleef & Arpels cofounder Estelle Arpels, liked to say. Jacques sought four-leaf clovers in the yard of his childhood home, and owing to his affinity for nature as well as good fortune, it was he who would ultimately launch the Alhambra line, which celebrates a shape that is based on the clover as well as the ancient quatrefoils of Moorish architecture. Van Cleef CEO Nicolas Bos concedes that luck may have played a role in the motif's impressive universal success — devotees of Alhambra over the years have included Princess Grace of Monaco, acclaimed actress Romy Schneider and Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge.
The inaugural design of the Alhambra collection — a yellow-gold opera-length necklace interspersed with 20 gold four-leaf clovers with beaded edges — debuted in 1968. These beaded edges, along with the integration of colorful stones such as malachite, coral and turquoise, define the house’s Vintage Alhambra line. (The Sweet Alhambra pendant and Magic Alhambra necklace are part of the collection’s other iterations.) While adding new styles and precious and semiprecious stones over the years, Van Cleef & Arpels has produced the Alhambra line continuously since its early days. Vintage Alhambra earrings, which embody the casual ease of the original and see the house’s lauded emblem highlighted in a beaded border, continue to be a playful and elegant symbol of good fortune.
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 Vintage Alhambra White Coral Yellow Gold EarringsBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Holland, PA18k Yellow Gold Vintage Alhambra White Coral Earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels. With 2 alhambra shape white coral stones: 15mm each. These earrings are made for non pierced ears, but ...Category
Vintage 1980s French Drop Earrings
MaterialsCoral, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra Angel Skin Coral Yellow Gold EarringsBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Holland, PA18k Yellow Gold Vintage Alhambra Angel Skin Coral Earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels. With 2 alhambra shape coral stones: 15mm each. These earrings are made for not pierced ears, but ...Category
Vintage 1980s French Drop Earrings
MaterialsCoral, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Pure Alhambra Yellow Gold EarringsBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Holland, PA18k Yellow Gold Diamond Pure Alhambra Earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels. With Round brilliant cut diamond VVS1 clarity, E color total weight 1.65ct These earrings are for pierced ears. ...Category
2010s French Drop Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Yellow Gold White Coral Diamond Alhambra RingBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Holland, PA18k Yellow Gold White Coral Diamond Alhambra Ring from Van Cleef & Arpels. With 1 round brilliant cut diamond, VVS1 clarity, F color. Total diamond weight: .06ct Alhambra cut white ...Category
Vintage 1970s French Cocktail Rings
MaterialsCoral, Diamond, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra Coral Diamond Yellow Gold RingBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Holland, PAVan Cleef & Arpels Alhambra 18k Yellow Gold Diamond Coral Ring With 1 Round brilliant cut diamond .06ct F/VS1 Alhambra cut coral This ring comes with certificate of authenticity. De...Category
20th Century French Cocktail Rings
MaterialsCoral, Diamond, 18k Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Coral Alhambra Yellow Gold RingBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Holland, PAVan Cleef & Arpels Alhambra 18k Yellow Gold Diamond Coral Ring With 1 Round brilliant cut diamond .06ct F/VS1 Alhambra cut coral Details: Size - 4 3/4 (Resize Available) Width: 15mm...Category
20th Century French Cocktail Rings
MaterialsCoral, Diamond, 18k Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Magic Alhambra Malachite 3 Motifs Yellow Gold EarringsBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Banbury, GBSKU CT-2323 Comes With Full Set (Box + Card) Date 2018 RRP £9,450 Inc taxes / $ 10,100/ 11,000 € Inc taxes Model VCARO2AG00 Serial Number JE**** Metal 18k Yellow Gold Stones Malachit...Category
2010s French Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsMalachite, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Gold Coral and Chrysophase EarringsBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Atlanta, GAClassic Van Cleef & Arpels. Rich gold fluted white coral and vivid green chrysophase are combined in a beautiful vintage VCA design. 1 3/8's of an inch in length. The coral measures...Category
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Drop Earrings
MaterialsChrysophrase, Coral, 18k Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra Diamond White Gold EarringsBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Banbury, GBSKU CT-2412 Comes With Pouch Only Date 2016 RRP £13,000 Including taxes / $13,900 Excluding taxes / €14 900 Including taxes Model VCARA44600 Serial Number JExxxxx Stones Diamond Cond...Category
2010s French Stud Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Yellow Gold Carnelian & Tigers Eye Magic Alhambra Earrings VCBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in London, GBAn iconic pair of 18k yellow gold earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels, from the Magic Alhambra collection. Comprising of 2 four-leaf clover motifs alternating in size complemented by a be...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Drop Earrings
MaterialsGold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$10,964Free Shipping - Van Cleef & Arpels Magic Alhambra Long Mother of Pearl Yellow Gold EarringsBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Banbury, GBSKU CT-2355 Comes With Pouch Only Date 2014 Model VCARD78800 Serial Number JE****** Metal 18k Yellow Gold Stones Mother of Pearl Weight 14g Condition Excellent ______________________...Category
2010s French Clip-on Earrings
Materials18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra Gold EarringsBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Feasterville, PAA fabulous pair of authentic Van Cleef & Arpels earrings depicting the iconic Alhambra motif set in 18k white gold. The symbol is said to represent luck, health, fortune, and love. ...Category
1990s French Clip-on Earrings
Materials18k Gold, White Gold
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Why the Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra Collection Remains So Alluring
The lucky-charm style has been around for more than 50 years, and British royals are still drawn to it.
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.