Van Cleef & Arpels Magic Alhambra Pendant Charm Pendant & Charms 18k Yellow Gold
View Similar Items
Van Cleef & Arpels Magic Alhambra Pendant Charm Pendant & Charms 18k Yellow Gold
About the Item
- Creator:
- Metal:
- Dimensions:Width: 0.9 in (22.86 mm)Length: 1.5 in (38.1 mm)
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Unknown
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Moderate wear throughout. Minute chip on mother-of-pearl.
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:Seller: 80404/231stDibs: LU2152212654682
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, 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 18k Yellow Gold WristwatchBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Geneva, CHVan Cleef and Arpels 18k yellow gold wristwatch. Signed and numbered. Bracelet size: From 14.9 centimeters to 18.00 centimeters. Total bra...Category
Late 20th Century European Wrist Watches
Materials18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Vintage Alhambra Yellow Gold Tie ClipBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Holland, PA18k Yellow Gold Diamond Vintage Alhambra Tie Lapel Pin by Van Cleef & Arpels. With 1 round brilliant cut diamond VVS1 clarity, E color total weight .06ct Details: Measurements: Tie ...Category
20th Century French More Jewelry
MaterialsDiamond, Yellow Gold
- 18K Yellow Gold Etruscan Charm PendantLocated in London, GBAn 18 karat (18K) yellow gold charm pendant designed as an Etruscan pierced pendant set with blue paste. Stamped 750 for 18 karat gold and Italian manufacture. Dimensions: 2.9 x 1.8...Category
20th Century Italian Pendant Necklaces
MaterialsGold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels 18k Yellow Gold1970's Diamond Earrings and a Ring Jewelry SetBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYVan Cleef & Arpels Ring and Earring Set. Elegant dome ring and earrings with hand-carved finish like cross motifs with a sprinkling of gem white diamonds. Signed Van Cleef and Arpels...Category
20th Century French Modern Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$13,824 Sale Price / set20% Off - Zodiac Libra 18K Yellow Gold Charm PendantLocated in London, GBAn 18 karat (18K) yellow gold charm pendant designed as a ridged frame surrounding a pair of balance scales representing the zodiac starsign of Libra. Stamped with the owl mark for 1...Category
20th Century Italian Pendant Necklaces
MaterialsGold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- French 18K Yellow Gold Monogram Charm PendantLocated in London, GBA French 18 karat (18K) yellow gold charm pendant designed as a medal with a reeded border entwined with ribbons and surmounted with a bow, detailing the monogram DC. Stamped with t...Category
20th Century French Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
MaterialsGold, 18k Gold, Yellow 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?