Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra Turquoise Necklace & Bracelet Set
View Similar Items
Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra Turquoise Necklace & Bracelet Set
About the Item
- Creator:
- Design:
- Metal:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:.
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Miami, FL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1731219143162
Vintage Alhambra Necklace
Van Cleef & Arpels had an immediate hit on its hands when the French luxury jewelry house introduced its Alhambra collection, which includes the charming and exquisitely crafted Vintage Alhambra necklace. Call it the result of the elegant design work that is typical of the house as well as a bit of good luck.
“To be lucky, you must believe in luck.” This mantra was a favorite of Jacques Arpels (1914–2008) — the nephew of Estelle Arpels, who cofounded the maison with her husband, Alfred, in 1906 — and this sentiment is embedded in the Vintage Alhambra necklace. The Alhambra collection, as well as its varied subcategories, has come to largely represent Van Cleef & Arpels. A favorite of glamorous icons who range from Elizabeth Taylor to Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, the celebrated maison’s signature line has never gone out of production. Today, Alhambra includes several new styles, with necklaces, watches, bracelets and rings embellished with various gemstones.
The first Alhambra jewel debuted in 1968. It was an all-gold necklace dotted with 20 gold clovers, edged with gold beads. At the time of its launch, casual and unadorned jewelry was uncommon, and, owing to its simple beauty, delicacy and the fact that it needn’t be set aside for formal wear, the Alhambra necklace immediately garnered the adoration of women all over the world. It’s a classic in the history of contemporary jewelry design, but the origin of its instantly recognizable clover motif has historical significance too. The quatrefoil shape is drawn from keyhole arches that populate Moorish architecture, and the series is named for the Alhambra palace in Granada, Spain, which Moorish poets have deemed “a pearl set in emeralds” for its whitewashed walls encircled by lush grasses and trees.
Within a couple of years of the Alhambra necklace’s debut, artisans at Van Cleef & Arpels were setting the now-famous quatrefoil motif at the center of the series with panels of colorful opaque hard stones, such as malachite, lapis lazuli, onyx and more. What is now known as the Vintage Alhambra collection, which includes rings, pendants and more, is characterized by pieces that feature these stones and a beaded border.
The Vintage Alhambra necklace is also emblematic of Van Cleef & Arpels’s long-standing commitment to fine craftsmanship and its ability to establish enduring trends. With such grand narratives — and prominent figures — linked to the necklace, it is no wonder that it has remained so covetable and beloved since its very first appearance.
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 Vintage Alhambra Guilloche 18k Yellow Gold BraceletBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Miami, FLBrand: Van Cleef & Arpels Model: Vintage Alhambra Metal: 18k Yellow Gold Motif: 5 motifs with Guilloche metalwork Includes: VCA Box VCA Service papersCategory
2010s French Chain Bracelets
MaterialsYellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Turquoise Vintage Alhambra Single Motif Pendant NecklaceBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Miami, FLDesigner: Van Cleef & Arpels Collection: Vintage Alhambra Style: Motif Pendant Necklace Metal Type: White Gold Metal Purity: 18k Stone: RARE Turqouise Pendant Size : Med...Category
2010s French Retro Pendant Necklaces
MaterialsTurquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra Onyx Bracelet in 18k Yellow Gold Full SetBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Miami, FLBrand: Van Cleef & Arpels Model: Vintage Alhambra Bracelet Stone: Onyx Metal: 18k Yellow Gold Includes: VCA Box VCA Authenticity CertificateCategory
2010s French Charm Bracelets
MaterialsOnyx, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels 5 Motifs Vintage Alhambra Bracelet Blue Agate 18k Yellow GoldBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Miami, FLDesigner: Van Cleef & Arpels Collection: Vintage Alhambra Metal: Yellow Gold Metal Purity: 18k Stone: Blue Agate Includes: VCA Box VCA Authenticity Certificate ...Category
2010s French Charm Bracelets
MaterialsAgate, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels 1 Motif Vintage Alhambra Onyx Necklace In 18k Yellow GoldBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Miami, FLDesigner: Van Cleef & Arpels Collection:Alhambra Model: Single Motif Style: Pendant Necklace Metal: Yellow Gold Metal Purity: 18k Stones: 1 Black Onyx Alhambra Motif Hallma...Category
2010s French Modern Pendant Necklaces
MaterialsOnyx, Yellow Gold
- RARE Van Cleef & Arpels Pure Alhambra Onyx and White Gold 14 Motif NecklaceBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Miami, FLBrand: Van Cleef & Arpels Collection: Pure Alhambra Stone: Onyx Metal: 18k White Gold Includes service papers from the boutique.Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Link Necklaces
MaterialsOnyx, White Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra Chalcedony 18K White Gold BraceletBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Banbury, GBSKU AT-2331 Comes With Pouch Only Date 2013 RRP £ 4,750 Inc taxes / $ 5,050 Excl taxes /5,5550 € Inc taxes Model VCARD34700 Serial Number JE****** Metal 18k White Gold Stones Chalced...Category
2010s French Chain Bracelets
MaterialsChalcedony, 18k Gold, White Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra Mother of Pearl 18K Yellow Gold BraceletBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Banbury, GBSKU AT-2346 Comes With Pouch Only Date 2013 RRP £3,950 Inc taxes / $ 4,200Excl taxes / 4,600 € Inc taxes Model ARA41800 Serial Number JB****** Metal 18k Yellow Gold Stones Mother of ...Category
2010s French Chain Bracelets
Materials18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Pure Alhambra Diamond Yellow Gold BraceletBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Feasterville, PAThe Van Cleef & Arpels Pure Alhambra Diamond Yellow Gold Bracelet is an epitome of luxurious elegance and timeless design. This exquisite piece is part of the renowned Pure Alhambra ...Category
Early 2000s Chain Bracelets
MaterialsDiamond
- Van Cleef & Arpels 18K Rose Gold Hammered Sweet Alhambra BraceletBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Banbury, GBSKU AT-2340 Comes With Box Only Date 2016 Model VCARO8DC00 Serial Number JExxxxx Metal 18k Rose Gold Weight 2.3 g Length 18 cm Condition Excellent __________________________________...Category
2010s French Chain Bracelets
Materials18k Gold, Rose Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Turquoise and Twisted Gold Bracelet, 18K YellowBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYAn elegant Van Cleef & Arpels Turquoise and Twisted Gold Bracelet made in 18 Karat Yellow Gold. The length of the bracelet is 7.50 inches and the...Category
20th Century Chain Bracelets
MaterialsTurquoise, 18k Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra Bracelet in Diamonds and Malaquite in 18k GoldBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Bilbao, ESVan Cleef & Arpels Alhambra bracelet, A modern green malachite and diamond 5 motif. The bracelet is made in 18k white gold and set with white diamonds that are D to F color and VS c...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Chain Bracelets
MaterialsDiamond, Malachite, White Gold, 18k 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.