Van Cleef & Arpels Sweet Alhambra Rose Gold Carnelian Pendant

One can’t have too many good luck charms, or, in the case of good-luck-charm-inspired jewelry, too many classic Alhambra motif pieces. From French luxury jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels, the Alhambra collection, which is centered around a universal symbol for luck, has remained so consistently popular since its launch as an all-gold necklace in 1968 that it has become emblematic of the jewelry brand at large. Nearly 40 years later, as part of a new collection, the Sweet Alhambra pendant followed in 2007 — a miniature riff on the original that offers all the appeal of the long-cherished motif, albeit discreetly.

The signature Alhambra concept — created by French jeweler Jacques Arpels (1914–2008), nephew of Van Cleef & Arpels cofounder Estelle Arpels — references a four-leaf clover, a plant long considered to symbolize good luck, health, fortune and love. Arpels reportedly sought them out in his yard as a child. The earliest Alhambra pieces were spare, quatrefoil-shaped motifs in black onyx strung on an opera-length yellow-gold necklace, but over the years a range of new materials, such as ivory and wood, as well as colored stones like malachite, lapis and more have been introduced. The white mother-of-pearl model is the Alhambra collection’s best seller. In 2018, Van Cleef & Arpels marked the 50th anniversary of the successful clover motif, which has never gone out of production.

Given that the collection is named after one of the most famous palaces in Spain, it’s unsurprising that Alhambra’s most high-profile relationship is with royals. Princess Grace of Monaco was an early adopter. The introduction of the house’s most-revered collection is widely considered to be integral to the origins of wearable, everyday jewelry that is simple but striking as well as representative of meticulous craftsmanship — all characteristics of the unassuming Sweet Alhambra pendant. With Van Cleef & Arpels resurrecting once-retired signature styles and variations of long-beloved designs, such as this pendant, a stylish undersized iteration of a classic, the brand’s popularity endures.

In line with tradition, both collectors and casual enthusiasts delight in the versatility of the Sweet Alhambra pendant today. It’s ideal for formal or daily wear, and is available in yellow gold with white mother-of-pearl, white gold adorned with round diamonds or rose gold with a center of deep rust-red carnelian stone, which is sourced largely from Brazil. In the spirit of the original, carnelian is believed to protect its wearer against misfortune. These days, one can’t have too many good luck charms.

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.

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