Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra Onyx Rose Gold 2016 Holiday Pendant Necklace
About the Item
- Creator:
- Design:
- Metal:
- Stone:
- Stone Cut:
- Weight:6.5 g
- Dimensions:Length: 16.54 in (420 mm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:2016
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Banbury, GB
- Reference Number:
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, 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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Newark, DE
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
- Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra Sliver Obsidian Rose Gold 2023 Pendant NecklaceBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Banbury, GBSKU AT-2341 Comes With Full Set (Box + Card) Date 2023 Model ARP9T000 Serial Number JD****** Metal 18k Rose Gold Stones Diamond Weight 6.4 g Length 42 cm Condition Excellent ________...Category
2010s French Pendant Necklaces
MaterialsDiamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra Guilloché 18K yellow gold Pendant NecklaceBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Banbury, GBSKU AT-2277 Comes With box Only Date 2020 RRP £3500 Inc taxes / $3700 exc taxes / 4000 € Inc taxes Model ARP4KL00 Serial Number JBxxxxx Metal 18k Yellow Gold Weight 6.5 g Width 15 mm...Category
2010s French Pendant Necklaces
Materials18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Yellow Gold Onyx Pure Alhambra Pendant NecklaceBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Banbury, GBSKU CT-2422 Comes With Full Set (Pouch + Card) Date 2016 RRP £ 3400 Inc taxes / $ 3,600 Excl taxes /3900 € Inc taxes Model Pure Alhambra Serial Number JExxxxx Metal 18k Yellow Gold S...Category
2010s French Chain Necklaces
MaterialsOnyx, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra Grey Mother of Pearl Pendant NecklaceBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Banbury, GBSKU AT-2326 Comes With Full Set (Box + Card) Date 2020 RRP £2,720 Inc taxes / $2,900 Excl taxes / 3,200 € Inc taxes Model ARP4KK00 Serial Number JA****** Metal 18k Rose Gold Weight 5...Category
2010s French Pendant Necklaces
Materials18k Gold, Rose Gold
- Van Cleef Alhambra 2015 Holiday Diamond Pink Sèvres Porcelain Pendant NecklaceBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Banbury, GBLimited edition released in 2015 as the holiday pendant, rhodonite stone, made in 18k rose gold, VCA doesn't create this version anymore, truly a collective piece! SKU AT-2167 Comes...Category
2010s French Pendant Necklaces
MaterialsDiamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Magic Alhambra Rose Gold Grey Mother of Pearl Long Pendant NeBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Banbury, GBSKU AT-2287 Comes With Full Set (Box + Card) Date 2022 RRP £6000 Inc taxes / $ 6,400 Excl taxes / 7,000 € Inc taxes Model ARP6I200 Serial Number JD****** Metal 18k Rose Gold Stones M...Category
2010s French Pendant Necklaces
Materials18k Gold, Rose Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra Diamond 18k Rose Gold Pendant NecklaceBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2Van Cleef & Arpels’ Alhambra jewel was first created in 1968, and the Vintage Alhambra creations remain faithful to its timeless elegance. The clover motif, a potent symbol of luck, ...Category
2010s French Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
MaterialsRose Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra Obsidian DIamond 18k Rose Gold 2023 HolidayBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2Invest in this opulent Van Cleef & Arpels 2023 Holiday pendant necklace from their iconic Vintage Alhambra collection. The 18k rose gold Alhambra pendant is set with a single diamond...Category
2010s Italian Pendant Necklaces
MaterialsDiamond, Rose Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra Obsidian Diamond 18k Rose Gold 2023 HolidayBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2Discover elegance in the Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra necklace, a timeless marvel from the 2023 Holiday Edition. Crafted with meticulous care, its 18k rose gold setting delica...Category
2010s Italian Pendant Necklaces
MaterialsDiamond, Rose Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Limited Edition Obsidian Vintage Alhambra Holiday Pendant VCABy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in London, GBA limited edition 18k rose gold obsidian and diamond Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra pendant from the 2023 Holiday collection. The pendant features a beaded edge 4 leaf clover mo...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Pendant Necklaces
Materials18k Gold, Rose Gold
- VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Magic Alhambra Black Onyx Yellow Gold Pendant NecklaceBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYThis elegant Van Cleef & Arpels necklace from the classic Magic Alhambra collection features a lucky clover pendant crafted in 18k yellow gold and set with black onyx. The chain leng...Category
1990s Pendant Necklaces
MaterialsOnyx, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra Obsidian DIamond 18k Rose Gold 2023 HolidayBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2Invest in this opulent Van Cleef and Arpels 2021 Holiday pendant necklace from their iconic Vintage Alhambra collection. The 18k rose gold Alhambra pendant is set with a single diamo...Category
2010s European Pendant Necklaces
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.