Van Cleef & Arpels Lucky Alhambra Butterfly Mother-of-Pearl Gold Ring
View Similar Items
Van Cleef & Arpels Lucky Alhambra Butterfly Mother-of-Pearl Gold Ring
About the Item
- Creator:
- Metal:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:21st century
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Lambertville, NJ
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2885011913
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 White Gold & Mother of Pearl Lucky Alhambra Between RingBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in London, GBA coveted 18k white gold Van Cleef & Arpels ring from the Lucky Alhambra collection. The ring features a butterfly motif set with a turquoise inlay and a clover motif set with a moth...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Fashion Rings
Materials18k Gold, White Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels White Gold Turquoise Lucky Alhambra Butterfly RingBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in London, GBA beautiful 18k white gold turquoise ring from the Lucky Alhambra collection by Van Cleef & Arpels. The ring is set with an off-centre butterfly motif and a turquoise inlay that is f...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Cocktail Rings
Materials18k Gold, White Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels White Gold Turquoise Lucky Alhambra Butterfly RingBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in London, GBA beautiful 18k white gold turquoise ring from the Lucky Alhambra collection by Van Cleef & Arpels. The ring is set with an off-centre butte...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Fashion Rings
MaterialsTurquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Pure Alhambra Ring 18 Karat White Gold, Mother of PearlBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Zurich, ZollstrasseWith the Pure Alhambra jewelry creations designed in 2001, Van Cleef & Arpels offers a new interpretation of the Alhambra symbol. Inspired by the clover leaf, they give pride of place to the purity and smoothness of its lines. Pure Alhambra ring...Category
2010s French Contemporary More Rings
Materials18k Gold, White Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Babylon Mother of Pearl Gold RingBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYThis chic Van Cleef & Arpels ring from the chic Babylon collection is crafted in 18k yellow gold and beautifully inlaid with mother-of-pearl. Made in France circa 2000s. Measurements...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French More Rings
Materials18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Pure Alhambra Grey Mother-of-Pearl RingBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYThis elegant Van Cleef & Arpels ring from the iconic Pure Alhambra collection features a 2 lucky clover design crafted in 18k white gold and set with iridescent gray mother-of-pearl....Category
1990s Cluster Rings
Materials18k Gold, White 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?