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 Arpels. 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 Sapphire Gold Diamond and Bakelite Minaudière
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
Van Cleef & Arpels Sapphire Gold Diamond and Bakelite Minaudière Makeup Box Made of Bakelite and 18 karat yellow gold, set with 31 cabochon sa...
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Van Cleef & Arpels (Book)
Located in North Yorkshire, GB
Van Cleef & Arpels is a French luxury jewelry company.[ It was founded in 1896 by the Dutch diamond-cutter Alfred Van Cleef and his father-in-law Salomon Arpels in Paris. Their pieces often feature flowers, animals, and fairies, and have been worn by style icons and royalty such as Grace Kelly, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Diana, Princess of Wales, Ava Gardner, Farah Pahlavi, Eva Perón, Elizabeth Taylor, the Duchess of Windsor and Queen Nazli of Egypt. The Dutch diamond-cutter Alfred Van Cleef and his father-in-law, Salomon Arpels, founded the company in 1896. In 1906, following Arpels’s death, Alfred and two of his brothers-in-law, Charles and Julien, acquired space for Van Cleef & Arpels at 22 Place Vendôme, across from the Hôtel Ritz, where Van Cleef & Arpels opened its first boutique shop.[6] The third Arpels brother, Louis Arpels, joined the company in 1913. Van Cleef & Arpels opened boutiques in holiday resorts such as Deauville, Vichy, Le Touquet, Nice, and Monte-Carlo. In 1925, a Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet with red and white roses fashioned from rubies and diamonds won the grand prize at the International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts. Alfred and Esther’s daughter, Renée (born Rachel) Puissant, assumed the company’s artistic direction in 1926. Puissant worked closely with draftsman René Sim...
Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Papillon Watch
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Dallas, TX
Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Papillon Watch Ref. 1032104 - Quartz. 18K Yellow Gold with smooth bezel (36 mm). Mother of pearl dial with Mother of pearl butterfly with diamonds....
Van Cleef & Arpels Lapis Ring
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Chicago, IL
Circa 2000 Van Cleef & Arpels 18K Yellow Gold Ring, centrally set with an oval Lapis Lazuli. Signed and numbered, finger size = 6 1/4
Van Cleef & Arpels Leaf Earring
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in London, GB
Silver-tone White diamonds Leaf design Pavé setting Silver finish This comes as a single earring Condition: Excellent This pre-owned item is in near-perfect condition with no signs o...
Diamond, 18k Gold
Van Cleef & Arpels Cadenas Watch
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
Finley crafted in 18k yellow gold with a Mother of Pearl face and brown alligator leather straps. Signed by Van Cleef & Arpels Size 6 inches Comes with its original box.
18k Gold
Van Cleef & Arpels Perfume Pendant
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Sausalito, CA
Unique perfume bottle pendant, made in France by Van Cleef & Arpels, from the mid 70's. Has been crafted in the shape of the Maison First perfume bottle. The shape of this bottle is ...
Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Earrings
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Darnestown, MD
Van Cleef and Arpels pear shaped diamond earrings that are the ultimate in elegant simplicity. The earrings are made of 154 diamonds with a total weight of approximately 7 carats. T...
Diamond, 18k Gold
Van Cleef & Arpels Gold Brooch
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
Van Cleef & Arpels 18 karat yellow gold brooch with a human motif, carrying a basket filled with various goods on her head. She is sitting on a grape vine. Total weight: 19.6 grams. ...
18k Gold
Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Ring
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in New York, NY
Created by Van Cleef & Arpels, this 0.43 carat diamond solitaire ring is set in platinum. It weighs 2.1 grams. Size 3. It comes with certificate of authenticity and proof of purchase...
Diamond, Platinum
