Art of Jewelry‧A Psalm of Time
Van Cleef & Arpels invested infinite ingenuity and attainments, and devoted itself to creating a unique timepiece art, which will shine in the 2023 “Watches and Miracles” exhibition. The Maison gathers different crafts, blends its tried-and-true watchmaking technology and jewelry attainments, and enriches the magnificent appearance of the Maison’s jewelry timepieces. Carefully selected gemstones form a new combination of materials, writing a new and moving chapter for the Perlée and Alhambra series watches, while the Ludo Secret and À Cheval high-end jewelry watches bring the ingenious craftsmanship of the Van Cleef & Arpels workshop. The skills are on display. The radiant and gorgeous jewelry, intertwined with looming magical ingenuity, and the exquisite size on the dial make people reluctant to part with it.
The family’s watchmaking workshop in Geneva once again used the Lady Féerie watch to highlight the extraordinary achievement of the integration of traditional craftsmanship and mechanical technology. The new work is replaced with harmonious and harmonious colors, interpreting the unique Poetry of Time of Van Cleef & Arpels. Psalms. The final three pieces of Extraordinary Objects series of extraordinary products are combined with extraordinary craftsmanship, using unique ingenuity to present a dynamic charm, and to coat the passing time with intoxicating charm.
jewelry watch
Van Cleef & Arpels’ precious timepieces lightly wrap around the jade wrist or fall into the neck, casting an elegant posture at the moment when jewelry craftsmanship and watchmaking skills meet, and depicting the trajectory of time and flow. These masterpieces create a new combination of materials in a fashionable and novel style, and reinterpret the classic aesthetics of the Perlée and Alhambra series with their colorful colors and exquisite quality. Precious or decorative gemstones and dazzling diamonds are selected for each piece, complementing delicate gold beads or sparkling guilloché gold motifs.
PERLÉE series
– Round golden beads –
Van Cleef & Arpels highlights the classic aesthetics of the Perlée series through new watch works. The five timeless watches combine soft and round curves with exquisite and subtle details, combining watchmaking craftsmanship and jewelry inspiration, and interpreting elegant time jewelry with modern brushstrokes.
The round case has smooth lines and is surrounded by two rows of gold beads. The mirror-polished rose gold or white K gold inlaid with diamonds crowns the watch with a bright and pleasing halo. Under the convex mirror, the magnificent dial is either set with pavé diamonds; or it is made of guilloché rose gold; or it is iridescent with mother-of-pearl, reflecting the most exquisite light. The time adjustment button is hidden on the case back, showing the ingenuity of the hidden design.
Among the five watches, four have a slim design with a diameter of 23 mm, and one has a case with a diameter of 30 mm. Each watch is equipped with an interchangeable alligator leather strap, and an optional strap from the same series. The series is also equipped with a jewelry watch chain, which also reflects the essence of jewelry watches. The bracelet is made of gold beads, and the fully articulated design is smart and smooth. The shape echoes the gold bead trim of the case, and fits comfortably like a second skin. The strap can be easily converted at will to meet individual needs.
The diamonds selected for the work all meet the highest quality standards: the color ranges from D to F, and the clarity ranges from IF to VVS, coating the dial with the most dazzling brilliance. Mother-of-pearl has also been strictly selected by gem experts, and under the background of guilloché carving, it blooms subtle and delicate iridescence.
– Dancing together –
The dazzling golden beads interweave into a charming ballet, and with the dazzling colors of precious or decorative gemstones, the six hidden jewelry watches are plated with lively images. The pocket watch that emerged in Europe in the 17th century inspired the family to shape the dial into a colorful pendant. The graceful arc combined with the flowing long necklace complements the graceful figure. Gently rotate the gemstone cover, and the dial is slowly revealed, detailing the flowing poetic time in a subtle way.
Three of these watch masterpieces use the bright colors of precious gemstones to reflect the brilliance of classic round beads: rubies echo the soft and warm rose gold; sapphires and emeralds are harmoniously intertwined with yellow gold that is as bright as the sun. These gemstones, which were used in the Maison’s jewelry works in the early days, demonstrate Van Cleef & Arpels’ ingenuity in precious gemstones with their colorful brilliance and clear light. This unique thought can also be seen from the family’s extremely rigorous gem selection process.
Three cabochon-cut precious stone materials debuted in the Perlée series for the first time: the gray-blue to light-blue chalcedony texture is neat, and under the light of white K gold, it adds a crystal clear texture to the watch; The rose crystal used in this series for the first time has a soft color, which complements the warm rose gold; the sodalite is inlaid with yellow K gold. Its blue-purple color and irregular texture have a poetic charm, and it contains moving layers in its clarity. Each gemstone is of exceptional quality, with nuanced color variations and brilliant brilliance on its finely polished surfaces.
ALHAMBRA series
– lucky moment –
Jacques Arpels, the nephew of Estelle Arpels, once said: “If you have a lucky wish, you can be a lucky person.” The Alhambra series contains Van Cleef & Arpels Sanskrit. Cleef & Arpels’ lucky wish has become a symbol of elegance since it was launched, blooming timeless charm through different materials and occasions. Today, the new Sweet Alhambra jewelry watch adopts an alternating design of gold and decorative gemstone patterns, and uses a larger-sized dial to set off the family’s iconic four-leaf lucky pattern.
The new work combines the soft color of rose gold with the warm color of carnelian, a precious material favored by the Maison because of its bright and brilliant colors. Carnelian, a type of agate, has an orange-red color and has been used to adorn jewelry since ancient times. Van Cleef & Arpels mainly selects carnelian with deep and uniform color and extremely smooth surface, and then carefully matched by gemstone craftsmen, so that each carnelian pattern interweaves a harmonious halo. Under the background of guilloche carving, the rose gold blooms with brilliance, making the eyes intoxicated in the subtle changes of light and shadow.
– Jewelry Art –
The Alhambra four-leaf lucky series is a classic of Van Cleef & Arpels, which gathers the essence of the family’s high-end jewelry craftsmanship. Each piece brings together the outstanding craftsmanship of the family, combining the extraordinary attainments of gem cutters, jewelry craftsmen, polishers and gem setters. Loyal to the Maison’s consistent standards, the new carnelian four-leaf lucky pattern has been carefully cut and finely polished. Through careful matching, it blooms in perfect and harmonious colors. Finally, it is trimmed with elegant round beads and carved with guilloché gold. The design of the quality pattern is in the same continuous line.
Jewelers carefully retouch these precious round bead trims, and gently bend the round prongs to delicately fix the four-leaf lucky pattern. The final polishing process adds to the icing on the cake, blooming a beautiful and bright brilliance. Each piece of the Alhambra series has to go through no less than 15 processes, including material selection, precision casting and quality inspection, in order to achieve a timeless classic masterpiece.
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS
High Jewelry Watches
High jewelery watches are both magnificent jewels and fascinating timepieces, capturing the passage of time with timeless elegance. In this year’s “Watches and Miracles” exhibition, Van Cleef & Arpels gathered the tried and tested jewelry craftsmanship to enrich the creative imagination of the poetry of Poetry of Time: put bright and flexible settings on the À Cheval series, highlighting the The brilliance of diamonds and colored gemstones. The Ludo Mini series of hidden watches continues the tradition of privacy cherished by the family. The design of the watch is classic and novel, and the dial is cleverly hidden, allowing graceful surprises to appear inadvertently, turning every minute into private time.
LUDO SECRET series
The Ludo Secret collection celebrates the elegant and timeless aesthetic of the iconic Ludo bracelet by Van Cleef & Arpels with two new high jewelery watches. This masterpiece launched in 1934, named after the nickname of Louis Arpels, the first generation member of the family, looks like a fashion accessory popular among trendy women in the 1930s──the belt, which has been widely favored since its inception .
Van Cleef & Arpels reproduces the classic design of this series with a new size ratio and a combination of two materials. Rose gold is mixed with diamonds or pink sapphires, and the meticulous inlay techniques reflect the excellent tradition of the Maison’s high-end jewelry. The Maison’s gemologists have devoted their attention to carefully selecting diamonds with matching fire and clarity, as well as pink sapphires with harmonious color and luster. The natural mesh work, like bricks, is pieced together into a structure like a snake, echoing the shape of the original belt. Each hinge is inlaid with skillful hands, interweaving a soft and flexible design, like a delicate Woven crimson yarn.
Van Cleef & Arpels, adhering to the tradition of the secret watch, carefully hides the guilloché carved white mother-of-pearl dial, and only reveals the time after pressing two buttons set with pavé diamonds or pink sapphires at the same time secret.
The Maison also presents a unique new work inspired by the 1941 Ludo Hexagone Macarons Secret Watch. The dial is hidden under the emerald pattern, and the Mystery Set hidden inlay technology is used to piece together the bright and flawless color effect, which is the crystallization of exquisite craftsmanship. Due to the fragile nature of gemstones, extra care is required when cutting and setting them in designs. The slightly arched pattern echoes the two rows of concentric diamonds on the periphery of the case, while the bracelet is composed of hexagonal yellow gold hinges, and the star-shaped emeralds add a little bit of gorgeous color to the bracelet.
The Ludo Secret watch embodies one of the Maison’s signature craftsmanship: the Mystery Set. This craft emphasizes extremely high precision and superb professional skills. Carefully paired and precisely cut precious gemstones are set into gold mounting rails. soft light. Mystery Set is the pinnacle of jewelry-making craftsmanship, and only a few master gem and jewelry craftsmen have mastered its mysteries.
À CHEVAL series
Precious stones shine in the new À Cheval collection. Two new timepieces make their debut in the series, interpreting the classic aesthetics in new colors: one with blue sapphires against the dial set with pavé diamonds, and the strap is plated with gradually soft tones; Sapphire, delicately showing subtle changes in tone from soft to intense.
The new work continues the essence of the À Cheval high-end jewelry series, perfectly hiding the gold base, and the gemstones seem to be fixed on the base by magic, fully blooming with brilliance. The exquisite inlay technology makes the gemstones overlap and stagger in an elegant manner, creating a bright and three-dimensional effect.
Since its inception, Van Cleef & Arpels has been adhering to the tradition and has always been outstanding in the selection of gemstones. It has demonstrated its unique attainments through strict selection criteria: the color of the diamonds must reach the D-F grade, and the clarity is IF-VVS Grade, each beautiful diamond reflects each other, blooming extremely dazzling and gorgeous light. Gem experts abide by the vision and taste of the family, and also uphold the highest standards when selecting colored gemstones, inject meticulous ingenuity into the works, and achieve harmonious and colorful brilliant products.
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS
Telling time with jewelry
– Van Cleef & Arpels Van Cleef & Arpels Classics –
1906-1919
Since Van Cleef & Arpels was founded in 1906, it has launched timepieces such as waist chain watches, wristwatches and pocket watches.
1920s
Van Cleef & Arpels embellishes platinum jewelry clocks with diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds and other precious stones in bright colors; and designs waist chain watches that can be worn as brooches or placed in waistcoats or trouser pockets . The first stealth watch with the dial hidden in the pattern of precious gemstones was launched, demonstrating the Maison’s vision of inlaid gemstones in timepieces, adding the brilliance of jewelry to the passage of time.
1930s to 1940s
Gold occupies a dominant position in Van Cleef & Arpels’ timepieces, and the family uses yellow K gold to create a fabric-like soft weaving effect. Both the Ludo and Cadenas watches echo modern aesthetics, and the Couscous watch even introduces gold beads into the Maison’s watchmaking field. . Some styles are inspired by flowers, creating an elegant style where the dial and bracelet are integrated.
1950s to 1960s
The delicate strap made of gold intertwined with precious stones such as diamonds or colored gemstones complements the round and magnificent dial.
1970s to 1980s
Metal materials begin to conjure up rich and varied textures, twisted or woven gold creates elegant and fluid bracelets, in stark contrast to polished gold, and cases are decorated with colorful precious stones.
1990s
Floral motifs once again shine in Van Cleef & Arpels timepieces. The Façade watches inspired by architecture and the beautiful works of the Alhambra series have come out one after another, and the works are given brilliance by combining different materials.
2000s
The family combines unconstrained creativity and ingenuity to create exquisite jewelry and watches. Van Cleef & Arpels draws continuous inspiration from nature, haute couture, poetic astrology and love stories, outlines precious watches in innovative ways, and tells the mystery of time.
charming time
The craftsmen of Van Cleef & Arpels rely on their extraordinary attainments to depict the beautiful scenery with fine brushwork, carve the lovely characters with ingenuity, and bring scenes of charming scenes to life on the dial, attracting infinite reverie. The Lady Féerie watch is replaced with a new color, using enamel craftsmanship and micro-painting to present colorful and subtle tones, while the three Extraordinary Objects series masterpieces reflect the family’s fascination and longing for mechanical art. In order to make the masterpieces of watchmakers even better, the family combines the extraordinary talents of craftsmen in different fields. Their ingenious skills have been passed down from generation to generation, and they are the precious crystallization of the creative passion and the passing of time. These master craftsmen meet technical challenges with outstanding professional attainments, transform them into an inexhaustible driving force for innovation, and write a new chapter for the poetry of the Maison’s Poetry of Time. Each piece embodies Van Cleef & Arpels Infinite creativity and the spirit of pursuit of excellence.
LADY FÉERIE OR ROSE watch
Since the 1940s, Van Cleef & Arpels has celebrated the image of the light and elegant fairy with ingenious creations. Today, the Maison Féerie series has added a new pink Lady Féerie watch. This Poetic Complications watch combines superb watchmaking technology and traditional craftsmanship, and once again interprets the stunning beauty of fairies on the 33mm exquisite dial. The fairy waved her magic wand lightly in the illusion, accompanied by the soft sunset, interpreting the passing of time.
The white cloud is plated with the iridescence of white mother-of-pearl, and the guardian fairy sitting on the cloud, wearing a pink sapphire and diamond plumage, appears gracefully against the background of micro-painted marquetry on the gold dial. The transparent translucent pink plique-à-jour stained glass enamel is interlaced with the opaque pink enamel glaze to coat the fairy’s wings with a hazy gradient of color. After the enamel coloring process, the family inlaid bright diamonds on the edge of each enamel wing, which is more exquisite and clear under the changing light and shadow. The delicate fairy has a beautiful diamond face. She waved her magic wand to indicate every passing minute, and a mother-of-pearl display window opened under the soft glow of the sunset, telling the passing of every hour. The full moon and starry sky are also displayed on the transparent balance oscillating weight. The sapphire glass mirror freezes this poetic scene, and the clouds outlined by enamel on the glass cast a soft and warm glow on the square inch of the world.
– Craftsmanship –
The family combines watchmaking craftsmanship and jewelry attainments, and incorporates precious and extraordinary traditional skills to vividly present a poetic illusion. The Lady Féerie Or Rose watch is equipped with a self-winding mechanical movement, equipped with a retrograde minute hand and a jumping hour function. All kinds of exquisite technologies, with meticulous design and rigorous assembly technology, are all contained in a case with a diameter of only 33 mm . The case is inlaid with a round sapphire glass mirror, which reflects the graceful figure of the fairy into the dial. The glass mirror reflects the most dazzling and moving light, and at the same time coats the outline of the watch with a round and soft charm.
The dial demonstrates the pinnacle of craftsmanship of the Maison’s Geneva watchmaking workshop. On the background of carved mother-of-pearl, the horizon presents no less than four subtle colors, ranging from pearly white to deep purple, from delicate champagne to rich fuchsia, intertwined with the afterglow of the setting sun, illuminating the charming and deep vast night sky. The skilled craftsmen of the Maison took no less than ten attempts to complete this challenge, achieving a soft and round gradient effect. Van Cleef & Arpels’ enamel workshop specially uses plique-à-jour stained glass enamel to smudge the fairy’s wings with a unique pink hue, which is harmoniously intertwined with the color of the dial.
EXTRAORDINARY OBJECTS
Extraordinary gem
The ingenuity of Van Cleef & Arpels is also reflected in another precious and lesser-known field: the Extraordinary Objects collection of treasures and automatic mechanisms. This field extends from the Maison’s tradition of making clocks and decorative ornaments, and in 2017 it carried forward with the Fée Ondine Limbo fairy automatic mechanism. Since then, new works have continued to join the ranks of Extraordinary Objects, integrating rare materials and mechanical movements, presenting a smart and interesting magical world with unique aesthetics.
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS
PLANÉTARIUM Planetarium Automatic Mechanism
– Planétarium series –
Van Cleef & Arpels pays tribute to the infinite reverie evoked by the vast sky and the bright sea of stars with the Poetic Astronomy series. In 2014, the Maison drew on the long tradition of the ‘Planetarium’ and studied reducing its size to fit on the wrist. “Planetarium” refers to models of the Sun, Moon, and Earth’s neighboring planets. The Midnight Planétarium watch was thus born, outlining the trajectories of the planets in the solar system with extremely complex machinery. This men’s watch will be launched in 2018 and 2021 respectively in women’s watches and high-end jewelry models, and in 2022 this magnificent automatic mechanism will be released. This year, Van Cleef & Arpels once again expanded the iconic concept of the Planétarium series and launched a new Extraordinary Object series, further interpreting the poetic sky with an unprecedented combination of materials.
– Interstellar ballet, gathering Van Cleef & Arpels Van Cleef & Arpels watchmaking attainments –
The automatic mechanical device of the Planétarium planetarium is magnificent in appearance, 50 cm high and 66.5 cm in diameter. It brings the sun and the planets of the solar system observable to the naked eye to life, including Mercury, Venus, the earth and its moon, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. This masterpiece is equipped with an extremely complex mechanical movement, which drives each star to run at its actual speed: Mercury takes 88 days to circle the dial; Venus takes 224 days; Earth takes 365 days; Mars takes 687 days; Jupiter and Saturn are 11.86 and 29.5 years respectively. Just like the women’s watches in this series, the moon on the automatic mechanism takes 27.3 days to revolve around the earth, and it injects vitality into the work with observable rhythms day after day. The work is equipped with a planetarium module specially developed by Van Cleef & Arpels, and a button-activated simulation doll jointly developed by Van Cleef & Arpels and the CompliTime team, which can be activated independently and reproduces planets orbiting the sun scenery.
The glass cover of the automatic mechanism is blown in the Fluid workshop in Ile de Berry, France. Under the glass curtain, a shooting star made of precious gold, diamonds, sapphires and emeralds inlaid with Mystery Set rises slowly from the small window, and the graceful dance around the dial outlines the trajectory of the hour. As the shooting star passes by the luminous star, the ballet is also played. Its moving melody was commissioned by the family to compose the Swiss musician and performer Michel Tirabosco. Every second, the stars are retrograde in the opposite direction of the actual orbit, composing a poetic fairy tale in the square inch of the world. There are multiple windows at the bottom of the work, showing hours/minutes, day/night, a perpetual calendar marking the year, month, and day, and power reserve. There is also a small window leading to a magnificent world, allowing people to spy on the 15 carillons hidden in this mechanical miracle.
– Magic Material –
Van Cleef & Arpels, with its ingenious attainments, swayed carefully selected precious materials to the fullest, recreating the whimsy touched by the vast sky. The Maison draws materials from traditional jewelry craftsmanship, combining precious and decorative stones. A sun dotted with yellow sapphires, spessartite garnets and diamonds stands in the center, interspersed with 500 golden needles, shining with deep and light light. When the automatic mechanical device is activated, its built-in vibration device immediately causes extremely subtle vibrations, allowing the gemstones to release their charming brilliance.
The planets around the sun are turned into gem crystal balls of different sizes: white K gold, sapphires and diamonds surround the chrysoprase mercury; White K gold, sapphires, tsavorite garnets and diamonds are used to interpret the image of the earth. The moon revolving around the earth is full of moonstones, embellished with white K gold, yellow K gold and diamonds, forming a strong contrast with the starry night background; red jasper dyes Mars with a warm color, rose gold and pink sapphires Accentuates its red glow. Finally, the brown jasper symbolizing Jupiter is surrounded by a ring of yellow gold, white gold, sapphires and diamonds; while the white gold and yellow gold halo of obsidian Saturn is inlaid with sapphires and diamonds.
Nine black aventurine glass turntables are mounted in concentric rings in the dial, seven of which are driven by mechanical devices to rotate independently, vividly representing the deep and vast universe. The various stars rotate at their true speed, shining in the shimmering sky. The works affect emotions from two levels, making people travel to the vast universe and indulging in the beauty of jewelry craftsmanship.
FLOWERING OF THE WATER LILY与
CYCLAMEN AWAKENING
– Graceful and moving –
Today, Van Cleef & Arpels continues the aesthetic style written by the Rêveries de Berylline green hummingbird dream automatic mechanism in 2022 with two extraordinary pieces inspired by nature. A theme that has been cherished by the Maison since its inception is brought to life in two sets of automatic mechanisms: the Floraison du Nénuphar automatic and the Éveil du Cyclamen automatic. The installation combines a timepiece base and an intoxicating spectacle, each about 30 cm high. It was jointly developed by the Maison and the François Junod workshop. Just press the button to activate the simulated doll, and the flower buds will bloom immediately, allowing the pink butterflies among the dancing flowers to come into view. The dynamics of the latter flapping its wings have been studied and tested for a long time, and the gesture of flapping its wings is lifelike, reproducing the natural rhythm of butterfly wings. The butterfly flies back to the center of the flower, and the petals close slowly at this time, embracing the butterfly gently. Accompanied by the melody specially written for the work, this moving scene is presented.
– Craftsmanship –
The base of the Floraison du Nénuphar butterfly hidden water flower automatic mechanism is composed of two pieces of red vein marble and a bowl-shaped blue silicon copper ore, which are carved by hand. As the name implies, blue-silicate copper ore is composed of copper silicate and is blue to green in color. These materials, selected by the Maison’s gem experts, are finely cut and polished to reveal their natural and unique features. Van Cleef & Arpels Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry workshop vividly expresses the charm of pink butterfly with exquisite attainments. Its white gold body is inlaid with turquoise and diamonds. The butterfly raises the plique-à-jour stained glass enamel pattern between its wings, so that the light penetrating through it refracts with brilliance. It hovers above the golden dome, and if you look closely at the stamens inlaid with dark and light yellow sapphires, spessartite garnets and diamonds in yellow K gold, it is spray-painted with subtle tones like a rising sun. The lotus leaves slowly emerge, leading the eye to rose gold flowers also lacquered. A white K gold fairy wearing three-color sapphires appears on the base, guiding the rotating scale ring for telling the time.
The Éveil du Cyclamen automatic mechanism performs a vivid natural wonder on a base composed of two aquaventurine stones and a bowl-shaped amethyst jade. The base is finely polished with skillful hands, and the patchwork inclusions shimmer softly, demonstrating the Maison’s unique ingenuity in selecting rare decorative gemstones. A butterfly arrives, and its beauty of spreading its wings and flying is captivating, showing Van Cleef & Arpels’ high-end jewelry attainments. Diamonds, emeralds, lapis lazuli and plique-à-jour stained-glass enamel are harmoniously intertwined on the body of the butterfly, bringing to life the delicate and exquisite figure, full of meticulous ingenuity. The pink butterfly lingers on a clump of cyclamen, as if looking for its flower soul in a sea of colorful flowers. The pink and lavender blooming in layers, delicately outline the outline of each delicate flower. Finally, a rose gold lacquered diamond-studded flower quietly overlooks the rotating scale ring on the base of the work, illuminating the progress of each hour.