Exhibition: ‘A Journey Through The Poetry of Time’ with Van Cleef & Arpels

From February 12^th to 20^th, 2022, Van Cleef & Arpels celebrates some of its emblematic sources of inspiration in Singapore. Pieces from the Maison’s patrimonial collection and contemporary creations will be revealed in an immersive environment that recreates the charm of Paris.

Best known for its inventive, quirky mechanics and elaborate ornamentation, Van Cleef & Arpels has pulled out all the stops of the exhibition. The event encompasses most the Maison’s most lavish creations, ranging from its charming complicated watches to incredible high-jewellery sets.

Alongside the Jewelry and High Jewelry collections, the Maison’s watches take center stage in four of its cherished universes: love stories – notably with the ‘Pont des Amoureux’ collection –, ballerinas and fairies, ‘Poetic Astronomy’® and ‘Enchanting Nature’

Ever faithful to a poetic view of life, Van Cleef & Arpels instills a distinctive dimension into the art of watchmaking: that of dreams and emotions. A blend of inventiveness and fantasy, its creations interpret the measurement of time as an invitation to imagine, wander and revel in happiness.

Love Stories

Born out of the marriage of Alfred Van Cleef and Estelle Arpels, the Maison has been celebrating love stories since its earliest creations. Like a sign of destiny, the first piece listed in the sales book in 1906 was a heart set with diamonds. Today, this founding theme continues to suffuse the Maison’s creations with poetry and enchantment.

The watches of the ‘Pont des Amoureux’ collection celebrate love and the intensity of longed-for reunions. United by tender feelings, a young woman and a young man decide to meet on a Paris bridge. Indicating the hours and minutes respectively thanks to a retrograde movement, they move towards each other to exchange a kiss at midday and midnight. To relive the poetry of that moment at any time, an animation-on-demand module enables the romantic scene to be replayed at will.

Fairies and Ballerinas

Symbols of joy and hope, fairies and ballerinas form an emblematic source of inspiration, which began in the early 1940s. Born out of Louis Arpels’ passion for the world of dance, the first dancer clips soon won over collectors with their elegant poses and beautiful costumes. Today, these feminine figures also adorn the Maison’s watches: like muses, they accompany the passage of time on creations that combine craft skills and watchmaking savoir-faire.

Poetic Astronomy

Since 1906, the wonders of the heavenly vault have inspired creations that elicit dreams and contemplation. After finding an echo throughout the years in the Maison’s Jewelry and High Jewelry pieces, the spectacle of the planets has been extended to Watchmaking with Poetic Astronomy. From the starry night to the constellations of the Zodiac, the trajectories of the Sun and Moon and the ballet of the planets, the timepieces combine the poetry of the celestial bodies and the measurement of time to evoke a unique emotion with every second.

Enchanting Nature

A cherished inspiration, nature breathes poetry and vitality into the creations. Enthralled by the constant metamorphoses of fauna and flora, the Maison transcribes spring in full bloom, the luxuriance of gardens or the beating of a butterfly’s wings. Closely linked to the passage of time, this theme is explored in Van Cleef & Arpels’ watchmaking collections through Enchanting Nature, a haven of beauty and harmony.

Couture Inspirations

As a tribute to the city where the Maison was born, Van Cleef & Arpels’ collections are inspired by the world of couture. Over the years, the Maison has reinterpreted the fluidity of fabric in gold and precious materials, giving rise to creations of timeless elegance.

An emblematic Van Cleef & Arpels piece since its creation in 1935, the Ludo™ model reflects the Couture inspiration that is ever so dear to the Maison. Its articulated gold ribbon is characterized by the flexibility of its mesh with the hexagon or briquette motifs.
Van Cleef & Arpels honors the Ludo bracelet, an emblematic piece of the Maison, with new watch creations. Ludo secret watches combine two traditions dear to the Maison: secret watch and transformability.

Revisiting the style of the Ludo bracelets or presenting unique long necklaces hiding secret dials, Van Cleef & Arpels blends flowing lines and refined materials to bring new delight to the art of telling the time.

Timeless elegance

Bold and timeless, the Van Cleef & Arpels Cadenas® watch is as contemporary today as it was when first created in 1935. Its distinctive design features an angled dial enabling the time to be read discretely, while the straight lines of its case combine harmoniously with the curves of the clasp.

Also on show is a selection of  historical items from the brand’s museum, including pocket watches, purse watches, as well as bracelet watches like the iconic Cadenas bangle.

But the exhibition is not merely about bling and baubles. One room is dedicated to an in-depth exploration of the brand’s technical achievements. Present to explain Van Cleef & Arpels’ proprietary complications is Rainer Bernard, the head of R&D for timepieces.

During your visit, immerse yourself in the romantic ambiance of Paris’ iconic landmarks and enjoy a cup of coffee and some pastry by the Seine.

Guided by their own taste and creativity, children aged from 4 to 10 will decorate and build their personal and exclusive city of Paris. Please remember to book your visit to enjoy this special moment.

Located at the Marina Bay Sands casino complex, the exhibition is open to the public from February 12-20, 10:00 am-9:45 pm daily. Visitors have to register in advance.

Sand Expo Hall B​
Marina Bay Sands
10 Bayfront Ave
Singapore 018956

Van Cleef & Arpels watches and jewelry are available at Van Cleef & Arpels boutiques and selected stores worldwide. Come into the beautiful world of Van Cleef & Arpels.

Extraordinaire Van Cleef & Arpels Patchouli Blanc

One of the first jewellers to settle on the Place Vendôme in 1906, Van Cleef & Arpels is a fine jewellery legend founded by Charles Arpels and his brother-in-law Alfred Van Cleef. Adorning the bodies of royalty, socialites and celebrities for decades with exquisite precious stones, jewellery and fine watches.

The Maison’s first foray into fragrances came with ‘First’ for Women, in 1978, a classic timeless floral aldehyde scent. ‘First’ has remained a popular choice and inspired a number of flankers over the years. Other notable releases include men’s classics, ‘Pour Homme’ (1978), ‘Tsar’ (1989), and the ‘Collection Extraordinaire’, a luxury line whose first fragrance was introduced in 2009.

A beautiful collection of scents and the luxurious Collection de Extraordinaire have since joined the ever-popular First Eau de Parfum. Carefully crafted and beautifully bottled, each fragrance draws on the same innovation and attention to detail that brought the jewellery house to notoriety. 

Today te Parisian Maison presents Patchouli Blanc as the new fragrance of their exclusive Collection Extraordinaire. This is also the third woody-musky perfume of the collection with the ‘Blanc’ label. The first was ‘Santal Blanc’ in 2019, followed by ‘Oud Blanc’ in 2020.

I felt like recreating the feeling of soft, enveloping cashmere; I wanted the fragrance to translate the idea of tender, cottony wood with a literally irresistible clean smell. That’s why I started by choosing a very specific, sheer and floral fraction of patchouli.

Jérôme Epinette, perfumer

A symbol of purity, softness and perfect balance, ‘white’ is a very inspiring theme for the Collection Extraordinaire. Patchouli Blanc is announced as a light and crystal-clear interpretation of the scent of patchouli and one of the three editions of ‘white woods’ from this collection.

Encased within a delicately printed flacon, the Patchouli Blanc Eau de Parfum marries enveloping cashmere, fresh rose and musky wood for a truly sensuous aroma. A special quality of patchouli, an airier and more floral version, was chosen for this composition, combined with a bouquet of fresh roses on a delicate musky-woody background. Top notes are Aldehydes and Pink Pepper; middle notes are Patchouli and Rose; base notes are Cashmere Wood and White Musk. This pure, clean scent provides an instantly refreshing lift when spritzed.

Van Cleef & Arpels Patchouli Blanc is available as a 75 ml Eau de Parfum at selected stores worldwide. Come into the beautiful world of Van Cleef & Arpels.

A lucky touch of pink…

This year, Van Cleef & Arpels gives rise to an elegant new Vintage Alhambra pendant in limited edition in a fanciful combination of rhodonite, rose gold and diamonds.

Faithful to the very first Alhambra® jewel created in 1968, the Vintage Alhambra creations by French Maison Van Cleef & Arpels are distinguished by their unique, timeless elegance. Inspired by the clover leaf, these icons of luck are adorned with a border of golden beads.

Come into the beautiful world of Van Cleef & Arpels.

Van Cleef & Arpels continues its ballet universe with Bouton d’Or Ballerina Clip

Inspired by the French Maison’s heritage, Van Cleef & Arpels’ Bouton d’Or collection welcomes a new creation: the Ballerina clip. The juxtaposition of yellow gold, turquoise and lapis-lazuli paillettes on her costume reveal all the expertise of Van Cleef & Arpels.

French Maison Van Cleef & Arpels have always been renowned for their penchant for the art of Ballet. There is something poetic in this age-old dance discipline – the flair, the feminine figures, the fluidity of the motion – elements which the Maison High Jewellery so finely captures.

The Maison’s ballerina jewellery has, in fact, always been an integral part of their history, dating back to the 1920s when founder Louis Arpels would frequent Opéra Garnier with his nephew to enjoy the dance performances. In the early 1940s, Arpels’ love for ballet materialised as the jeweller’s first ballerina clips and became one of the jeweller’s most celebrated creations. The tiny dancers stand out with their gold bodies, jewelled tutu and point shoes with designs that change over time to reflect the cultural influences Van Cleef & Arpels drew from across the world.

Van Cleef & Arpels Paillettes Ballerina Clip, 1953

Bringing Van Cleef & Arpels’ close ties with ballet back to life, the Ballet Précieux High Jewellery collection was introduced in 2006. Stylised pieces and figures are created with precious stones and creased gold, with tutus fashioned by the Mains d’Or to reflect the textures and costumes suggestive of famous suites such as ‘The Nutcracker’, ‘The Firebird’, ‘Les Sylphides’ and ‘Swan Lake’.

The Bouton d’Or collection is inspired by the curved lines of the paillette motif, a jewelry design created by Van Cleef & Arpels in the late 1930s. In this modern interpretation, bold colors and natural materials combine to create feminine necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings.

This year, the collection is evocative of classical and romantic ballets, with the High Jewellery ballerina clips swathed in emeralds, diamonds and rubies, respectively. Each clip seems to capture a ballerina in motion, their swirling figures frozen in mid-air, the graceful gestures and costume accentuated by the gleam of precious stones.

Van Cleef & Arpels Bouton d’Or Ballerina Clip

Meanwhile, the Maison’s Bouton d’Or collection brings new interpretations to its heritage. Bringing more graphic elements to the archived ‘paillette’ motif, the new Bouton d’Or ballerina clip stands out with radiant colours from the turquoise and the deep midnight blue of lapis lazuli.

Other elements, such as the polished yellow gold body and the figurine’s pure lines, echo its High Jewellery ballerinas and timepiece predecessors. However, most unique to the ‘paillete’ motif is the three-dimensional effect of the ballerina’s skirt, which unfurls in dazzling layers, making the figure and its skirt seemingly come to life.

The Bouton d’Or Ballerina clip and matching ring, bracelet, necklace and earrings are available at Van Cleef & Arpels Boutiques worldwide. Come into the beautiful world of Van Cleef & Arpels.

Van Cleef & Arpels ‘The Transformations of Gold’ Exhibition

Take a closer look at this 1953 clip with golden pastilles and sequins punctuated with diamonds gracefully animating a ballerina’s tutu.

Travel through the decades at the Van Cleef & Arpels ‘The Transformations of Gold’ exhibition at their 20 Place Vendôme boutique in Paris until March 31, 2021. Discover various thematic interpretations of gold, each illustrating the refinement and variety of the French Maison’s style. For more informattion, come into the beautiful world of Van Cleef & Arpels.

Van Cleef & Arpels Launches Rose Gold Guilloche Sweet Alhambra Jewellery Watch

Introduced in 1968, the Alhambra motif, featuring a 4-leaf clover has been so integral to Van Cleef & Arpels that it has become part of its DNA. The Sweet Alhambra, a variation of the original Vintage Alhambra collection, comes with smaller, daintier motifs and dials on its timepieces. 

This year, the now iconic Alhambra collection of French Maison Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra collection welcomes a new jewelry watch, which reinterprets the emblematic lucky motif in materials teeming with life.

The Sweet Alhambra jewelry watch seems entirely consecrated to light. Around the guilloché dial, the bracelet alternates radiant motifs in guilloché rose gold and pink mother-of-pearl. Appearing for the first time in the Alhambra collection, the latter material has been chosen for its natural pink color with silky over tones.

The mother-of-pearl motifs have been carefully matched, before being delicately polished to create a shiny sur face. Guilloché rose gold is also making its debut in the Alhambra collection; the engraving gleams as it catches the light. The hours thus slip by with a sparkle on this jewel that tells the time.

In keeping with the Maison’s high standards, the hard stones that adorn the creations have been selected from among the finest materials. The chalcedony draws its charm from its soft gray-blue color, while the agate has been chosen for its deep and even shades, accentuated by careful polishing. The gray and pink mother-of-pearl reveal all the delicacy of their iridescent luster.

Faithful to Van Cleef & Arpels’ tradition of excellence, the Alhambra collection reflects all the expertise of a High Jewelry Maison. Different crafts have come together for each piece, ranging from the lapidary to the jeweler, from the stone-setter to the polisher. In keeping with the Maison’s standards, the mother-of-pearl and hard stone motifs are intricately cut and polished, before being matched to create harmonious sets. Like the guilloché motifs, they take their places inside an elegantly beaded mount, as if within a precious case.

These golden contours have been carefully reworked by hand by master jewelers, before the prongs – rounded for a softer feel – are bent down to hold the motifs delicately in place. A final polish then illuminates the beauty of the ensemble. In all, about fifteen stages of selection, crafting and checking succeed one another, resulting in a unique piece that will stand the test of time.

The Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra Collection is available at Van Cleef & Arpels Boutiques and selected stores worldwide. Come into the beautiful and timeless world of Van Cleef & Arpels.

Van Cleef & Arpels Enchants With Oud Blanc N°1584400

Creating the most beautiful and precious jewelry and watches, French Maison Van Cleef & Arpels was founded by Charles Arpels and his brother-in-law Alfred Van Cleef in 1896. The pair opened their first boutique at the prestigious Place Vendôme in 1906. They gained notoriety for their use of precious stones and their expertise and innovation in stone-setting techniques.

Parisian jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels is a pioneer in its field, with a subtle mix of knowledge and experience. Maison Van Cleef & Arpels is built on strong and specific values of elegance, femininity, creativity, excellence and style. The Maison’s fragrances mirror the philosophy of the jewellery collections, bringing together an array of rare ingredients in compelling scents, which are presented in perfectly crafted flacons that possess their own Van Cleef & Arpels magic.

Beautiful Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry has adorned the bodies of royalty, prominent political figures, socialites and numerous actresses and entertainers. The Maison’s first foray into fragrances came with ‘First’ for Women, in 1978, a classic timeless floral aldehyde scent. ‘First’ has remained a popular choice and inspired a number of flankers over the years. Other notable releases include men’s classics, ‘Pour Homme’ (1978), ‘Tsar’ (1989), and the ‘Collection Extraordinaire’, a luxury line whose first fragrance was introduced in 2009.

Next month, Van Cleef & Arpels will launch Oud Blanc, a new addition to the Maison′s Collection Extraordinaire. The Maison revisits the legendary Oud Wood with Oud Blanc. Oud Blanc, offering an extraordinary reinterpretation of that legendary wood that we mistakenly thought no longer had secrets.

To approach the Oud in a different way, I was inspired by what happens when it is burned during ceremonies. It releases a blazing, enveloping smoke, laden with mystery and opulence. I tried to recreate the scent of this smoke,which is both warm, soft and translucent.

Anne Flipo, master perfumer

Oud Blanc is not a reworked version of the Oud: it’s a rediscovery. Enclosed within a white flacon, this woody oriental offers a surprising and crystal clear view of that tempered wood. Those men and women who flinch violently at the keyword ‘Oud’ may still be able to relax with the latest Collection Extraordinaire offshoot.

Although this Eau de Parfum noticeably contains eaglewood, according to master perfumer Anne Flipo this is more like burnt oud, which is supposed to be quite intense, but here it is warm and soft and has been steamed down to a translucent level. The result was an oud note that is present but absolutely soft.

There are also some gourmand notes, such as date and vanilla, whereby the latter, together with frankincense (perhaps rather benzoin), makes it look as if some light chocolate has been used. Vanilla gives the composition its sweet and creamy trait, while incense causes a whirlwind of emotions in spreading its structured and smoky facets. It also goes very well with white, light musk.

The date in turn gives the whole composition a fine, delicately fruity-sweet underline, whereas the rose appears more as if breathed in. Oud Blanc remains, as could not be expected otherwise, quite linear. And it’s no surprise that the date runs out first and oud with white musk remains most consistent.

Well – this is all done quite well, even if the wheel is not reinvented here. What we have here is an extremely pleasant autumn scent that brings together the components of soft oud with unobtrusive gourmand notes in an exemplary manner. For hardcore oud aficionados rather uninteresting – for beginners a welcome opportunity.

If a color could symbolize this research, there is no doubt that it would be white: a bright and timeless white whose purity is enhanced by a perfectly balanced, elegant and refined flacon.

Van Cleef & Arpels Oud Blanc N°1584400 is available as 75ml Eau de Parfum at selected stores worldwide. Come into the beautiful world of Van Cleef & Arpels.

Van Cleef & Arpels Liane is an ode to elegance and femininity.

Inspired by the world of couture, swipe to discover the savoir-faire behind French Maison’s Van Cleef & Arpels Liane necklace – an embodiment of the fluidity and lightness of a thread. As 18k gold meticulously braided as a cord, the Liane necklace is an ode to elegance and femininity.

Slide and take a closer look at the details of the Liane necklace. The clasp gives the necklace a subtle asymmetry, while the two tassels showcase the French Maison’s virtuoso craftsmanship in precious metal, recreating the flexibility and sophistication of passementerie.

Van Cleef & Arpels’ Liane necklace is available at Van Cleef & Arpels Boutiques worldwide. Come into the beautiful world of Van Cleef & Arpels.

Get into the spirit of the holidays with Van Cleef & Arpels’ new creations

In 1968, ‘Haute Joaillerie’ Maison Van Cleef & Arpels introduced a clover-shaped charm that quickly became a signature design of the French Maison. A symbol that represents luck, health, fortune and love, the design has increased in popularity amongst celebrity clients – who would often layer several Alhambra necklaces of different sizes and with different gemstone combinations for the quintessential daytime look.

Van Cleef & Arpels’ Alhambra creations are distinguished by their unique, timeless elegance. Inspired by the clover leaf, these icons of luck are adorned with a border of golden beads.

During its 51-year history, Van Cleef & Arpels’ Alhambra collection has continuously been refreshed and refined (making it one of the maison’s most collectable fine jewellery motifs) every now and then, especially during the holidays.

For this season, the Maison is celebrating the holiday season with a limited-edition Vintage Alhambra pendant. Continuing its partnership with the illustrious Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, Celestial Blue Sèvres porcelain, diamond and yellow gold come together in harmony for this year’s exclusive pendant, imbuing the symbol of luck with exquisite craftsmanship. Due to the traditional production process, the Celestial Blue color can vary slightly from one piece to the next, giving the creation an exclusive character.

Come into the beautiful world of Van Cleef & Arpels.

 

 

 

Inside Van Cleef & Arpels’ first heritage exhibition in the Middle East

For the first time in the Middle East, Van Cleef & Arpels, the French High Jewelry House, announced the opening of its heritage exhibition ‘Treasures and Legends’. The latter will take place from 10 October 10^th until the 31^st, at the new boutique in Dubai Opera Plaza.

Van Cleef & Arpels is opening its first-ever heritage exhibition in the Middle East and over 50 high jewellery pieces will be on display.

Thanks to Vincent Meylan, the creator of Van Cleef & Arpels’ ‘Treasures and Legends”, the Maison will showcase a heritage exhibition of regal jewels and ornate crowns, dripping in splendour. ‘Treasures & Legends,’ the display will combine craftsmanship with history to feature over a century of high jewellery that belonged to great rulers and affluent aristocrats. 

 

From the former collection of Princess Faiza of Egypt, Pivione clip brooch with rubies and diamonds 1937, Van Cleef & Arpels

 

 

 

 

From the former collection of Queen Nazli of Egypt, necklace with diamonds 1939, Van Cleef & Arpels

 

 

From the former collection of Princess Faiza of Egypt, necklace with emeralds and diamonds 1939, Van Cleef & Arpels

The great ambassadors of their times: Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses, Maharajahs and Maharanis and aristocrats favoured the introduction of new styles that marked the decades of the 20th century. Styles from the Art Deco movement to the oriental inspirations of the 1970s.

As you wander (and wonder) from case to case, it’s hard to believe that these breathtakingly beautiful jewels and precious objects have been gathered in one place.

From royalty to cinematic legends, the French Maison has created many legendary pieces of jewellery over the decades. The exhibition includes pieces formerly owned by Queen Nazli of Egypt, the Maharani of Baroda, Begum Salimah Aga Khan, the Duchess of Windsor, Princess Lilian of Belgium, and Princess Grace of Monaco. The standout though, is a replica of the crown Farah ‘Diba’ Pahlavi wore when she was crowned as ‘Shahbanu’ (empress) of Iran in 1967.

 

 

Replica of Her Imperial Highness Farah Pahlavi’s crown 1967, Van Cleef & Arpels

The ‘Treasures and Legends’ exhibition will reveal the stories beneath Van Cleef & Arpels’ illustrious list of muses and clients. Each piece of finery will be accompanied by an intriguing detail of its origin: the inspiration behind the asset, who it belonged to and how it came to establish its legendary prestige. The pieces are beautifully displayed with a painting or image of the legendary women who wore them.

 

 

From the former collection of Princess Salimah Aga Khan, necklace with emeralds and diamonds 1971, Van Cleef & Arpels.

Exceptional stones, enchanting elegance and elite expertise will be on show in the collection of over fifty precious jewels and elaborate gems, each with their own memory to unlock. 

 

‘Treasures & Legends’ by Van Cleef & Arpels

The Van Cleef & Arpels Treasures and Legends exhibition is now open to the public and will run until October 31, 2019. It is located at the Dubai Opera Plaza, where Van Cleef & Arpels’ new boutique just opened its doors.

Sunday to Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m | Thursday to Saturday: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Come into the wonderful world of Van Cleef & Arpels.