Vca Yg Alhambra
Vintage 1980s Link Necklaces
Lapis Lazuli, Yellow Gold
2010s Stud Earrings
Onyx, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Onyx, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
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21st Century and Contemporary French Link Bracelets
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Modern Stud Earrings
Gold, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Engagement Rings
Ruby, White Diamond, Diamond, Platinum
2010s Turkish Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 14k Gold
1990s French Three-Stone Rings
Emerald, White Diamond, Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
Vintage 1980s Unknown More Rings
Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Fashion Rings
Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Lever-Back Earrings
Malachite, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s French Top Handle Bags
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Stud Earrings
Diamond, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Duffel Bags and Carry-On Bags
21st Century and Contemporary Top Handle Bags
2010s Mozambican Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Paraiba, Tourmaline, Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Charm Bracelets
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s French Structured Shoulder Bags
Recent Sales
21st Century and Contemporary French Link Bracelets
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary European Chain Necklaces
Diamond, Malachite, Yellow Gold
2010s French Modern Chain Necklaces
Malachite, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s French More Jewelry
Coral, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s French Stud Earrings
Turquoise, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Early 2000s French Stud Earrings
Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century French More Necklaces
Coral, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s French More Rings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Van Cleef & Arpels for sale on 1stDibs
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, 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.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Van Cleef & Arpels is so expensive because it is a well-known company that has a fantastic reputation. Van Cleef & Arpels are universally renowned for high quality jewelry with a focus on detail. High-profile fans of the French jewelry house over the years have included the Duchess of Windsor, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor and many more. Find an extraordinary range of Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry on 1stDibs.
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