Van Cleef And Arpels Perfumes
Vintage 1950s American Vanity Items
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold
20th Century French Retro Vanity Items
Sterling Silver, Silver
Vintage 1970s French Modernist Pendant Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
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2010s French Contemporary More Rings
18k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Edwardian More Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
1940s American Wedding Dresses
20th Century English Modern Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, Platinum
1990s French Modern Pendant Necklaces
Malachite, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque More Jewelry
Diamond, Platinum
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Bangles
Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Gold, Silver
Vintage 1970s French Modernist Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Band Rings
White Diamond, Platinum
Vintage 1970s American Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Jade, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s French Egyptian Revival Choker Necklaces
Garnet, Silver, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Antique 19th Century Pocket Watches
Diamond, Gold, Silver, Enamel
Mid-20th Century American Romantic Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1970s Italian Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
Recent Sales
20th Century French Art Deco Vanity Items
Ruby, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s French Necklace Enhancers
18k Gold
Mid-20th Century American Vanity Items
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s French Bottles
Gold
20th Century French Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Gold
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Decorative Boxes
Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Decorative Boxes
Gold, Enamel
Vintage 1950s French Decorative Boxes
Gold
20th Century Vanity Items
Ruby, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1940s Bottles
Gold
Vintage 1940s More Furniture and Collectibles
20th Century French Glass
Glass
Late 20th Century French Bottles
Glass, Plastic
Vintage 1980s French Link Necklaces
White Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yello...
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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