Van Cleef & Arpels: A Collector's Introduction to High Jewelry
The poetry behind the stones — and what to buy first
Cecile Moreau
Jewelry & Gemstones Editor
30 November 2024
10 min read
No house in the world builds narratives into jewelry quite like Van Cleef & Arpels. The fairy tale motifs, the Mystery Set stones, the invisible settings: this is jewelry as art object. Here is how to begin a collection.
The Mystery Set is Van Cleef & Arpels' greatest technical achievement: a patented technique, first developed in 1933, by which gemstones are set with no visible metal between them. The effect — an unbroken field of colour — takes 300 hours per square centimetre to create. It is the reason the house remains without equal at the highest level of jewelry.
Where to Begin a Collection
For new collectors, the Alhambra collection — four-leaf clover motifs set in various stones and metals — offers a compelling entry point from around €1,500. These are pieces that wear daily without anxiety. The serious collector, however, gravitates toward the Perlée collection in yellow gold or the limited-edition High Jewelry pieces that appear twice yearly.
“Van Cleef jewelry does not merely sit on the wearer; it tells a story about them.”
Partner
Van Cleef & Arpels
Private appointments available at all flagship boutiques. High Jewelry previews by invitation.