VAN CLEEF & ARPELS’ ENCHANTED GARDEN & THE LUCKY ANIMALS COLLECTION CLIPS
It is always a pleasure to visit Van Cleef & Arpels’ Bond Street Boutique, especially when they have a surprise on the top floor. Transformed into an enchanted garden full of new jewellery pieces in creative nature displays, I found one of my most favourite collections, the Van Cleef & Arpels’ lucky animals. These wonderful creatures first came to life in 1954, when Van Cleef & Arpels opened La Boutique at 22 Place Vendôme in Paris. Hoping to capture a younger clientele with a more accessible line of jewellery, these cartoon-like animal clips added a playful note to the Maison’s repertoire. They make the most charming and delightful gifts, and were favoured by Grace Kelly and Jackie Kennedy.
These happy creatures have always been my favourite and I was so happy to find out they’ve launched some new pieces. Nature is a great source of inspiration for Van Cleef & Arpels, and The Lucky Animals collection capture this style perfectly. Nine new models have been added to the collection, including a cat, a lion, a hummingbird and a rabbit. My favourite is the lion clip in yellow gold, tiger’s eye, and onyx. Playful jewellery guaranteed to make you smile and perfect for everyday wear.
You might remember my visit last year to Paris to discover the High Jewellery collection L’Arche de Noé racontée par Van Cleef & Arpels. Always elegant, the animal theme is one that has endured many years, and Van Cleef & Arpels always find new ways to express this love of nature. The Lucky Animals of today are a cheerful celebration of colour that evokes a gentle and poetic nature.
Each animal clip has its own unique personality that shines through its onyx eyes, looking at the observer with intent and curiosity. Lustrous mother-of-pearl and brilliant hard stones crafted with delicate marquetry, adorned with a contour of golden beads and intricate details – a beak, a muzzle, whiskers or a mane – add a tender charm to these lively and graceful animals.
Hard stones such as tiger’s eye, malachite, lapis lazuli, carnelian or onyx capture the natural hues of these furry and feathered creatures. Tiger’s eye is so beautiful with its shimmering play of light that looks like golden fur. The perfect choice for a lion or tiger with stripy golden-brown bands, set perfectly to mimic the coat of these beautiful animals. The deep and brilliant black of carefully polished onyx evokes the sheen of a black cat. Lapis lazuli and malachite enliven the hummingbird in flight, and carnelian captures the tawny hue of a squirrel’s beauty.
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS LION CLIP IN YELLOW GOLD, TIGER’S EYE, ONYX, £5,600
Van Cleef & Arpels uses their special expertise to make the most of the brilliant hard stones and luminous mother-of-pearl. Only the best stones are chosen. For tiger’s eye and malachite, they must have a bright, even colour, with veins evenly spaced across the entire gem. The rarest varieties of white mother-of-pearl are chosen for regular and cloudless overtones; the grey mother-of-pearl are selected for their sheen and subtle blue or pink hues. These are then arranged with intricate detail and precision to capture the magnificent qualities of each gem.
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS DOG CLIP IN YELLOW GOLD, WHITE MOTHER-OF-PEARL, ONYX, £5,600
Cut and polished with extreme care and the Maison’s excellent craftsmanship, the stones and mother-of-pearl reflect a gentle brilliance that come to life in a frame of delicate gold beading. The result is a collection of precious, playful, and lighthearted creatures, sure to capture your heart.
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS RABBIT CLIP IN PINK GOLD, TIGER’S EYE, WHITE MOTHER-OF-PEARL, ONYX, £5,050
While I was here, I had to check out the Maison’s other collections and new pieces. You can see these below. Let me know in the comments which is your favourite.
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS PERLÉE COULEURS VARIATION RING IN YELLOW GOLD AND MALACHITE
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GEMOLOGUE jewelry blog by Liza Urla is a celebration of fine, fashion and vintage jewellery featuring talented jewellery designers, trendy urban street style, exclusive interviews and rare jewellery reviews. This jewellery blog’s goal is to encourage and educate about jewellery online in a fresh and original fashion to inspire women and men across the globe in a fashion and travelling context.
Jewellery blogger, writer Liza Urla, the founder of GEMOLOGUE, is a London-based and NYC-educated gemologist, who has travelled to and lived in many countries. She is now one of the most influential digital jewellery tastemakers. Her jewellery influence has been acknowledged by Financial Times, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.
*Styling and Art Direction by Liza Urla. All photos belong to GEM Kreatives for GEMOLOGUE.
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