One of the grandees of Place Vendome, the house of Van Cleef & Arpels, has always prioritized precious stones of exceptional quality. They are called Pierres de Caractere - "stones with character". Therefore, three unique jewelry items from the high jewelery capsule series are, first of all, magnificent emeralds, rubies and diamonds (remember the parts of Balanchine's Jewels ballet) and, second, a rethinking of historical masterpieces from the brand's archival collection that once belonged to the most eminent beauties of the era.
The Merveille d'émeraude necklace with five huge Colombian emeralds weighing more than 70 carats is reminiscent of Princess Faiza's 1929 collar necklace. In that historic piece, ten emerald drops with a total weight of 165 carats emphasized the elegance of the geometric design. In a modern piece, jewelers have retained the clasp that falls down the back, but now it is decorated not with an emerald, but with removable diamond pendants. And the emeralds themselves can be removed and attached to earrings that complement the set. And instead of them, hang diamond drops from the clasp. So Merveille d'émeraude is not just magnificent emeralds, but also a chain of wonderful transformations.
1 of 3 Collar necklace that belonged to the Egyptian princess Faiza, 1929 © Press Office Sketch of the Merveille d'émeraude necklace and five Colombian emeralds weighing 70.40 carats © Press Office Merveille d'émeraude Necklace © Press Office
The Rubis en scène bracelet is a dedication to the Jarretière bracelet, which Marlene Dietrich acquired in 1937, and in 1950 she starred in it in Alfred Hitchcock's "Stage Fear". The wrist ornament featured a raised loop with rows of cushion-cut rubies in contrast to baguette-cut diamonds. In Rubis en scène, 72 Burmese rubies (with a total weight of over 84 carats) have also received a cushion cut. The asymmetrical semicircles at the ends of the open bracelet also evoke the expressive curves of the Jarretière.
1 of 3 Marlene Dietrich wearing a Jarretière bracelet for the Academy Awards, 1951 © Press Office Rubis en scène bracelet © Press Office Cushion-cut Burmese rubies © Press Office
Finally, the Tendresse étincelante earrings are inspired by a precious wedding gift from Aristotle Onassis, which he presented to Jacqueline Kennedy in October 1968 (now in a private collection). True, in Kennedy's earrings, ruby cabochons were suspended from diamond flowers, and the modern jewelry sparkles exclusively with colorless diamonds. Removable pendants are two pear-shaped stones of the highest gemological quality weighing 10.15 and 10.06 carats. They are remarkable not only for their unique indicators of clarity, color and carat, but also for the fact that they are cut from the same rough diamond.
1 of 6 A pair of earrings donated by Jacqueline Kennedy by Aristotle Onassis in 1968 © press service Tendresse étincelante earrings © press service Tendresse étincelante earrings sketch with removable pendants © press service>