Photo Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Photo Courtesy of Christie’s.
The genesis of Van Cleef & Arpels was sparked by the marriage of Alfred Van Cleef (son of a stone cutter) and Estelle Arpels (daughter of a precious stone dealer.) in 1896. Both sides of the family worked in the jewellery industry. Alfred’s father, Charles, was an esteemed Dutch diamond cutter who moved to Paris during Napoleon III’s reign. As a teenager, Alfred apprenticed in the workshop of Messrs. David et Grosgeat and, later, decided to work in sales.1 His wife’s family dealt in precious stones. In 1898 and the years after, Estelle’s three brothers joined the couple in a new business enterprise, a jewelry salon.2
Photo Courtesy of Christie’s.
According to Sarah D. Coffin in the book Set in Style: The Jewelry of Van Cleef & Arpels:
VC&A was founded in 1906 and soon opened its doors at 22, Place Vendôme, not far from Lalique and the Ritz Hotel. While the founders, Alfred van Cleef and his sister Estelle and brother-in-law Charles Arpels, never espoused the Art Nouveau aesthetic, they saw the potential market for high-quality hand craftsmanship combined with the use of precious materials that designers like Faberge and Lalique presented at the Paris exhibition.The success of this production, a natural fit with the Van Cleef and Arpels families’ backgrounds in the diamond and gemstone business, provided the initial impetus for the firm’s direction. Their aim was to emphasize fine, cut stones as part of the identity of their jewelry. Moreover, the color and use of these stones had a symbolic function influenced by the Symbolist movement, as embodied by the paintings of Odilon Redon.3
Photo Courtesy of Christie’s.
In addition to the Place Vendôme flagship address, salons were opened outside of Paris in Nice (1910), Cannes (1921), New York (1939), Monte Carlo (1935), and Palm Beach (1940). Throughout the 20’s and 30’s, the family’s second generation assumed leadership positions. For instance, Alfred and Estelle’s daughter, Renée Puissant, served as artistic director from 1926 to 1942. In the 1930s, Estelle’s brother Julien also had sons entering the business: Claude, Jacques, and Pierre. By the 1970s, the mantel had again passed to a new generation: Phillipe Arpels and Dominique Hourtouille (Jacques’ children) and Caroline Daumen (Pierre’s daughter). VCA is now fully owned by Compagnie Financière Richemont SA, a Swiss company that deals in high-end luxury goods.
The firm was known for its geometric, almost Cubist, design aesthetic long before the term “Art Deco” was coined. They refined their abstract geometric presentation throughout the early twentieth century. During the late 1920s and early 1930s, VCA was driven by the newly acquired freedom of fashion exhibited by modern women to produce bolder jewels with richer colors to complement these audacious fashions. Not limiting themselves to wearable jewels, their cigarette boxes, lighters, compacts, minaudières and other accessoires were magnificently crafted pragmatic works of art. Experiments with the exotic materials of the day, their incomparable work with lacquer and enamel and their fearless gemstone combinations led Van Cleef & Arpels to the apex of the jewelry world.
Photo Courtesy of Christie’s.
Of Van Cleef & Arpels’ numerous contributions to the history of jewellery design, four, in particular, deserve note. The first is the introduction, in 1930, of a new type of accessory: the minaudière. The minaudière is a type of vanity case. Constructed from gold or silver, it takes the form of a box. When opened, it reveals various lady-like essentials: a comb, a case for lipstick, a lighter, small compartments for cigarettes, change, and powder. The inspiration for the design came from a friend and client: Frances Gould, wife of American railroader Jay Gould. Gould apparently rushed to a meeting with Charles Arpels, throwing her necessities into a tin Lucky Strike cigarette case. Arpels took the idea and made it his own. He named it for his wife. The French verb minauder means, roughly, to simper or smile coyly. Madame Van Cleef’s simpering, especially at parties, was famous. The minaudière was wildly popular for decades with women carrying them in custom-made fabric pouches.
VCA’s second major contribution is a patent, in 1933, for a technique of gemstone setting called invisible setting (serti invisible).4 The setting is named for its appearance. When gems are invisibly set, it appears as if nothing is holding them in place: no prongs, bars, or bezels are visible. One is simply presented with a collection of continuous, geometric gems. As a matter of fact, the gemstones are secured on their undersides by a metal grid into which each stone is fitted and held in place by small grooves. Setting gemstones in this way allowed for a new aesthetic in jewellery design. Many of Van Cleef’s signature pieces feature the technique.
Photo Courtesy of Christie’s.
The third contribution is more general, namely, that of being a purveyor of exceptional gems and jewellery. Over the years, Van Cleef has made numerous important acquisitions, including the “Princie Diamond,” a historic pink diamond weighing 38.64 carats at the time of acquisition, and Empress Josephine’s Tiara. The firm has also created impressive pieces in every design period throughout the twentieth century. In the 1940’s, for instance, it created the widely-copied, charming ballerina brooches.
Fourth, Van Cleef started a commercial trend that continues to this day. In 1954, the firm opened boutiques that served as companions to their haute joaillerie salons, greatly expanding their client base. The boutiques offered collections of jewellery that were “young in spirit and reasonably priced” and updated yearly to reflect changing fashions. Other jewellery houses readily adopted this practice.
Famous Clientele. Throughout the decades, Van Cleef won over a clientele that included royalty from several continents (the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, King Farouk and the Court of Egypt, the Court of Iran), Hollywood film stars (Gloria Swanson, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Lauren among others) and industrial magnates as well as financiers (the Mellons, the Kennedys, the Vanderbilts, Florence Gould, the Onassis ). The firm was and is still known for creating opulent, impeccably designed and constructed pieces.
Maker's Marks & Timeline
Van Cleef & Arpels
| Country | |
|---|---|
| City | New York NY, Paris |
| Symbol | building, cartouche, diamond, frame, lozenge, obelisk, rhombus |
| Shape | cartouche, diamond, frame, lozenge, rhombus |
| Era | e.1906 |
Established: 1906, 22 Place Vendôme, Paris France
1895:
- Estelle Arpels Wed Alfred Van Cleef
- She was the Daughter of a Gem Dealer
- He was the Son of a Lapidary and Diamond Broker
1906: Alfred Partnered with Estelle’s Brothers to Open the First Boutique
1916: VCA Combined Wood and Precious Metals to Create the Touch of Wood Pieces.
1918: Created Châtelaine Watches (Lapel Watches)
1923:
- Inspiration from Egyptian Discoveries, Japanese, Chinese and Indian Designs.
- Created VCA’s 1st Secret Watch
1925: Grand Prize awarded to VCA At the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes for the Rose Bracelet
1926: Estelle and Arthur’s Daughter, Renée Puissant, Appointed Artistic Director in Collaboration with René-Sim Lacaze
1933:
- Invention of the Minaudière
- Patented the Mystery Setting
1934: First Ludo Bracelet Created in a Brick Link Motif
1935:
- Hexagon Mesh Ludo Design Created
- Cadenas Watch Designed with an Angled Dial for Easy Viewing
1936: Edward VIII Purchased 3 Pieces for Wallis Simpson
1937: Peony Double Clip Brooch
1938: Passe-Partout Convertible Necklace, Choker, Long Necklace, Bracelet, Belt.
1939: Wedding Ensembles for Princess Fawzia of Egypt
1940: New York Boutique Opens at 744 Fifth Avenue
1941: Ballerina and Fairy Clips Designed as a Symbol of Hope
1944: Lovebird Clips
1949: Pierre Arpels Designs A Man’s Watch
1950:
- Special Creations for the Maharani of Baroda
- The Zip Necklace, Improved from a 1938 Design, Worn Open as a Necklace, Closed as a Bracelet
1954: Animal Clips Create as a More Affordable Option Became Very Popular a the Place Vendôme Boutique
1956:
- Prince Rainier III Presented Grace Kelly with a VCA Pearl and Diamond Ensemble
- Principality of Monaco Named VCA their Official Supplier
1967:
- A Jewel Themed Ballet by George Balanchine Inspired by Meeting Claude Arpels
- Empress Farah Pahlavi of Iran’s Coronation Crown and Other Jewels Commissioned
- Maria Callas Owned the Cinq Feuilles Clip
1968: The Alhambra Collection was Born
1970: Launch of the Rose de Noël Collection
1971: Convertible Clip Brooch Suspending the Walska Briolette
1981: Cosmos Flower Patent Application
1983: Col Claudine Necklace
1985: Snow Flake Collection
1990: Two New Mystery Set Techniques; One for Diamonds, One of Hexagonal Gems
1992: The Musée de la Mode et du Costume Held a Van Cleef & Arpels Exhibition
1998: Galilée Clock
1999: Compagnie Financière Richemont S.A. Acquired the Firm
2000: Millennium Clip of Opposing Ruby and Diamond Set Flowers with En Trembalnt Stamens
2003: Songe d’une Nuit d’Été Jewelry Collection
2003: Frivole® Collection
2004: Lacquered Butterfly Collection
2005: Boutonnière Line
2006:
- Pierres de Caractère Collection
- Trésors Révélés Collection
- Complications Poétiques® Collection with the Lady Arpels Centenaire
- Une Journée à Paris Collection
2007:
- L’Atlantide Collection
- Ballet Précieux Collection
2008:
- Les Jardins Collection
- Charms Watch Collection
- Perlée Collection
2009:
- “The Spirit of Beauty” Exhibition In Tokyo
- California Rêverie Collection
2010:
- Les Voyages Extraordinaires™ Collection
- Grand Prix d’Horologerie de Genève Awarded to the Complications Poétiques Pont des Amoureux Watch
2011:
- Bals de légende™ Collection
- Opened a Boutique in Hong Kong SAR, China
- “Set in Style” Exhibition at the Cooper-Hewett National Design Museum, New York
2012:
- Palais de la chance® Collection
- Established the École des Arts Joailliers
- “Timeless Beauty” Exhibition at the Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), China
- “Van Cleef & Arpels, L’Art de la Haute Joaillerie” at the Paris Musée des Arts Décoratifs
2013:
- Pierres de Caractère – Variations Collection
- Lady Arpels Ballerine Enchantée Watch
- Van Cleef & Arpels and Benjamin Millepied Partnership
2014:
- Peau d’Âne raconté par Van Cleef & Arpels Collection
- Midnight Planétarium Watch
2015: Seven Seas Collection
2016:
- L’Arche de Noé racontée par Van Cleef & Arpels Collection
- Émeraude en majesté Collection
- “The Art and Science of Gems” Exhibition at the ArtScience Museum in Singapore
- Opening the 20 Place Vendôme Boutique
- Iconic Tokyo Ginza Maison Boutique
2017:
- Automate Fée Ondine Object
- Le Secret Collection
- “Mastery of an Art: Van Cleef & Arpels – High Jewelry and Japanese Crafts” at the MoMAK in Kyoto, Japan
2018:
- Quatre contes de Grimm Collection
- “Van Cleef & Arpels, When Elegance Meets Art” Exhibition at the Today Art Museum in Beijin
2019:
- Treasure of Rubies
- Romeo & Juliet Collection
- “Van Cleef & Arpels: Time, Nature, Love” Exhibition at the Palazzo Reale in Milan, Italy
2019: “Van Cleef & Arpels: Time, Nature, Love” Exhibition at the Palazzo Reale in Milan, Italy
Sources
- Coffin, Sarah D., Menkes, Suzy, Peltason, Ruth, Set in Style: The Jewelry of Van Cleef & Arpels. New York: Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, 2011.
- Raulet, Sylvie. Van Cleef & Arpels. New York: Rizzoli, 1986.
- VCA Website
- Richemont Website
External Link
- VCA Website
- Richemont Website
Notes
- Raulet, 13.↵
- When each of the brothers joined VCA is unclear. Raulet states that Charles and Julien Arpels became partners with Alfred in 1898 while Louis joined the firm in 1912. The Van Cleef and Arpels website states, in contrast, that Alfred and Charles became partners in 1898 and were joined by Julien in 1909 and Louis in 1913.↵
- Coffin p.13.↵
- The Van Cleef website dates the introduction of the invisible setting to 1933.↵