Van Cleef & Arpels presents new transformable necklaces, rings, and watches from the Alhambra collection.
Great works of art always reveal new nuances. This is also true for the successful Alhambra collection by Van Cleef & Arpels, which, like the great architectural complex of Granada, reveals new color combinations over time. The Alhambra collection was born in 1968, a revolutionary year. And like all witnesses to times of change, the jewelry line has also undergone an evolution that continues to this day. The innovations concern transformability and new nuances. Van Cleef & Arpels introduces them with two new long necklaces and two new reversible rings.
The new jewelry confirms the Magic Alhambra design, with the four-leaf motif reminiscent of the royal palaces of the Andalusian city. The asymmetrical arrangement of the motifs of different sizes, a characteristic of the collection, gives the jewelry a sense of movement and dynamism. This year, new long necklaces join the Maison’s tradition of transformable jewelry. For the first time, these creations can be worn in different ways: as a long or short necklace, or even as a bracelet, thanks to a removable element.
The new color combinations alternate ornamental stones and organic materials. In one, rose gold contrasts with the iridescence of white and gray mother-of-pearl. In the other, the blue tones of chalcedony interact with the brilliance of white gold and the lustre of white mother-of-pearl. Another Van Cleef & Arpels classic is guilloché: an ornamental workmanship that creates a repetitive pattern of engraved lines, whether linear or wavy. The lines radiate, allowing the light to reflect intensely.
The two reversible Vintage Alhambra rings are decorated with a double pearly profile and now feature new interplays of materials and colors. The first features mother-of-pearl with silvery-gray reflections. Rotating the motif reveals a diamond surrounded by a rose gold guilloché finish. In the second creation, white gold pairs with the wavy hues of chalcedony, while the other side reveals a diamond accentuated by the fine lines of the guilloché.
Finally, Van Cleef & Arpels presents a Sweet Alhambra watch, completing the watch collection. Its motifs combine precious and ornamental stones with guilloché white gold for the first time, offering an elegant and refined frame for the passage of time. Like the dial, each motif is framed with gold beads on both sides of the mirror-polished setting. The striations of the chalcedony interact with the lines of the guilloché finish, creating subtle graphic effects. In keeping with the tradition of jewelry watches, the diamond-set motifs illuminate the ensemble.
