The Saga of Emeralds of Van Cleef & Arpels. The Parisian Maison gives the jewelry lovers more than a stunning collection: there is has a history. Behind the high jewelry collection, there are a set of gold masterpieces and ingenuity, composition and imagination, luxury and passion gemmologica: there are pieces of history. Van Cleef & Arpels has wisely decided to tell it to include everything that can be represented by a gem (you can read it on the next page).
Over 1,400 carats of emeralds have been carefully selected by Van Cleef & Arpels’ expert gemologists to make up this High Jewelry collection. It is a feat made possible by the transmission of a skill and an eye through three generations of experts, over the course of more than a century. Each generation has passed on to its successor the secrets of a tradition of excellence that combines an insistence on quality with the quest for character. From Colombia to Zambia, the emeralds of diverse origins presented here have been chosen according to a set of criteria that endow them with unique character. This thorough examination gives rise to a true encounter with each stone.
Everything starts with the color. Green, of course, but of a particular shade. Traditionally, the Maison has favored a deep hue. To appreciate the color’s intensity, the experts examine the stones in a northern light, which gives a more accurate impression.
The second criteria is purity. Does the emerald have “jardins”, the famous inclusions that are so characteristic? Where are they located? While they form part of the stone’s identity and history, the Maison is careful to ensure they display subtlety and balance.
The consistency is the third selection criteria. Although less well-known, it is essential for Van Cleef & Arpels. The Maison believes that an emerald should stand out for the quality of its crystallization. Two stones may exhibit the same color, but one will shine more than the other. The difference lies in their consistency or sheen. This brilliance is linked to the manner in which the crystal grew in the depths of the earth over millions of years.
The Émeraude en majesté collection bears witness to the special attachment that Van Cleef & Arpels has always felt for this precious stone. Like a demanding, patient and enthusiastic collector, the Maison has taken the time to search the world for exceptional emeralds. It now pays tribute to them with a set of interpretations that reveal all their beauty and character.
Whether originating in the historic deposits of Colombia, the mines of Zambia or antique jewels, each stone is showcased by a design created specially for it. Undulating lines, abstract motifs and associations of colors magnify the emerald in all its nuances and cuts.
The emerald cut brings out the volume of the stone, with a geometric spirit faithful to the French classical tradition. In their reflections, the other faceted cuts – round, cushion or pear-shaped – celebrate the vivacity of a shade of green or the luminosity of a specific crystallization. Like a gentle invitation, some polished stones offer the roundness of a bead or cabochon. With their delicate sensuality, they accentuate the color’s depth in a unique way.
Within this variety of forms, some engraved emeralds display a singular charm. Shaped by the hand of man, they evoke the Indian ornamental tradition that has inspired the Maison since the 1920s.
With its wealth of influences, the Van Cleef & Arpels style here informs a variety of creations: a Colombian emerald weighing 13.52 carats nestles in a precious diamond foliage, while a drapery of Zambian beads caresses the neck like a fabric. In keeping with the Maison’s sources of inspiration, the collection combines the freedom and mastery, the poetry and structure, the vitality and harmony that are so characteristic of both nature and couture. With its numerous transformable pieces, it reflects the virtuosity of the Mains d’Or™, craftsmen whose skills come together to celebrate a stone that offers a constant surprise to the eye: the emerald.
150 sfere di smeraldo per un totale di 244,24 carati (Zambia). Collana reversibile
GRAND OPUS SET
White gold, round, baguette-cut and princess-cut diamonds, buff-topped square-cut emeralds, white cultured pearls, 3 carved emeralds for 127.88 carats (Colombia). Transformable necklace, earrings and clip with detachable pendants.
A major piece in the Émeraude en majesté collection, the Grand Opus necklace showcases three engraved Colombian “old mine” emeralds, weighing a total of 127.88 carats. The finesse and regularity of their engraved gadroon motifs, notably found on the costumes of maharajas, endow them with the charm of antique stones. Held in place by understated diamond ribbons, they combine harmoniously, while each displaying its own unique character and proportions.
Also made up of earrings, a clip and detachable pendants, this set can be worn in a variety of ways: the three emeralds can be placed on the necklace, the clip or the earrings to suit any mood. In the same way, delicate tassels of cultured pearls embellish the set’s various pieces. Combining Pierres de Caractère and the art of metamorphosis, this creation bears witness to the Maison’s unique excellence and style.
CANOPÉE RING
White gold, platinum, round and baguette-cut diamonds, one emerald-cut emerald of 13.52 carats (Colombia).
The idea for the Canopée ring has its roots in a dream of tropical cool, filled with greenery. Suggesting a plant-like haven, the piece reinterprets the solitaire aesthetic in an elegantly asymmetric composition. Volutes of baguette-cut diamonds unfurl across the hand beside a Colombian emerald weighing 13.52 carats. This foliage, with its remarkable effect of volume and movement, is crowned with veins of polished white gold.
Deep and well proportioned, the stone shines out with a lifelike consistency. Its intense hue is enlivened by a note of yellow, offering a unique touch of warmth. The ring’s bezel and body are adorned with delicate lines of diamonds, lending a precious dimension to the natural feel.
DRAPÉ MAJESTUEUX NECKLACE
White gold, round, square-cut, asscher-cut, baguette-cut and obus-cut diamonds, 150 emerald beads for a total of 244.24 carats (Zambia). Reversible necklace.
Borrowing from couture – a major source of inspiration for Van Cleef & Arpels – a fabric’s folds provide the main theme for this necklace, which is designed like a precious textile. It offers a very fluid hang thanks to its three rows of emerald beads, which shape themselves naturally to the curve of the neck.
Weighing a total of 244.24 carats, these 150 Zambian emeralds were chosen for their consistent diameters – between 6mm and 8mm – and intense sparkle. They form an ensemble of rare limpidity for cabochon-cut stones, emphasized by lacework motifs of round, square, asscher, baguette and obus-cut diamonds, some of which were reworked in situ. The delicately crafted rear motif may either plunge down the back or adorn the neckline like a glittering pendant.
TWIST ÉMERAUDE BRACELET
White gold, round diamonds, round mauve sapphires, 2 cabochon-cut emeralds of 19.80 and 21.48 carats (Colombia).
With its bold combination of colors and lines, this bracelet takes its style from the torque bracelets that inspired the Maison from the 1920s onwards. On either side of a braid, two emerald cabochons – weighing 19.80 and 21.48 carats – seem united in a precious embrace. The curve is accompanied by coiled lines of diamonds and violet sapphires, which contrast with the two stones. The latter share the same intense green, accentuated by the depth of their cabochon cut, the same clear consistency – harmoniously complemented by “jardin” inclusions – and a brilliance rare in polished gems.
The Twist Émeraude bracelet’s symmetry and subtle gradation of stones required jewelry-making savoir-faire of great precision, which is also reflected in the piece’s opening system. Its two extremities smoothly move apart to make way for the wrist, before returning to their original tête-à-tête.
CLAUDINE NECKLACE
White gold, yellow gold, round, tapered-cut, triangle-cut, baguette-cut and pear-shaped diamonds, buff-topped round emeralds, 9 emerald-cut emeralds for a total of 42.07 carats (Colombia). Detachable clip.
Inspired by the famous Claudine collar, this necklace recalls the great French jewelry of the early 19th century with its regular and majestic composition. It gives pride of place to nine emeralds from old Colombian mines, whose weights vary from 3.99 to 6.04 carats for a total of 42.07 carats. The emerald cut constitutes an invitation to plunge into the heart of the gems to admire their lifelike, highly crystalized consistency.
Set on diamond motifs, they punctuate the precious garlands that compose this transformable piece. The front motif – set with the largest stone – can be removed and worn as a clip, while the tie motif at the rear includes a detachable pendant, also adorned with an emerald.
LUNE D’EAU BETWEEN THE FINGER RING
White gold, platinum, round diamonds, baguette-cut emeralds, one pear-shaped
D IF diamond of 3.03 carats, one pear-shaped emerald of 3 carats (Zambia).
The Lune d’eau Between the Finger™ Ring brings two freshly bloomed water lilies together against the skin. It presents a tender encounter between a Zambian emerald and a diamond, both carefully matched in weight and form. The 3-carat emerald, cut in an elongated pear shape, reveals its intense color with a hint of femininity, while the 3.03-carat D IF diamond of exceptional quality instills the piece with purity and brilliance.
Around the two central stones, round diamonds and baguette-cut emeralds depict the water lily leaves, which are arranged at different heights and angles to create a subtle relief. As much attention has been paid to the piece’s comfort as it has to its appearance: the ring’s body has been intricately worked to elegantly hug the hand.
SERRANIA NECKLACE
White gold, platinum, round, square-cut, baguette-cut, half-moon and pear-shaped diamonds, one natural white pearl of 26.82 carats, one cushion-cut emerald of 26.43 carats (Colombia). Detachable clip and natural pearl.
Created around a 26.43-carat emerald, the Serrania necklace exudes a timeless majesty. Typical of the old Colombian deposits, the stone’s vibrant color and consistency give it a unique charm, while its weight – the greatest of the collection – is highlighted by a cushion cut, with its subtle blend of softness and brilliance. This Pierre de Caractère stands out against a backdrop of diamonds, intricately positioned to evoke pre-Colombian motifs. Slightly baroque, a fine pearl weighing 26.82 carats completes the composition, illuminating the emerald in a blend of rarity and prestige.
In keeping with Van Cleef & Arpels’ tradition of transformable pieces, the jewelry motif and the fine pearl can be removed from the necklace and worn together as a clip. These treasures of the earth and sea are thus magnified in a host of variations.
LIENS ANTIQUES BRACELET
White gold, round and baguette-cut diamonds, round and buff-topped pear-shaped sapphires, 11 octagonal-cut emeralds for a total of 19.38 carats (Colombia).
With its intertwined precious stones, the Liens Antiques bracelet expresses enduring attachment. Evoking relief and movement, its shape is reminiscent of the Herculean knot, a symbol of union in ancient mythology.
The knot theme – a recurring motif in Van Cleef & Arpels’ creative history – is here interpreted in a style that is both elegant and innovative. Arranged in a semi-circle, eleven octagonal emeralds are set side-by-side, glowing with the deep green shade characteristic of Colombian mines. As a result of the Maison’s stringent selection criteria, it took several years to make up the batch, which weighs a total of 19.38 carats.
In an interplay of gentle or more geometric lines, this arc is punctuated by pear-shaped sapphire cabochons, forming a blue complement to the emeralds’ harmony. Round and baguette-cut diamonds – set in steps along two ribbons – illuminate the ensemble, which reflects all the Maison’s jewelry-making virtuosity.
TALISMAN PAPILLONS NECKLACE
White gold, round diamonds, square-cut, faceted and buff-topped baguette-cut sapphires, round, square-cut, faceted and buff-topped baguette-cut emeralds, white cultured pearls, one cushion-cut emerald of 16.52 carats (Colombia). Detachable clip and tassel.
Sparkling at the center of a precious medallion, the Talisman Papillons necklace’s emerald exerts the force of attraction of rare stones. Weighing 16.52 carats, it comes from old Colombian deposits – a much sought-after historical provenance – and fascinates with its color: a deep, blue-tinged green characteristic of the Chivor mines. Its dense and luminous material of exceptional clarity is embellished by the facets of its cushion cut, which are echoed by a checked pattern of emeralds and sapphires. Two protective butterflies stand out against these faceted and buff-topped stones, watching over their treasure.
The rounded lines of this openwork composition are complemented by a fluid tassel in white cultured pearls. To suit different occasions, the necklace can be worn without the tassel or the medallion, which can both be removed to form a clip that dances in accompaniment to the movements of the body.
BOUQUET D’ÉMERAUDES CLIP
White gold, yellow gold, round diamonds, cabochon-cut chrysoprases,
11 carved emeralds for a total of 32.53 carats (Zambia).
Recreating all the vitality of a verdant bouquet, this clip illustrates Van Cleef & Arpels’ fondness for nature, an endlessly renewed source of inspiration. It is composed around a rare batch of eleven engraved stones from Zambia, weighing a total of 32.53 carats. They have been carefully shaped into a variety of forms with all the delicacy that emerald requires, and set with a round diamond on yellow gold at their center.
Accompanied by chrysoprase cabochons, these flowers form an infinite interplay of shades, cuts and reflections, instilling the whole with a spring-like sense of movement. The three-dimensional foliage appears to undulate in a gentle breeze, making the diamonds sparkle.
ÉMERAUDE ENTRELACÉE NECKLACE
White gold, platinum, round and baguette-cut diamonds, one emerald-cut emerald of 17.82 carats (Colombia).
Some ties are strong enough to endure the test of time. Revisiting a Van Cleef & Arpels design from the 1950s, the Émeraude entrelacée necklace continues the tradition of precious bows and ribbons created by the Maison in that era. Its pure lines enhance the generously sized Colombian emerald at its heart, weighing 17.82 carats. Of a deep and even green, it invites the eye to explore its material’s exceptional crystallization. The stone’s brilliance is magnified by an emerald cut: Van Cleef & Arpels has chosen to mount the gem horizontally, accentuating the effect of a broad window on this mineral world. It clasps two strings of round and baguette-cut diamonds, which entwine in an elegant play of light.
