Cover Van Cleef & Arpels Snowflake earrings and pendant in white gold set with diamonds, Snowflake Fleurette watch in white gold set with diamonds and white mother-of-pearl; Fleurette earrings and transformable necklace in white gold set with diamonds
Van Cleef & Arpels Snowflake earrings and pendant in white gold set with diamonds, Snowflake Fleurette watch in white gold set with diamonds and white mother-of-pearl; Fleurette earrings and transformable necklace in white gold set with diamonds
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More than a century after its founding, Van Cleef & Arpels continues to distill the radiance of diamonds into creations defined by restraint and refinement in its Classic High Jewellery collections
At Van Cleef & Arpels, diamonds have always been more than mere adornment. They are a way of capturing light, emotion and a certain quiet poetry that the luxury jewellery brand has become known for. Since 1906, the maison has shaped its identity around what it calls white jewellery—the marriage of diamonds with platinum or white gold—which rose to prominence during the Belle Époque and flourished through the Art Deco era. Today, this lineage continues across six Classic High Jewellery collections: Snowflake, Flowerlace, Folie des Prés, À Cheval, Palmyre and Olympia. Each one speaks to a different facet of the maison’s style, from its instinct for naturalism to its affinity with couture-inspired forms.
The foundation of these creations is the maison’s gemmological expertise, honed over more than a century. Diamonds destined for Classic High Jewellery pieces are assessed according to strict criteria—D to F for colour, IF to VVS for clarity—yet the technical grades are only the beginning. Every stone undergoes a second examination by eye, where experts look for qualities beyond measurable perfection: proportion, harmony, and that subtle sense of life within the gem. This meticulous approach is essential in pavé-heavy collections such as Snowflake and Flowerlace, where stones must work together almost like light woven over a surface.
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Above À Cheval necklace, ring and bracelet in white gold set with diamonds
À Cheval necklace, ring and bracelet in white gold set with diamonds
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Van Cleef & Arpels’ enduring love for pear, marquise and oval cuts also informs creations such as Folie des Prés, where varied silhouettes echo the irregular beauty of wildflowers.
From the first sketches to the final polish, each creation requires hundreds of hours in the workshops. Here, jewellers, lapidaries and stone-setters collaborate to sculpt gold structures that are as refined on the reverse as they are on the front. Openworked backs, articulated links and carefully balanced settings allow light to circulate freely while ensuring fluidity and comfort. The choice of setting—whether prong, V-prong, bead or festoon-style—shapes the atmosphere of each piece, from the graphic clarity of À Cheval to the airy delicacy of Flowerlace. Many creations also feature discreet transformable mechanisms, a long‑standing hallmark of the maison, offering multiple ways to wear a single jewel.
Among the six collections, Snowflake is one of the most emblematic. Rooted in the fleurette motif explored since the 1920s, its seven-diamond rosette first appeared in the 1940s on graphic clips crafted in yellow gold. Today, the motif takes form in necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings fashioned in white gold, their mounts lightly openworked so that the diamonds seem to float. V-shaped prongs delicately frame the outer stones, emphasising the play of light. True to the maison’s spirit, several pieces are transformable—pendants detach, necklaces become bracelets—allowing the wearer to adapt the design with ease.
Above Van Cleef & Arpels Snowflake earrings and pendant in white gold set with diamonds, Snowflake Fleurette watch in white gold set with diamonds and white mother-of-pearl; Fleurette earrings, transformable necklace and bracelet in white gold set with diamonds, Enlacement wedding band in white gold set with diamonds
Van Cleef & Arpels Snowflake earrings and pendant in white gold set with diamonds, Snowflake Fleurette watch in white gold set with diamonds and white mother-of-pearl; Fleurette earrings, transformable necklace and bracelet in white gold set with diamonds, Enlacement wedding band in white gold set with diamonds
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The fleurette motif also found its way into the Flowerlace collection first introduced in 2007, where Van Cleef & Arpels draws together two of its long-time inspirations: nature and couture. Each piece centres on a diamond fleurette, around which ribbon-like lines trace an asymmetrical bloom. The petals, in varying sizes and openworked, create a gentle sense of movement as though stirred by a passing breeze. Light flows through the back of the piece, intensifying the sparkle of the bead-set diamonds.
The natural world is explored again in Folie des Prés, launched in 2003. Here, wildflowers are interpreted through clusters of diamonds—and in some designs, vibrant sapphires or rubies. The compositions recall the bouquet clips of the late 1930s, with marquise, pear and round cuts arranged in an intentional asymmetry that mirrors nature’s unstudied charm. Custom‑made bezels support each stone and create almost imperceptible articulation, giving the pieces their characteristic lightness.
Above Snowflake necklace, ring and bracelet in white gold set with diamonds
Snowflake necklace, ring and bracelet in white gold set with diamonds
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À Cheval, born in 1981, offers a different visual rhythm. Rows of diamonds are set onto individual bezels, then assembled into a flexible mesh that drapes on the skin with a soft, fabric-like movement. The slight overlap between stones produces a subtle relief effect, reminiscent of the bold white jewellery of the 1930s. Again, in keeping with the maison’s love of transformability, certain pieces can shift from necklace to bracelet or from long earrings to short.
With Palmyre, introduced in 1978, diamonds cascade like drops of water. The gold mount is entirely openworked, where each stone is set on a bezel that allows it to capture light from all directions. The structure moves fluidly with the wearer, thanks to fine articulations hidden between the settings. While originally composed only of diamonds, the collection has expanded to include variations with blue and pink sapphires, offering a soft infusion of colour within its otherwise luminous palette.
Above Folie des Prés earrings and ring in white gold set with diamonds
Folie des Prés earrings and ring in white gold set with diamonds
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Olympia rounds out the Classic High Jewellery families with its sculptural interplay of links. Created in 1993 and inspired by the flexible chain bracelets of the 1970s, the pieces form broad yet supple ribbons of gold, their links paved with diamonds arranged in two shimmering rows. The interior is hollowed in a honeycomb pattern, making the jewels remarkably light while enhancing their sparkle. First crafted in yellow gold, the designs were later introduced in white gold to align with the maison’s white jewellery tradition.
These Classic High Jewellery collections embody more than a shared aesthetic of white jewellery; they also reflect Van Cleef & Arpels’ belief that jewellery should feel effortless, luminous and intimately connected to the wearer. This is a philosophy that has shaped the maison over its 120-year history and will continue to do so, through its exquisite creations, for generations to come.
Credits
Images: Van Cleef & Arpels
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Annabel Tan is the Editor of Watches and Jewellery at Tatler Singapore, where she covers all things luxury timepieces and fine jewellery across both print and digital platforms. She is also the Editor of Tatler GMT Singapore, a role that deepens her fascination with the ever-evolving world of watchmaking. Outside of work, she’s usually on the hunt for her next favourite watch that she can’t afford, planning her next beach getaway, or catching up on the latest Formula 1 race.
