Models wearing Van Cleef & Arpels Mystery Set Jewels
Cover Models wearing Van Cleef & Arpels Mystery Set Jewels

Discover more about an extraordinary gem that forms the basis for an entire jewellery collection

Throughout its lifetime, Van Cleef & Arpels has acquired legendary stones revered for its significant value and beauty. One such historic piece, a 60-carat pear-shaped gem known as the Prince Edward of York was the first major diamond that the maison has acquired. Said to have been named in honour of the future Duke of Windsor Prince Edward’s birth, it was discovered in South Africa’s Kimberley mine in 1894.

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The maison’s love of exceptional gems continues unabated throughout the ages. In 1953, it acquired the Blue Heart, a 31-carat heart-cut blue diamond said to be the most beautiful diamond in the world. That year, the necklace travelled to Paris by registered mail, addressed to the famous dancer Zizi Jeanmaire who dazzled everyone when she wore it to the Ball of Versailles. In December 1964, the 30.58-carat Mazarin diamond that once belonged to the French Crown Treasury entered the Van Cleef & Arpels collection which was bought at Sotheby’s for £70,000, setting a new world record for public auction price.

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Van Cleef & Arpels: The Lesotho Legend diamond in its rough, uncut form
Above The Lesotho Legend diamond in its rough, uncut form
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Van Cleef & Arpels: 67 diamonds cut from a large Lesotho Legend diamond
Above 67 diamonds cut from a large Lesotho Legend diamond

Van Cleef & Arpels traditionally starts with cut and faceted stones that are already deemed suitable for jewellery-making and seldom works with rough stones. But that changed in 2018, when the Lesotho Legend landed in its lap, presented by diamond dealer Taché, a long-time partner of the maison’s. Weighing 910 carats, it was the fifth largest rough diamond in both size and quality. It is a highly sought-after Type 2A diamond, meaning it is chemically the purest with great optical quality. The stone was originally from the Letseng Mine in Lesotho, known for providing remarkable large gems and being committed to ensure complete traceability for rough stones.

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As it was, the Lesotho Legend presented the maison with a rare opportunity to create an entire collection centred around the stone right from the starting point. So it enlisted the best diamond cutters in Antwerp, who used both state-of-the-art 3D software and traditional manual techniques to cut the rough stone into ideal proportions. For almost a year, the specialists worked to perfect these combinations, avoiding inclusions while limiting the loss of material. Their efforts yielded a family of 67 diamonds, totalling 441.75 carats, nearly half of the original stone’s weight. Each of the diamonds extracted was exceptional, ranging from Flawless to Internally Flawless, achieving the highest purity grade.

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Van Cleef & Arpels' Draperie Mystérieux clip, Asymétrie Mystérieux earrings, and Tissage Mystérieux ring
Above Van Cleef & Arpels' Draperie Mystérieux clip, Asymétrie Mystérieux earrings, and Tissage Mystérieux ring

Then came the next step where the 67 diamonds were transformed into a collection of 25 high jewellery pieces, each made using the signature Mystery Set technique. Patented by the maison in 1933, this complex gem- setting technique requires a high level of expertise that makes it possible to set precious stones side by side with no prong or other metal component in sight, rendering an almost magical, fluid design.

“The first six months of designing the collection were particularly intense. We had to envision creations that embodied the maison’s style, that highlighted its expertise, while also enhancing these diamonds which, at that point, had not yet taken their final shape. The challenge was to design harmonious pieces that brought all these elements together without one overshadowing the others,” recalls Thomas Pozsgai, director of the Van Cleef & Arpels Design Studio.

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The Atours Mystérieux necklace from Van Cleef & Arpels
Above The Atours Mystérieux necklace from Van Cleef & Arpels

The crown jewel of the entire collection is the Atours Mystérieux necklace—and we mean it in the most literal sense. It holds the heaviest diamond in the collection, that weighs a whopping 79.35 carats. The oval diamond is surrounded by luminous rubies and diamonds in a pussybow-like swirl. The transformable nature of the necklace also demonstrates the maison’s technical ingenuity in which the central diamond can be detached and worn on a simple chain. The Atours Mystérieux is inspired by two iconic pieces in Van Cleef & Arpels’ history—the Collerette necklace designed in 1938, and the majestic diamond necklace created for Queen Nazli of Egypt in 1939.

A collection like no other, which took over 30,000 hours to complete, the president and CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels Nicolas Bos expresses it best by saying: “I think we have successfully shown that an exceptional diamond can be the starting point for an extraordinary collection that will be a milestone in the history of the maison.

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