Cover An artisan working on the Van Cleef & Arpels Snowflake collection
An artisan working on the Van Cleef & Arpels Snowflake collection
1 / 1
With luminous diamonds, transformable designs and couture-inspired details, Van Cleef & Arpels’s Snowflake collection continues its celebration of winter’s ethereal beauty
Each winter, Van Cleef & Arpels turns its gaze to nature’s quiet wonders, reimagining fleeting moments of beauty as timeless creations of high jewellery. Among the maison’s most enduring seasonal muses is the snowflake—delicate, evanescent and unique. Since the 1940s, this iconic “flocon” motif has taken shape in dazzling diamond pieces, and this season, the Snowflake collection returns with four elegant new high jewellery creations that glisten with the brilliance of freshly fallen snow in the sunlight.
In case you missed it: Louis Vuitton’s Virtuosity high jewellery collection celebrates craft and imagination
Above Snowflake necklace with detachable pendant in platinum and white gold set with diamonds
Snowflake necklace with detachable pendant in platinum and white gold set with diamonds
1 / 1
The story of Van Cleef & Arpels’s Snowflake collection is one rooted in the maison’s longstanding devotion to what it describes as white high jewellery—an aesthetic of creations made in white precious metal and white stones that rose to prominence during the Art Deco era and flourished throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Combining the pure sparkle of diamonds with the cool sheen of platinum or white gold, this signature style evokes a wintry elegance that feels at once nostalgic and modern.
The Snowflake collection also features the “flocon” motif that the maison first introduced in the 1940s. Over the decades, the motif has evolved into the stylised snowflake that now adorns necklaces, clips, bracelets and earrings, each piece designed to catch and reflect the light from every angle. Now, Van Cleef & Arpels is enriching the Snowflake collection with two new clips and two transformable necklaces, each a testament to the maison’s flair for marrying refinement with versatility. The standout is a necklace that pays homage to the world of couture: rows of round diamonds trace an ethereal Claudine collar—a rounded, lace-inspired neckline that frames the neck—its gently curved lines echoing the softness of lace. Fully articulated and openworked, the piece is designed to drape lightly along the wearer’s neck, shimmering with their every movement. True to Van Cleef & Arpels’s tradition of transformable jewellery, the main motif detaches to become a pendant, offering multiple ways to wear and layer the design.
Above Snowflake bow clip in platinum and white gold set with diamonds
Above Snowflake clip and pendant in platinum and white gold set with diamonds
Snowflake bow clip in platinum and white gold set with diamonds
1 / 2
Equally poetic is the Snowflake bow clip, which channels the maison’s archives of couture-inspired motifs from the 1930s. In this new interpretation, platinum and diamonds sketch the outline of an asymmetric bow, its openwork structure evoking the airy lightness of fabric. Whether pinned to a lapel or worn in the hair, it catches the light like a ribbon woven from frost.
Another highlight is the new Snowflake clip and pendant, inspired by the maison’s 1948 Cristaux de neige clip. Radiating from its centre, snow crystals unfurl in a star-like burst, edged with a frosty garland. Like many of the maison’s creations, it is designed to be worn more than one way: as a clip on a lapel or as a pendant on a chain, bringing a touch of winter’s poetry to any ensemble.
Transformation continues to sit at the heart of this collection. The second of the new Snowflake necklaces can be worn in as many as nine different ways, adapting seamlessly to any mood or occasion. Discreet fastenings allow the piece’s articulated elements to shape-shift from a single-strand choker to a multi-row necklace or three separate bracelets. On each side, half moon-shaped motifs link the delicate diamond streams, echoing the gentle accumulation of snowflakes on winter branches.
Snowflake transformable necklace in platinum and white gold set with diamonds
1 / 3
Behind this apparent simplicity lies the mastery of Van Cleef & Arpels’s Mains d’Or—the virtuoso artisans whose savoir-faire breathes life into each creation. From the harmonious selection of diamonds, all graded D to F for colour and IF to VVS2 for clarity, to the meticulous bar, prong and grain settings, every detail is considered to maximise brilliance while ensuring remarkable lightness and comfort. For the more intricate designs, several hundred hours of work may go into crafting a single piece, which is a testament to the maison’s quiet dedication to perfection.
Through the Snowflake collection, Van Cleef & Arpels invites its collectors to savour the fleeting magic of winter, made permanent through the enduring radiance of diamonds and the maison’s unrivalled craftsmanship. In these luminous pieces, the delicate beauty of snow is preserved, reflecting how true elegance often rests in quiet details and light.
Credits
Images: Van Cleef & Arpels
Topics
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.
