Cover Van Cleef & Arpels Lucky Spring earring in yellow gold set with white mother-of-pearl, Lucky Spring Butterfly Between the Finger ring in yellow gold set with lapis lazuli, blue agate and white mother-of-pearl, and Lucky Spring Butterfly 5 motifs bracelet in yellow gold set with lapis lazuli, blue and green agate, and white mother-of-pearl
Van Cleef & Arpels Lucky Spring earring in yellow gold set with white mother-of-pearl, Lucky Spring Butterfly Between the Finger ring in yellow gold set with lapis lazuli, blue agate and white mother-of-pearl, and Lucky Spring Butterfly 5 motifs bracelet in yellow gold set with lapis lazuli, blue and green agate, and white mother-of-pearl
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Van Cleef & Arpels adds the butterfly to its Lucky Spring collection, brought to life in yellow gold and ornamental stones
If there is a season that encapsulates the spirit of Van Cleef & Arpels, it is certainly spring. Commonly associated with renewal, joy and optimism, the season has been a recurring source of inspiration for the maison, whose creations often draw on beauty found in the natural world as it comes into bloom.
Introduced in 2021, the Lucky Spring collection aptly reflects this sensibility through several emblematic motifs like ladybugs, plum blossoms, lily-of-the-valley buds and foliage—each carrying its own symbolic meaning. This year, the collection enters a new chapter with the arrival of the butterfly, a motif that has been part of the maison’s heritage since 1906, alongside an elegant Poetic Complications watch that brings a spring scene to life.
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Above Lucky Spring Butterfly clip in yellow gold set with lapis lazuli, blue and green agate, and white mother-of-pearl
Lucky Spring Butterfly clip in yellow gold set with lapis lazuli, blue and green agate, and white mother-of-pearl
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While earlier Lucky Spring creations were rendered in rose gold, these novelties introduce yellow gold to the collection. There are five new jewellery creations: a long necklace, five-motif bracelet, clip, Between the Finger ring and a pair of earrings. On the long necklace, the charming butterfly motif appears three times, alternating between frontal and profile views to create a sense of lightness and asymmetry, as if fluttering along the chain. Its body and antennae are crafted in polished gold, with meticulous attention paid to detail.
The Between the Finger ring offers one of the most playful and expressive interpretations within the collection. A plum blossom and lily-of-the-valley bud in white mother-of-pearl seem to have caught the attention of the butterfly close by, whose open wings and outward tilt suggest imminent flight from the wearer’s hand. Arranged on different levels, the motifs create volume and movement, while yellow gold outlines catch the light like the first rays of spring sunshine. The same composition appears on the clip, enriched with green agate foliage, while the earrings feature twin plum blossoms that gently frame the face, each accented by a polished gold pistil.
Above Lucky Spring Butterfly 15 motifs long necklace in yellow gold set with lapis lazuli, blue and green agate, and white mother-of-pearl
Lucky Spring Butterfly 15 motifs long necklace in yellow gold set with lapis lazuli, blue and green agate, and white mother-of-pearl
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As with all Van Cleef & Arpels creations, craftsmanship lies at the heart of the design. The jewellery pieces are crafted using the ancestral lost-wax casting technique, then carefully reworked by hand. Polishing is carried out at every stage of production, on both the front and back of each motif as well as along the signature double beaded contour, ensuring a consistent luminosity and finish.
Material selection also plays a central role in the new Lucky Spring creations. The butterfly’s wings are fashioned from lapis lazuli and blue agate, creating a subtle two-tone effect, while green agate is used for the foliage, forming a harmonious palette that evokes the vitality of nature. Van Cleef & Arpels is highly selective in its choice of stones, retaining only those with the most even and luminous hues to ensure visual coherence. Here, these ornamental stones are complemented by white mother-of-pearl, a material long favoured by the maison, which brings softness and depth to the composition, as well as a touch of iridescent whimsy.
Above Lady Lucky Spring Butterfly watch
Lady Lucky Spring Butterfly watch
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Completing the narrative is the Lady Lucky Spring Butterfly watch, which joins the maison’s Poetic Complications collection. Conceived as a miniature tableau, the dial features three plum blossoms in white mother-of-pearl, positioned at varying heights to create depth and relief. Yellow gold is worked in contrasting finishes—beaded, polished and textured—while a lily-of-the-valley bud-shaped aperture reveals the time on a mother-of-pearl disk. The background, rendered in guilloché mother-of-pearl and painted deep blue, allows light to circulate freely across the surface.
The watch is animated by a self-winding mechanical movement with retrograde minutes and jumping hours. As the minutes pass, an open-winged butterfly advances gradually towards its closed-winged counterpart. At the change of the hour, it returns to its starting point, ready to begin the cycle again. Every detail, from weight to proportion, has been carefully considered to support this choreography within a 33mm yellow gold case. Enamelled butterflies punctuate the dial with colour, while diamonds—selected according to the maison’s strict criteria—illuminate the bezel, hour markers, crown and buckle.
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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.
