Cover Van Cleef & Arpels Perlée pearls of gold ring, Perlée 1-row diamonds ring and Perlée sweet clovers ring
Van Cleef & Arpels Perlée pearls of gold ring, Perlée 1-row diamonds ring and Perlée sweet clovers ring
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From delicate rows of polished gold to diamond-set clovers, Van Cleef & Arpels’s Perlée creations reveal just how much can be done with one of its simplest—and most enduring—design signatures
Some of Van Cleef & Arpels’s most recognisable designs begin with simple forms. For the Alhambra, it is the four-leaf clover; for Perlée, a perfectly rounded bead of gold. The latter may have given its name to a collection only in 2008, but its story at the maison stretches back considerably further.
Golden beads first began appearing as decorative accents on Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery in the 1920s, before taking on greater prominence from the late 1940s. By the 1960s, they were being arranged into the supple, twisting compositions characteristic of the era, while the arrival of Alhambra in 1968 gave them another enduring role: outlining its now-famous clover-shaped motifs.
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Above Van Cleef & Arpels Perlée sweet clovers ring and bracelet in yellow gold set with diamonds
Van Cleef & Arpels Perlée sweet clovers ring and bracelet in yellow gold set with diamonds
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Over the years, Perlée has developed into a collection of its own. Today, the golden bead is no longer merely a border or embellishment, but the starting point for designs that range from slender rows of polished gold to elaborate compositions punctuated with diamonds. Among some of the most expressive are the Perlée clovers and Perlée diamonds creations, which beautifully demonstrate how the maison plays with textures, proportion and light.
The Perlée sweet clovers bracelets and rings, for instance, bring together two recurring Van Cleef & Arpels signatures. Available in yellow, rose and white gold, each piece is edged with tiny golden beads, while diamond-set clovers appear at intervals along the centre. Ten beads decorate the bracelet and five the ring, each formed by four round diamonds surrounding a central golden bead. Rather than sitting prominently above the jewel, the motifs are integrated into its slender profile, creating subtle shifts between the lustre of polished metal and the brilliance of diamonds.
Above Van Cleef & Arpels Perlée 5-row diamonds bracelet in yellow gold set with diamonds
Van Cleef & Arpels Perlée 5-row diamonds bracelet in yellow gold set with diamonds
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As with many other Van Cleef & Arpels collections, Perlée is also conceived with combination in mind. Different colours of gold can be worn together, while the clover pieces sit naturally alongside the simpler Perlée pearls of gold, the engraved Perlée signature creations and the more diamond-intensive designs of Perlée diamonds. It is an approach that makes stacking less about following a prescribed formula than building a composition of contrasting textures and proportions.
With Perlée diamonds, that contrast becomes bolder. The five-row bracelet takes the collection’s familiar beads and arranges them around the wrist in an asymmetric composition, interrupted by diagonal bands of diamonds. Openwork honeycomb-shaped apertures beneath the stones allow light to pass through them, amplifying their brilliance while keeping the multi-row construction visually light.
The same dialogue between gold and diamonds continues in the Perlée diamonds duo ring. Two bands meet in a single composition: one rendered in mirror-polished gold and the other set with round diamonds on an openworked structure. Even the grains securing the diamonds echo the rounded shape of the golden beads edging the ring, making the smallest functional details part of its design. On the Perlée diamonds earrings, a diamond-paved dome sits above a larger gem-set ring, both framed by golden beads that gradually increase in size. A flexible connecting ring allows the lower section to move with the wearer, sending flashes of light across the face.
Above Van Cleef & Arpels Perlée diamonds earrings in white gold set with diamonds
Van Cleef & Arpels Perlée diamonds earrings in white gold set with diamonds
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Behind that apparent playfulness is meticulous craftsmanship. Diamonds are selected in D to F colour and IF to VVS clarity, while openworked structures maximise the passage of light. Mirror polishing—a technique practised by the maison since the 1920s—is applied to both the front and reverse of the creations, giving the golden beads their characteristically smooth, reflective finish.
By taking something as elementary as a sphere and continually finding new ways to animate it—multiplying it, enlarging it, setting it against diamonds or allowing it to trace the contours of another motif—Van Cleef & Arpels has managed to create a timeless collection. In Perlée clovers and Perlée diamonds, the golden bead becomes not simply an ornament, but a design language—one that Van Cleef & Arpels has been refining for more than a century.
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.
