For the past 11 years, Van Cleef & Arpels has participated in the Fine Art and Antique Fair, TEFAF, in Maastricht, an event bringing together masterpieces of various disciplines, from antique artwork to grand master paintings, and even High Jewellery pieces. As part of this prestigious display, scheduled this year from March 9 to 14, the Richemont Maison is highlighting seven pieces: five from its Heritage collection and two contemporary creations. Each of these carefully selected jewels reflects the Van Cleef & Arpels universe and attests to its exceptional savoir-faire. A blend of tradition and modernity, they illustrate the Maison’s history and inventive spirit, as well as the sources of inspiration it holds dear.
The Heritage collection features nearly 120 antique Jewellery and High Jewellery pieces for sale, all of which are jewellery pieces and precious objects created by Van Cleef & Arpels between the 1920s and the 1990s. Before joining this ensemble, each piece is meticulously examined by the Maison’s experts, both in the workshops and through archival research, to trace its history and guarantee its authenticity. For this latest edition of TEFAF Maastricht, Van Cleef & Arpels has selected two Leaf clips from the 1940s and three creations from the 1960s, showcasing in equal measure the Maison’s influence on the evolution of the jewellery arts and the large gamut of its influences.
Heritage Collection
The Heritage collection features nearly 120 antique Jewelry and High Jewelry pieces for sale, all of which are jewelry pieces and precious objects created by Van Cleef & Arpels between the 1920s and the 1990s. Before joining this ensemble, each piece is meticulously examined by the Maison’s experts, both in the workshops and through archival research, to trace its history and guarantee its authenticity. For this latest edition of TEFAF Maastricht, Van Cleef & Arpels has selected two Leaf clips from the 1940s and three creations from the 1960s, showcasing in equal measure the Maison’s influence on the evolution of the jewelry arts and the large gamut of its influences.
Leaf clips
1943 and 1947
The Maison finds infinite inspiration in the world of flora, as seen in the above two leaf-shaped clips. With great restraint, their subtly asymmetrical outlines pay homage to the vitality and expressive spontaneity of nature. With its edges so clean they border on abstraction, this first creation, from 1943, has a polished gold surface spangled with star-set diamonds reminiscent of those that have graced Van Cleef & Arpels’ iconic Ludo bracelets since the 1930s. This sculptural clip is characteristic of a time when the use of yellow gold, innovatively and virtuously crafted by the Maison’s artisans, was favored. The leaf’s veins are recreated with creases in the metal whose reflective surface elegantly mirrors the sparkle of the gems. The 1947 Leaf clip, like its 1943 equivalent, sees its central vein recreated with a slender curve studded with a succession of square rubies, whose intense purple hue is brought to life by a yellow gold border. With its multitude of diamonds of many sizes, this piece is an example of Van Cleef & Arpels’ post-war return to the late-19th century’s particularly detailed naturalistic aesthetic. A refinement that served to return some wonder to a world rebuilding itself, like this autumnal leaf crystallised by the frost of early winter.
Minaudière
1961
Alongside such pieces as the Zip necklace or the Cadenas watch, the Minaudière stands as one of the Maison’s signatures. In 1933, as he observed an American client stow away her essentials in a metal box, Charles Arpels first had the idea for this sophisticated jewelry case that would go on to contribute to Van Cleef & Arpels’ reputation around the world. Crafted from precious materials—like the gold seen here—the Minaudière borrows in equal measure from both the realms of jewelry and objets d’art, another domain in which the Maison’s expertise and innovative spirit fully express themselves. Equipped with a mirror and ingenious compartments, this piece, previously held in the private collection of a famous shipowner, allowed women to carry lipstick, calling cards, and a cigarette case during evenings at the opera or gala dinners in society. While being practical, this 1961 Minaudière is no less representative of the spirit of couture so dear to the Maison with the delicately woven texture of the gold. The clasp, set with a row of graduated diamonds, adds a final note of sophistication to this object.
Léonore ballerina clip
This clip depicts a sumptuously dressed ballerina rising on pointe to gracefully leap into the air. The dancer, named Léonore, sports a voluminous openwork skirt paved with a myriad of diamonds of various sizes, some pear-shaped, others round, giving the appearance of gossamer lace. Realistically crafted, the figure is entirely fashioned in white gold, while her face, crowned with a tiara, is symbolized, as is the Maison’s custom, by a rose-cut diamond topped with baguette-cut diamonds. This harmony of radiant purity is enlivened by a bustier and ballet slipper edged in yellow gold and set with round vibrant blue sapphires. A final touch of refinement comes in the form of a belt of fine gold beads highlighting the dancer’s waist. Emblematic of the Van Cleef & Arpels spirit, this creation is part of a long tradition of clips that poetically marry the worlds of couture and dance. Since Louis Arpels’ keen interest in ballet gave rise to the first ballerinas in the 1940s, the art of movement has remained a vivid passion for the Maison. This is evidenced today by its collaborations with renowned choreographers and the Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels initiative in support of contemporary dance, which has helped promote a multitude of events and artists around the world since its launch in 2020.
More informations: vancleefarpels.com
