Why is Van Cleef & Arpels so esteemed?

It’s not every day that you can spot a Van Cleef & Arpels creation in the crowds, but when you see it, you’d probably know it. Whether high or fine jewellery, there is a unique quality about the piece (and often, wearer) that stands out.

The maison is one of just a handful of heritage jewellery brands whose historic masterpieces continue to command extraordinary prices at auctions. In 2023, a 1956 Dahlia emerald and diamond brooch sold for HK$5.461 million (about SG$922,500) at Sotheby’s, exceeding over twice its estimate. And just last year, an emerald and diamond Ballerina clip went under Christie’s hammer at more than six times its estimate, achieving an eye-watering HK$7.308 million (SG$1.262 million).

These staggering figures underscore the perceived value of such Van Cleef & Arpels creations — a rarity since many old pieces depreciate over time, unless they are set with increasingly unavailable and priceless gemstones. 

In fact, even its “regular” vintage jewels have seen jaw-dropping price hikes over the years. Yours truly considered, but regrettably did not purchase, an all-gold 70s pillbox necklace priced at about S$2,500 at a local dealer in 2016. The same piece is now priced at over S$24,000 on 1stdibs.com.

So what is it about Van Cleef & Arpels that makes it so revered? In our mind, three pillars define its prestige: devotion to the arts, fidelity to its DNA, and a uniquely French outlook.

Artistic endeavour

Unlike some jewellers who focus solely on gemstones and metals, Van Cleef & Arpels treats its creations as wearable art, drawing key inspirations from ballet, literature, and poetry. This approach resonates deeply with the most discerning collectors who see jewellery not just as an investment, but cultural appreciation.

“Van Cleef & Arpels has been a high jewellery maison since 1906, and since then, we have always been guided by our field of expression with specific inspirations, and art is truly one of them,” says Julie Clody Medina, president of Van Cleef & Arpels, Asia Pacific. “We have been inspired by the world of dance and the beautiful realm of poetry and literature.”

The maison’s iconic ballerina clips, first introduced in the 1940s, are a perfect example. Each delicate figure, adorned with diamonds and coloured gemstones, captures the fluidity and grace of a dancer mid-performance. Similarly, the Romeo and Juliet collection transforms Shakespeare’s tragedy into pieces that shimmer with romantic symbolism: rubies for passion, emeralds for fate, and diamonds for eternal love.

More recently, the Treasure Island high jewellery collection reimagined Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel in an awe-inspiring masterstroke of creativity. “Literature like Treasure Island is a magnificent text, and it has created a collective imagery, notably around the adventure at sea; the deserted, distant and marvellous island; and the treasure chest,” Medina explains.

“In this story, we found an epic narrative that speaks to all generations and is known beyond the European or Western world. And through the collection, we wanted to tell the story of heritage, adventure, imagination, playfulness, poetic literature — this is a story for everyone to keep on discovering with curiosity, yet keeping it light and joyful from the perspective of a little child.”

This je ne sais quoi extends to the maison’s watchmaking, where timepieces are imbued with an irresistible charm and femininity. Its famous secret watches, hidden within bracelets or pendants, are quietly elegant keepers of time (and decorum from a forgotten era). For instance, the Cadenas secret watch, originally ordered by King Edward VIII in 1936 for his wife Wallis Simpson, was designed for women to discreetly tell the time during a period when it was rude to do so. 

Even Van Cleef & Arpels’ contemporary timekeepers have won the house numerous awards for their sheer grace and exquisite craftsmanship.

True to DNA

Today, when many luxury brands chase celebrity clout and expand product categories aggressively (and often seasonally), Van Cleef & Arpels remains fiercely committed to a sense of exclusivity. 

Among the house’s most exalted are high jewellery creations made with its pioneering signature Traditional Mystery Set, Navette Mystery Set, and Vitrail Mystery Set techniques, which embed the “big four” of gemstones (diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and even fragile emeralds) into often-curved pieces without revealing visible metal prongs.

Equally iconic is the Zip necklace, which is so rare that even journalists rarely get a chance to see one in person. “The Zip necklace is inspired by the zipper, an essential element from couture. It stands out as one of our boldest creations, bringing an ordinary object to life through precious materials and craftsmanship,” Medina adds of this innovation, which allows the necklace to be unzipped into a bracelet — demonstrating the house’s prowess with transformable jewels that is an intrinsic part of its heritage.

These designs are much-coveted precisely because the maison produces so few of them, and refuses to dilute their distinctiveness with excessive diversification.

“We continuously draw on our patrimony to nourish our creations and always look to our past to gain inspiration for our future collections,” she affirms. The Treasure Island high jewellery collection, for example, revisits maritime motifs seen in its early 20th-century pieces like the Varuna miniature ship, proving that the maison’s themes are not fleeting fads, but enduring passions.

Even in its more accessible jewellery offerings, the craftsmanship remains uncompromising. “The artisans who create our high jewellery are the same artisans working on our fine jewellery pieces,” Medina notes.

The executive is speaking of demanding artisanal techniques like hammered gold and mirror polishing — par for the course in high jewels — that define the more affordably priced, nature-inspired Alhambra and Frivole collections. The Perlee line, with its delicate beaded edges, also echoes the intricate goldwork and lost wax casting technique of the maison’s most elaborate creations so that even entry-level buyers experience its craftsmanship mastery.

Unlike brands that flood the market with endless design variations, Van Cleef & Arpels’ careful curation ensures that each modern piece retains the spirit of its heritage icons. The house’s five-leaf clover Alhambra motif, which is traditionally regarded as a personal good-luck token in Europe, has remained virtually unchanged since 1968 — a testament to the maison’s belief in timelessness over trendiness. 

Another case in point: The maison only ever uses diamonds with GIA colour grades ranging from D to F (with D being the most colourless), and clarity grades between FL (Flawless) and VVS2 (Very Very Small Inclusions 2). This proudly stringent criteria has never changed, and is not expected to.

Such a consistency has indeed cultivated a loyal following. And it is equally impressive that while the brand has a long history of VIP and royal patronage, it still does not need a celebrity ambassadorship programme.

Unapologetically French

There’s an unmistakable joie de vivre in Van Cleef & Arpels’ creations. Whether it’s the playful disposition of a fairy clip or the light-heartedness of Treasure Island’s palm trees and exotic characters, the house embraces levity without sacrificing sophistication.

“With jewellery, it is always a matter of taking things lightly and with humour,” Medina says of the Treasure Island collection. The challenge was balancing whimsy with luxury: “How do we find elements within this collection that truly embody this desire, this imagination, and this lightness without becoming trivial, without losing the magic?”

The answer lies in the maison’s ability to infuse fantasy with refinement. Pirate- and Mayan gods-themed brooches from the high jewellery collection, for instance, are not cartoonish trinkets but detailed hand-made showpieces. The house’s wizardry in expressing blithe romanticism can also be seen in its evergreen Lady Arpels watches depicting a couple meeting, and kissing, on a bridge — in Paris, of course.

This French sensibility extends beyond commercial interests into cultural stewardship — just think, how obsessed is the nation with its museums? L’Ecole, the maison’s jewellery arts school, is the only such professionally staffed institution affiliated with a major brand. “L’École was built with a mission to share jewellery culture with the widest possible audience,” Medina adds. 

With campuses in Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Dubai, as well as travelling exhibitions (currently in Singapore as an in-boutique pop-up at Raffles Hotel’s Arcade), the school demystifies the oft-intimidating and complex world of jewellery through public courses on gemology, design history, and more. By educating the masses, Van Cleef & Arpels ensures that its legacy — and the appreciation for jewellery as an art form — endures for generations.

Van Cleef & Arpels’ enduring global esteem is the result of a century-long dedication to artistry, heritage, and emotional storytelling. As Medina puts it: “Thanks to our savoir faire, creativity, and excellence, Van Cleef & Arpels accompanies the happiest moments of life.” And that, perhaps, is the most precious gem of all.