Van Cleef & Arpels
Encyclopedia
Van Cleef & Arpels is a French
jewellery
, watch
, and perfume
company that was founded in 1896 by Charles Arpels and Alfred Van Cleef. They opened their first boutique in 1906 at 22 place Vendôme
, Paris
. Van Cleef & Arpels are renowned for their expertise in precious stones and have won particular acclaim for a groundbreaking gem-setting procedure known as the Mystery Setting.
In 2009, the company released a line of luxury perfumes called Collection Extraordinaire, comprising six fragrances.
In 2010, launch of a new high jewellery collection during the Biennale des Antiquaires called Les Voyages Extraodinaires de Jules Verne. CVan Cleef & Arpels is owned, through Richmont, by the South African Rupert Family.
Progressively, the second generation joined the business. In 1942, the Arpels family emigrated to America and opened their first boutique in New York, on 5th Avenue. Later, Van Cleef & Arpels became the first French jewellers to open boutiques in Japan and China. Over the years, the firm was always managed by a descendant of the Arpels family, until it was acquired by the Compagnie Financière Richemont
S.A. in 1999. The company’s prestige stems from a long list of prominent commissions issued by royal and imperial courts, financiers and industrial magnates, which have enabled Van Cleef & Arpels to be active today not only in Europe and the United States, but also in Asia and the Middle East.
and Grand Duke Dmitri in the 1920s, Princess de Faucigny Lucinge, Heinrich, Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon
, the Duchess of Windsor and the Duke of Westminster
in the 1930s, Queen Nazli Sabri
and King Farouk of Egypt
, Baron James de Rothschild, Countesses de Rohan Chabot, Maharani Sita Devi of Baroda
, Princess de Réthy, King Baudouin I of Belgium, Gloria, Princess of Thurn and Taxis
, George de Cuevas
, Queen Sirikit of Thailand in the 1950s, and then, in the following decades, Baron Guy de Rothschild
, Queen Sofia of Spain
, Princess of Wales
, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, the Aga Khan
family, etc.
Numerous actresses have also favoured Van Cleef & Arpels jewels. Examples of faithful clients include:
To all of these beauties can be added dancers and singers such as Mistinguett
, Zizi Jeanmaire
, Maria Callas
, Lili Pons, and more recently, Annie Lennox
, Mariah Carey
, Madonna
, Sheryl Crow
, as well as exceptional men and women such as Florence Jay Gould, Barbara Hutton
and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
jewellery
Jewellery
Jewellery or jewelry is a form of personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.With some exceptions, such as medical alert bracelets or military dog tags, jewellery normally differs from other items of personal adornment in that it has no other purpose than to...
, watch
Watch
A watch is a small timepiece, typically worn either on the wrist or attached on a chain and carried in a pocket, with wristwatches being the most common type of watch used today. They evolved in the 17th century from spring powered clocks, which appeared in the 15th century. The first watches were...
, and perfume
Perfume
Perfume is a mixture of fragrant essential oils and/or aroma compounds, fixatives, and solvents used to give the human body, animals, objects, and living spaces "a pleasant scent"...
company that was founded in 1896 by Charles Arpels and Alfred Van Cleef. They opened their first boutique in 1906 at 22 place Vendôme
Place Vendôme
Place Vendôme is a square in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France, located to the north of the Tuileries Gardens and east of the Église de la Madeleine. It is the starting point of the Rue de la Paix. Its regular architecture by Jules Hardouin-Mansart and pedimented screens canted across the...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Van Cleef & Arpels are renowned for their expertise in precious stones and have won particular acclaim for a groundbreaking gem-setting procedure known as the Mystery Setting.
In 2009, the company released a line of luxury perfumes called Collection Extraordinaire, comprising six fragrances.
In 2010, launch of a new high jewellery collection during the Biennale des Antiquaires called Les Voyages Extraodinaires de Jules Verne. CVan Cleef & Arpels is owned, through Richmont, by the South African Rupert Family.
History
In 1896, Esther Arpels http://richardjeanjacques.blogspot.com/2009/07/van-cleef-et-suite.html, the daughter of Salomon Arpels, a dealer in precious stones, married Alfred Van Cleef, whose family were sheet merchants living in the 19th arrondissement of Paris. That same year, Alfred Van Cleef andhis Brother in law Charles Arpels had already established a company with the aim of “founding and running a jewellery business”. In 1906, they registered the “Van Cleef & Arpels” trademark and opened a boutique at 22 place Vendôme. They were soon joined by Esther’s brothers, Salomon http://mms.pegasis.fr/jsp/core/MmsRedirector.jsp?id=1250580&type=NOTICE, Jules and Louis Arpels. Alfred Van Cleef died in 1938, leaving his daughter, Renée Rachel Puissant http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Cleef_&_Arpels, behind him. From 1909 to 1939, Van Cleef & Arpels prospered and opened boutiques in holiday resorts such as Deauville, Le Touquet, Nice and Monte-Carlo.Progressively, the second generation joined the business. In 1942, the Arpels family emigrated to America and opened their first boutique in New York, on 5th Avenue. Later, Van Cleef & Arpels became the first French jewellers to open boutiques in Japan and China. Over the years, the firm was always managed by a descendant of the Arpels family, until it was acquired by the Compagnie Financière Richemont
Richemont
Compagnie Financière Richemont S.A. is a Swiss luxury goods holding company founded in 1988 by the South African businessman Johann Rupert. Richemont categorizes its businesses into four areas: jewellery, watch making, writing instruments and other, which encompasses clothing and firearms. The...
S.A. in 1999. The company’s prestige stems from a long list of prominent commissions issued by royal and imperial courts, financiers and industrial magnates, which have enabled Van Cleef & Arpels to be active today not only in Europe and the United States, but also in Asia and the Middle East.
Van Cleef & Arpels creations
The history of Van Cleef & Arpels has been marked by a number of milestone creations, the most emblematic of which include:- the first watch with a leather strap, made in yellow or white gold (1923);
- a bracelet depicting red and white roses in bloom, made with diamonds, rubies and emeralds, which was awarded the Grand Prix de l’Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes de Paris – First Prize at the International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts (1925);
- the Minaudière, a small precious box that can hold a powder compact, lipstick, lighter, or keys, inspired by Florence Jay Gould (1930);
- the Cadenas (Padlock) wristwatch (1936);
- the Passe Partout (Take-me-anywhere) bracelet (1939);
- the round watch with an ultra-slim case, the P.A. 49 (1949);
- the Zip necklace (1950), which can be opened and closed just like a zip;
- the Alhambra necklace (1968);
- the Millénaire (Millennium) clip (2000);
- the Lotus “between-the-fingers” ring (2001);
- the Le Songe d’une Nuit d’Été (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) collection (2003);
- the Couture collection (2004);
- the Pierres de Caractère (Stones of Character) collection (2005);
- the Atlantide and Ballet Précieux (Atlantis and Precious Ballet) collections (2007);
- the Jardins (Gardens) collection (2008);
- the Féerie (Fairy) perfume (2008);
- the California Rêverie collection (2009);
- the Collection Extraordinaire perfume (2010);
- the Papillons (Butterflies) collection (2010);
- the Voyages Extraordinaires - Jules Verne collection (2010);
- the Midnight in Paris perfume (2010).
Exceptional stones
Faithful to the spirit of their founders, each piece of Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery is designed to enhance the beauty of exceptional stones. Although Van Cleef & Arpels has purchased exceptional pieces, it has also brought rare stones, such as aquamarines, mandarin garnets and rubellites, to light. Van Cleef & Arpels sometimes choose to highlight the poetry of more unexpected materials, such as mother-of-pearl, snakewood and lacquer.The Mystery Setting
The Mystery Setting is a precious stone paving procedure that uses no visible claws. This setting technique has been continuously perfected by the firm over the years, the latest patent for diamonds being registered in 1990. The stones are set one by one on an extremely fine gold or platinum net. The quality of a Mystery-Set jewel depends on the clarity of the stones and the evenness of their colour. The gem-cutter selects stones based on extremely strict criteria, and chooses the position of each one of them on the jewel depending on their grade. The highly reduced quantity of the precious metals enhances the reflection of light and sets a stage upon on which stones are shown at their most radiant. Brought together, espousing even the most unexpected shapes, they act as a strong and precious whole.Well-known figures and celebrities
Since their inception, Van Cleef & Arpels have been associated with events that have marked the lives of princely, royal and imperial families around the world, like that of His Royal Highness Don Infante Antonio, Duke of GallieraInfante Antonio, Duke of Galliera
Antonio Maria Luis Felipe Juan Florencio de Orléans y Borbon was an Infante of Spain and the fourth Duke of Galliera in the Kingdom of Italy...
and Grand Duke Dmitri in the 1920s, Princess de Faucigny Lucinge, Heinrich, Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon
Heinrich, Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon
Heinrich Thyssen , since June 22, 1907 Heinrich Freiherr Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon et Impérfalva, was a German-Hungarian entrepreneur and art collector.-Biography:...
, the Duchess of Windsor and the Duke of Westminster
Duke of Westminster
The title Duke of Westminster was created by Queen Victoria in 1874 and bestowed upon Hugh Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster. The current holder of the title is Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster....
in the 1930s, Queen Nazli Sabri
Nazli Sabri
Nazli Sabri , was the Queen consort of Egypt, as the second wife of King Fuad.-Early life:...
and King Farouk of Egypt
Farouk of Egypt
Farouk I of Egypt , was the tenth ruler from the Muhammad Ali Dynasty and the penultimate King of Egypt and Sudan, succeeding his father, Fuad I, in 1936....
, Baron James de Rothschild, Countesses de Rohan Chabot, Maharani Sita Devi of Baroda
Sita Devi of Baroda
Maharani Sita Devi Sahib of Baroda, born May 12, 1917 in Madras, India, died February 15, 1989 in Paris, France. She was known as the “Indian Wallis Simpson. She was a colorful lady who led an extravagant life for over 40 years and was a member of the international jet set...
, Princess de Réthy, King Baudouin I of Belgium, Gloria, Princess of Thurn and Taxis
Gloria, Princess of Thurn and Taxis
Gloria, Princess of Thurn and Taxis is a princess, by marriage, of the German Thurn und Taxis House.-Biography:Gloria was born on 23 February 1960, the daughter of Joachim, Count...
, George de Cuevas
George de Cuevas
George de Cuevas was a Chilean-born ballet impresario and choreographer who was best known for the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas that he formed in 1944....
, Queen Sirikit of Thailand in the 1950s, and then, in the following decades, Baron Guy de Rothschild
Guy de Rothschild
Baron Guy Édouard Alphonse Paul de Rothschild was a French banker and member of the Rothschild family. He chaired the bank Rothschild Frères from 1967 to 1979, when it was nationalized by the French government, and maintained possessions in other French and foreign companies including Imerys...
, Queen Sofia of Spain
Queen Sofía of Spain
Queen Sofía of Spain is the wife of King Juan Carlos I of Spain.-Early life and family:Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark was born in Psychiko, Athens, Greece on 2 November 1938, the eldest child of the King Paul of Greece and his wife, Queen Frederika , a former princess of Hanover...
, Princess of Wales
Princess of Wales
Princess of Wales is a British courtesy title held by the wife of The Prince of Wales since the first "English" Prince of Wales in 1283.Although there have been considerably more than ten male heirs to the throne, there have been only ten Princesses of Wales. The majority of Princes of Wales...
, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, the Aga Khan
Aga Khan
Aga Khan is the hereditary title of the Imam of the largest branch of the Ismā'īlī followers of the Shī‘a faith. They affirm the Imamat of the descendants of Ismail ibn Jafar, eldest son of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, while the larger Twelver branch of Shi`ism follows Ismail's younger brother Musa...
family, etc.
Numerous actresses have also favoured Van Cleef & Arpels jewels. Examples of faithful clients include:
- Madeleine CarrollMadeleine CarrollEdith Madeleine Carroll was an English actress, popular in the 1930s and 1940s.-Early life:Carroll was born at 32 Herbert Street in West Bromwich, England. She graduated from the University of Birmingham, England with a B.A. degree...
- Michèle MorganMichèle MorganMichèle Morgan is a French film actress, who was a leading lady for three decades.- Career :Morgan was born Simone Renée Roussel in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, a western suburb of Paris....
- Marlene DietrichMarlene DietrichMarlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In the Berlin of the 1920s, she acted on the stage and in silent films...
- Ava GardnerAva GardnerAva Lavinia Gardner was an American actress.She was signed to a contract by MGM Studios in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew attention with her performance in The Killers . She became one of Hollywood's leading actresses, considered one of the most beautiful women of her day...
- Audrey HepburnAudrey HepburnAudrey Hepburn was a British actress and humanitarian. Although modest about her acting ability, Hepburn remains one of the world's most famous actresses of all time, remembered as a film and fashion icon of the twentieth century...
- Sophia LorenSophia LorenSophia Loren, OMRI is an Italian actress.In 1962, Loren won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Two Women, along with 21 awards, becoming the first actress to win an Academy Award for a non-English-speaking performance...
- Elizabeth TaylorElizabeth TaylorDame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor, DBE was a British-American actress. From her early years as a child star with MGM, she became one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age...
- Claudia CardinaleClaudia CardinaleClaudia Cardinale is an Italian actress, and has appeared in some of the most prominent European films of the 1960s and 1970s. The majority of Cardinale's films have been either Italian or French...
- Romy SchneiderRomy SchneiderRomy Schneider was an Austrian-born German film actress who also held French citizenship.-Early life:Schneider was born Rosemarie Magdalena Albach in Nazi-era Vienna, six months after the Anschluss, into a family of actors that included her paternal grandmother Rosa Albach-Retty, her Austrian...
- Brigitte BardotBrigitte BardotBrigitte Anne-Marie Bardot is a French former fashion model, actress, singer and animal rights activist. She was one of the best-known sex-symbols of the 1960s.In her early life, Bardot was an aspiring ballet dancer...
- Catherine DeneuveCatherine DeneuveCatherine Deneuve is a French actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of aloof and mysterious beauties in films such as Repulsion and Belle de jour . Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in Indochine; she also won César Awards for that...
- Charlotte RamplingCharlotte RamplingCharlotte Rampling, OBE is an English actress. Her career spans four decades in English-language as well as French and Italian cinema.- Early life :...
- Chiara MastroianniChiara MastroianniChiara Charlotte Mastroianni is a French actress and singer.-Biography:Mastroianni was born in Paris, the daughter of Catherine Deneuve and Marcello Mastroianni. Her elder half-brother is Christian Vadim; her elder half-sister is Barbara Mastroianni.She had relationships with the actors Benicio...
- Sharon StoneSharon StoneSharon Vonne Stone is an American actress, film producer, and former fashion model. She achieved international recognition for her role in the erotic thriller Basic Instinct...
- Kristin Scott ThomasKristin Scott ThomasKristin A. Scott Thomas, OBE is an English actress who has also acquired French nationality. She gained international recognition in the 1990s for her roles in Bitter Moon, Four Weddings and a Funeral and The English Patient....
- Julia RobertsJulia RobertsJulia Fiona Roberts is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman , which grossed $464 million worldwide...
- Uma ThurmanUma ThurmanUma Karuna Thurman is an American actress and model. She has performed in leading roles in a variety of films, ranging from romantic comedies and dramas to science fiction and action movies. Among her best-known roles are those in the Quentin Tarantino films Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill...
- Zhang ZiyiZhang ZiyiZhang Ziyi is a Chinese film actress. Zhang is coined by the media as one of the Four Young Dan actresses in the Film Industry in China, along with Zhao Wei, Xu Jinglei, and Zhou Xun...
- Carole BouquetCarole BouquetCarole Bouquet is a French actress and fashion model, who has appeared in more than 40 films since 1977. Bouquet was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France....
- Diane KrugerDiane KrugerDiane Kruger is a German actress and former fashion model. She is known for roles such as Helen in Troy, Dr. Abigail Chase in National Treasure and its sequel, Bridget von Hammersmark in Inglourious Basterds, Anna in Mr...
- Scarlett JohanssonScarlett JohanssonScarlett Johansson is an American actress, model and singer.Johansson made her film debut in North and was later nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead for her performance in Manny & Lo . She rose to further prominence with her roles in The Horse Whisperer and Ghost World...
- Sofia CoppolaSofia CoppolaSofia Carmina Coppola is an American screenwriter, film director, actress, and producer.In 2003 she received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Lost in Translation, and became the third woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Directing...
To all of these beauties can be added dancers and singers such as Mistinguett
Mistinguett
Mistinguett was a French actress and singer, whose birth name was Jeanne Bourgeois. She was at one time the best-paid female entertainer in the world...
, Zizi Jeanmaire
Zizi Jeanmaire
Zizi Jeanmaire is a ballet dancer and widow of renowned dancer and choreographer Roland Petit. She became famous in the 1950s after playing the title role in the ballet version of Carmen, produced in London in 1949, and went on to appear in several Hollywood films.-Background:Born in Paris,...
, Maria Callas
Maria Callas
Maria Callas was an American-born Greek soprano and one of the most renowned opera singers of the 20th century. She combined an impressive bel canto technique, a wide-ranging voice and great dramatic gifts...
, Lili Pons, and more recently, Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox, OBE , born Ann Lennox, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving minor success in the late 1970s with The Tourists, with fellow musician David A...
, Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
, Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
, as well as exceptional men and women such as Florence Jay Gould, Barbara Hutton
Barbara Hutton
Barbara Woolworth Hutton was an American socialite dubbed by the media as the "Poor Little Rich Girl" because of her troubled life...
and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier "Jackie" Kennedy Onassis was the wife of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, and served as First Lady of the United States during his presidency from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. Five years later she married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle...
.