VAN CLEEF & ARPELS
IN LUCK WE TRUST
Van Cleef & Arpels and the art of believing in luck.
Do you believe in luck? Jacques Arpels did. The nephew of co-founder Estelle Arpels picked four-leaf clovers in his garden in Germigny-l'Évêque and gave them to his employees, along with the English poem "Don't Quit".
From him comes the saying: "To be lucky, you have to believe in luck."
Anyone familiar with the history of the Parisian Maison Van Cleef & Arpels will repeatedly come across lucky charms: clovers, horseshoes, ladybugs. Time and again, some of them find their way to us, such as this one, in the form of a small spring scene.
LUCKY SPRING
In 2021, Van Cleef & Arpels brings its lucky charms into the garden. Lucky Spring depicts a small spring scene of ladybugs, plum blossoms, lily-of-the-valley buds and leaves.
Each motif carries a meaning. The ladybug as a symbol of good luck has accompanied the brand for decades, the plum blossom stands for the beginning of spring, for strength and purity, and lily-of-the-valley is given in France on May 1st as a lucky charm.
Carnelian, onyx and white mother-of-pearl on rose gold, set in a border of gold beads. After casting, each of these beads is finished by hand.
THE MAISON
Van Cleef & Arpels begins with a love story. In 1895, Estelle Arpels and Alfred Van Cleef, both from families of jewelry merchants, marry. In 1906, the family opens its first boutique at 22 Place Vendôme in Paris.
What has defined the House ever since is a rare blend of poetry and engineering: flowers, fairies and dancers on the one hand, patents on the other. Add a wink of happiness to that.
Grace Kelly was one of the most loyal customers. For her wedding in 1956, Prince Rainier gave her a pearl and diamond parure by Van Cleef & Arpels. Later, she wore several long Alhambra necklaces.
THE ICONS
Alhambra, 1968. It all began with a conviction. Jacques Arpels was convinced that happiness is only found by those who believe in it. From this came an everyday talisman. The design combines the four-leaf clover with the arches of the Alhambra Palace in Granada.
Frivole, 2004. In French, Frivole means playful, carefree. That is exactly what it is about: flowers that have accompanied the Maison since its beginnings, told so lightly that they almost float. Each blossom consists of heart-shaped petals made of polished gold that capture the light.
Perlée, 2008. Sometimes the story lies in the details. Since the 1920s, small gold beads have framed the stones of the Maison; in 1968, they outlined every Alhambra clover. With Perlée, this detail takes center stage. A tribute to a craft that is otherwise easily overlooked.
