You could say that Van Cleef & Arpels was built on love. Following the 1895 marriage of Estelle Arpels, the daughter of a precious gems dealer, and Alfred Van Cleef, the son of a Dutch diamond-cutter and broker, the maison was founded in Paris' Place Vendôme in 1906.
As if a sign of destiny, even the house's first creation recorded in its sales book in 1906 was a diamond heart. Over the decades, many Van Cleef & Arpels pieces would be linked to the world's most famous couples. One such piece was an astounding ruby and diamond necklace commissioned by the Duke of Windsor (then King Edward VIII) for Wallis Simpson before his abdication.
Next is a pearl and diamond wedding jewellery suite - comprising a pair of earrings, necklace and ring- ordered by Prince Rainier of Monaco for Grace Kelly. It's said that the prince had taken the actress to the Van Cleef & Arpels boutique in New York and met with Louis Arpels, who convinced him that pearls were befitting of his fiancée's beauty. Another piece is the 1971 Barquerolles necklace, which was a gift from Richard Burton to his wife Elizabeth Taylor.
Through the use of age-old artistic crafts, the maison has continually created phenomenal women’s timepieces inspired by the theme of love. A prime example is the Mythical Couples collection of eight high jewellery watches, which tells the stories of seven legendary couples from literature, mythology and opera.
Denne historien er fra February 2023-utgaven av Prestige Singapore.
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Denne historien er fra February 2023-utgaven av Prestige Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
LA LA LAND
ALL'S WELL IN THE REALM OF HAUTE COUTURE, WHERE QUESTIONS OF WEARABILITY ARE HARDLY THE MOST PRESSING. JANUARY'S REALITY-SUSPENDING SPRING/SUMMER 2025 COLLECTIONS COMBINED OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD TECHNIQUES TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF THE HANDMADE EVEN FURTHER. PRESTIGE REPORTS FROM THE FRONT ROW.
A Modern Monument
With the RM 16-02, Richard Mille's quintessential rectangular watch embraces sharp, unyielding lines for an architectural masterpiece for the wrist.
FAMILY VALUES
HRnetGroup's chief corporate officer joined the family business through a stroke of fate, but as she discovered, her father had prepared her for the role even before she assumed the mantle.
STROKES OF CREATIVITY
The fine watchmaking world can be a very serious one. But as these recent collaborations show, putting artists and designers in charge can lead to some very inspired – and very covetable – creations.
GENERATION NEXT
After more than a decade in production, Porsche has produced an entirely new Macan SUV only this time it's electric powered. Prestige drives it.
Museum Quality
Four must-see art destinations around the world debuting in 2025.
THAILAND RISING
Does this Southeast Asian kingdom have what it takes to become Asia's next big art hub? Patron MARISA CHEARAVANONT and curator STEFANO RABOLLI PANSERA certainly think so.
TAKING SHAPE
It might not be as instantly recognisable as the Tank or Santos, but the petite oval Baignoire is swiftly coming into its own as a Cartier horological icon.
ARTISTS TO WATCH 2025
As the Prestige team geared up for Hong Kong's annual art-athon, we also set ourselves the task of identifying the emerging talents from eight East Asian countries, who should all be registering on your cultural radar this year. The following 16 virtuosi made our final cut.
CALL HER BY HER NAME
Defying convention in 1995, DOMAINE ANNE GROS was one of the first eponymous female wine estates in Burgundy. And freedom is still the winemaker's mantra when it comes to her venture in the south of France.
