Lucky Streak: Van Cleef & Arpels Debuts 5 New Alhambra Jewels

The theme of luck has long been a major inspiration and motivation for Van Cleef & Arpels — Estelle Arpels’ nephew Jacques was fond of the saying, “To be lucky, you have to believe in luck.” This conviction has led to some of the Maison’s most iconic designs, such as those featuring charms and fairies. Van Cleef & Arpels’ first sketches based on the four-leaf clover appeared in the 1910s, and in 1968 it launched the Alhambra collection with a 20-motif long necklace in creased gold. Its clean, elegant design was influenced by the glamour and free-spiritedness of the era and the popularity of yellow gold then, and it went on to be presented among jewellery intended for daytime wear, meant to encourage mixing and matching, and to be styled based on the wearer’s creativity, preference and attitude.

After the Alhambra collection’s debut, new variations were unveiled in succession, a development illustrative of the versatility of the Alhambra concept, which grew to encompass necklaces, bracelets, rings, Between the Finger rings, pendants, earrings and watches. The openness of the Alhambra design accentuated the innate qualities of the gemstones and materials used, which were dizzying in variety: diamond, carnelian, lapis lazuli, chalcedony, malachite, onyx, agate, rock crystal, turquoise, mother-of-pearl, tiger’s eye, and letterwood from South America, as well as rosy pink gold. Alhambra jewellery quickly found its way into the collections of cultural icons such as Grace Kelly, Romy Schneider and Françoise Hardy.

At the same time, Alhambra launches coalesced into distinct ranges, each embracing an unmistakable silhouette and presentation — Vintage Alhambra, which most closely resembles the 1968 original, with equally sized motifs; Pure Alhambra, with smooth gold surfaces and polished, rounded edges; Magic Alhambra, distinguished by motifs in varying sizes, arranged in playful asymmetry; Sweet Alhambra, marked by delicate miniature motifs; Byzantine Alhambra, bearing both solid and openwork motifs; and Lucky Alhambra, which includes nature-inspired motifs like leaves and stars. These diverse designs and myriad ways of styling them prove how the Alhambra collection’s jewellery and watches are refined, imaginative and adaptable, but always harmonious.

Debuting along with these five new Vintage Alhambra creations is a rose gold Sweet Alhambra wristwatch, with a white mother-of-pearl dial. The beaded design that dominates the 23-mm Swiss quartz movement timepiece is a nod to the emblematic technique of the brand and its goldsmithing expertise, and the fully articulated bracelet, a supple band that fits like a second skin, can be detached and replaced with straps of other materials, such as grosgrain fabric and alligator leather.

The traditional engraving technique of guilloché can be seen in the Maison’s pieces as early as the 1910s, when it first appeared on watch dials; some 20 years later, it made its way to adorn boxes, powder cases, and minaudières, complemented by gemstones, and now it is the focal point of the latest Alhambra launches. The collection exemplifies the high jewellery savoir-faire of the Maison, by highlighting the beaded contours reworked by master jewellers and the painstaking polishing done to bring out the luminosity of the precious metal, resulting in jewellery that’s spectacular down to the very last detail.