‘Unlike old romantic black and white depictions of the skies, all the recent imagery show it’s actually amazingly colourful,’ says CEO and president of Van Cleef & Arpels, Nicolas Bos. The cosmos is the inspiration for the new high jewellery collection, Sous les Etoiles, which draws galaxies, curving comets and celestial figures in brilliant precious stones. ‘If you look at those pictures with the eyes of a jeweller, you see stones,’ he adds. ‘The constellations immediately make you think of sapphires or opals, lapis lazuli, pyrite.’
Bos brings this wealth of colour to life for the new collection which returns to celestial themes a decade after Les Voyages Extraordinaires, the collection which drew its inspiration from a Jules Verne novel. The heavens have long fascinated the maison, from the chic black enamel cigarette cases of the Twenties to the romantic complication watches this century.
These new pieces bring together pyrite-flecked lapis lazuli with chalcedonies and tanzanites cast into hyponisting forms, with mauve sapphires and coral adding a heavenly pop to a bracelet. In the Saturne clip, rings of diamonds circle a half-sphere of hammered yellow gold, with threads of yellow gold under the rings bringing the piece to life. ‘Drawing is two-dimensional, the challenge for the jeweller is to use expertise to bring in a third dimension and give the feeling of movement,’ say Bos. ‘You’re working with the hardest materials that exist – it’s why they last forever – but to use these materials to create feelings of life and movement is a challenge. In this brooch, it could be a flat representation but we work on the volume and play with the reflection of the stones to bring real depth.’
INFORMATION
-
Venerable British car-maker AC goes OTT with the high-output, low-slung AC GT SuperSportPitched at all-American fans of the original AC Cobra, the GT SuperSport is a fearsome two-seat roadster with more muscle than ever before
-
The dynamic young gallerists reinvigorating America's art scene'Hugging has replaced air kissing' in this new wave of galleries with craft and community at their core
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekWhile a few of our editors were in Europe for various showcases and launches, others stayed local, uncovering new cuisines, eccentric exhibitions and glorious gardens this side of the Channel
-
It’s time for the return of the show-stopping table clockA host of brands, from Piaget to Van Cleef & Arpels, are revisiting the table clock in spectacular style
-
All eyes on Greek jewellery brand Lito as it launches bold new amulets to mark its 25 yearsStriking amulets, seductive stones and secret messages characterise Lito's striking new anniversary collection, an extension of its ‘Tu es Partout’ series
-
The best layering necklaces for an elevated yet casual lookHow to mix, match and stack jewellery for the ultimate high-energy, low-effort style
-
Van Cleef & Arpels light up London with the Dance Reflections festivalVan Cleef & Arpels are celebrating their ties with the world of choreography with the second edition of the Dance Reflections festival across London
-
Dazzling high jewellery for statement dressersIntricate techniques, bold precious stones and designs unite in these exquisite high jewellery pieces
-
High jewellery is given a literary twist in Van Cleef & Arpels' new Treasure Island-inspired collectionVan Cleef & Arpels look to Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure story for a high jewellery collection in three parts
-
Take a look at the big winners of the watch world OscarsThe Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève is the Oscars for the watch world – get all the news on the 2024 event here
-
An impressive private jewellery collection goes on public display in Dubai, organised by Van Cleef & Arpels’ L’École, School of Jewelry ArtsLate French collector and antique art dealer Yves Gastou amassed an impressive ring collection, now the subject of an exhibition, ‘Men’s Rings, Yves Gastou Collection’
