The revolving treasures discovered by Van Cleef and Arpels in Maastricht

On a point encrusted with blue sapphires, she hovers… her gaping top, encrusted with diamonds, flutters like lace. The ultra-realistic Leonor, named after the graceful ballerina born in the workshops of jewelers Van Cleef & Arpels, wowed visitors to Tefaf (European Fine Art Fair), whose latest edition was held from March 9 to 14 in Maastricht, the Netherlands.

For eleven years, the House of Van Cleef & Arpels has been associated with the prestigious art and antiques fair, unveiling its high jewelery masterpieces alongside paintings, sculptures and objets d’art. The seven pieces revealed this year – five historical and two contemporary pieces – are sure to make the rounds. Like the twirling ballerina Leonore, Van Cleef & Arpels let her imagination soar.

Beating wings

The jeweler’s creation in the window turned into a ring inspired by Batus philenor, an American butterfly discovered in 1771 by Swedish naturalist Carl von Linne. This transformative gem deploys the inlaid colors of onyx, turquoise and white pearl around a flower bud set in a 2.5-carat EVVS2 diamond surrounded by perfect curve-cut rubies. When worn, the Entre Les Doigts Papillon Philenor ring offers the illusion of a creature delicately placed on the hand, thanks to a technique developed by Van Cleef & Arpels.

Style revolutions

In the constant dialogue between yesterday and today, between tradition and innovation, the brand has also chosen the five treasures of its “Héritage” collection. It brings together around 120 vintage pieces made between the 1920s and 1990s, all of which have been subjected to in-depth examination before being offered for sale. Consolidating know-how and audacity, the five jewels enthroned in Tefaf are rooted in the history of creation. From the 1943 leafy clip of flirting with abstraction, we witness the return of nature after the war; The 1947 Leaf Clip allows a luminous pave of multiple diamonds to flourish with a baguette-cut ruby ​​on the enigmatic. Adjustment:

Another era in opulence the sixties and: seventies, the jeweler cascades sapphires (on the earrings) and turquoise (on the bracelet) into cabochons. The best example of the stylistic revolutions brought about by the Place Vendôme jeweler is his minaudrey, an innovation between jewelry and objet d’art that we owe to Charles Arpels in 1933. Dated 1961 kept in the collection of a famous ship owner. From there to fantasizing about the owner, slipping into his red tube, and taking one last look in the mirror before going to the opera… Irresistible.