Ode to an exceptional stone

Friday, 08 July 2016, by

The Émeraude en majesté collection bears witness to the special attachment that Van Cleef & Arpels has always felt for emeralds.

Like a demanding, patient and enthusiastic collector, the Maison has taken the time to search the world for exceptional emeralds. It now pays tribute to them with a set of interpretations that reveal all their beauty and character. Whether originating in the historic deposits of Colombia, the mines of Zambia or antique jewels, each stone is showcased by a design created specially for it. Undulating lines, abstract motifs and associations of colors magnify the emerald in all its nuances and cuts. The emerald cut brings out the volume of the stone, with a geometric spirit faithful to the French classical tradition. In their reflections, the other faceted cuts – round, cushion or pear-shaped – celebrate the vivacity of a shade of green or the luminosity of a specific crystallization. Like a gentle invitation, some polished stones offer the roundness of a bead or cabochon. With their delicate sensuality, they accentuate the color’s depth in a unique way. Within this variety of forms, some engraved emeralds display a singular charm. Shaped by the hand of man, they evoke the Indian ornamental tradition that has inspired the Maison since the 1920s. With its wealth of influences, the Van Cleef & Arpels style here informs a variety of creations: a Colombian emerald weighing 13.52 carats nestles in a precious diamond foliage, while a drapery of Zambian beads caresses the neck like a fabric. In keeping with the Maison’s sources of inspiration, the collection combines the freedom and mastery, the poetry and structure, the vitality and harmony that are so characteristic of both nature and couture. With its numerous transformable pieces, it reflects the virtuosity of the Mains d’Or™, craftsmen whose skills come together to celebrate a stone that offers a constant surprise to the eye: the emerald.

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White gold, yellow gold, round, tapered-cut, triangle-cut, baguette-cut and pear-shaped diamonds, buff-topped round emeralds, 9 emerald-cut emeralds for a total of 42.07 carats (Colombia). Detachable clip.

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White gold, platinum, round, square-cut, baguette-cut, half-moon and pear-shaped diamonds, one natural white pearl of 26.82 carats, one cushion-cut emerald of 26.43 carats (Colombia). Detachable clip and natural pearl.

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White gold, round, square-cut, asscher-cut, baguette-cut and obus-cut diamonds, 150 emerald beads for a total of 244.24 carats (Zambia). Reversible necklace.

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White gold, platinum, round diamonds, baguette-cut emeralds, one pear-shaped
D IF diamond of 3.03 carats, one pear-shaped emerald of 3 carats (Zambia).

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White gold, round and baguette-cut diamonds, round and buff-topped pear-shaped sapphires, 11 octagonal-cut emeralds for a total of 19.38 carats (Colombia).