In keeping with the Perlée™ collection’s inventiveness, Van Cleef & Arpels presents new creations that reassert its rounded aesthetic. Three Between the Finger™ Rings give pride of place to hard stones, while a diamondset pendant and matching earstuds display varying tones of gold. Faithful to the tradition of the beaded contour so dear to the Maison, they all suggest associations – bold or delicate that can be composed to suit every occasion. Encapsulating ancestral savoir-faire, the Perlée collection’s border of gentle and sparkling golden beads is now associated with one of Van Cleef & Arpels’ emblematic signatures: the Between the Finger Ring. With their twin motifs linked by an open ring, these pieces adorn the hand thanks to a curvaceous duet of cabochons – one in hard stone, the other in gold set with diamonds.
Each ring is enhanced by a precious dialogue: yellow gold accentuates the singular beauty of malachite, white gold reveals the luminosity of turquoise, while gentle pink gold echoes the radiant color of carnelian. These precious combinations are magni%ed by a border of golden beads, which unfurls around each cabochon in two or three rows. Matching these creations, a pendant and earstuds reinterpret the diamond-set cabochon in yellow, white and pink gold. Feminine and timeless, these jewelry pieces illuminate the silhouette with discretion. Ever since the Perlée collection was created, its pieces have lent themselves to varied associations and complemented other collections by Van Cleef & Arpels. There is a combination to suit every taste: sparkling pieces, like the Perlée diamonds pendant or earrings, are a perfect match for set or engraved creations such as the Perlée clovers ring, the Perlée signature bracelet or the Frivole diamond ring. White, pink and yellow gold form a delicate harmony, notably in the shape of three Perlée pearls of gold bracelets. Perlée couleurs pieces compose infinite combinations with an Alhambra® long necklace, pendant and ring or in a more *oral version with Cosmos earrings.
From the selection of diamonds and hard stones to setting and polishing the gold, the Perlée collection reflects all Van Cleef & Arpels’ jewelry-making savoir-faire. The gold beads are reworked individually by hand, then patiently polished until they acquire their characteristic sparkle while maintaining a rounded profile. Every detail is carefully studied, as evidenced by the Perlée clovers rings whose surfaces have been subtly softened to make them even more comfortable to wear. On the set pieces, openwork on the gold allows the light to pass through and accentuates the beauty of the diamonds. The latter have been chosen according to the same stringent criteria as any Van Cleef & Arpels creation: D, E or F for color and IF, VVS1 or VVS2 for clarity. The hard stones also meet particularly high standards. The deep green malachite derives its poetry from straight, regular striations that run through its surface; the blue of the turquoise stands out for its intense, opaque and uniform color; the carnelian has been chosen for the consistency of its deep and warm orangey-red hue, enhanced by careful polishing. At every stage of the creative process, the quest for excellence endows each jewel with the emotion of a rare piece.
The Perlée collection dates from 2008, yet golden beads have been part of Van Cleef & Arpels’ history since the 1920s. The Maison used a thin thread of metal grains to outline the motifs of certain jewels, such as the Egyptian-style pieces in vogue following the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb in 1922. From 1948 onwards, gold beads became a style in their own right and blossomed on numerous Van Cleef & Arpels collections. An example can be found in the yellow gold necklaces, earrings, bracelets and watches of the astonishing Couscous collection – born out of by a trip to Morocco by the Arpels family. The 1960s’ taste for soft, *uid shapes gave rise to the Twist collection which combines gold beads, coral beads and cultured pearls in a delicate spiral and the Alhambra motif, fringed with an elegant beaded contour. In 2008, the gold bead aesthetic inspired the Perlée collection. Since then, the Maison has continually reinvented it with evocatively named creations: Perlée pearls of gold, Perlée couleurs, Perlée diamonds, Perlée clovers and Perlée signature.
No comments:
Post a Comment