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Van Cleef & Arpels embarks on a Treasure Island adventure with its new high jewellery collection, blending playful storytelling with exquisite craftsmanship and jewels
STORYVincenzo La Torre
The whimsical range is the brainchild of Nicolas Bos, group chief executive of parent company Richemont, which also owns Cartier, Jaeger‑LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin and Piaget
French jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels capped a year of remarkable growth in a challenging luxury environment with the unveiling of its latest high jewellery collection, a joyful homage to Treasure Island – the 1883 tale of adventure written by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson.
The whimsical range is the brainchild of former CEO Nicolas Bos, who earlier this year left the brand to become group chief executive at parent company Richemont, the luxury group behind storied maisons such as Cartier, Piaget, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Vacheron Constantin.
In an interview in Paris earlier this year, Bos used words like “playful”, “fun” and “colourful” to describe the collection, which was unveiled in Miami, Florida, this week.
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Van Cleef & Arpels could not have chosen a more apt location to launch creations inspired by seafaring buccaneers and long-lost treasures. The house pulled out all the stops to orchestrate an immersive journey for clients and editors, awakening their inner child with a series of experiences ranging from talks on the history of piracy to walking tours masquerading as “treasure hunts” to discover the hidden gems of Miami Beach’s art deco architecture.
While high jewellery accounts for a small fraction of the overall business at jewellery houses like Van Cleef & Arpels, it still represents the pinnacle of the field: one-of-a-kind pieces made in centuries-old ateliers by skilled artisans, and destined to become collectibles in the jewellery boxes of a few privileged clients and collectors.
“High jewellery is a canvas for expression, the epitome of creativity and craftsmanship, a way to showcase both our heritage and the contemporary expression of Van Cleef & Arpels,” says Catherine Rénier, who has succeeded Bos as CEO, in an interview in Miami. Rénier, who previously worked at Van Cleef & Arpels in France and Hong Kong, rejoined the brand after a six-year stint as CEO of watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre.
“Like haute couture, high jewellery is an important aspect to show who we are, to remain relevant to the times and [to bring] the public’s interest into our world,” she adds. “We are going to advertise the Treasure Island collection with illustrations and images, but the pieces are all sold so it’s just to pique curiosity and educate about the beauty and artistic expression of jewellery. High jewellery is the most complex to make and [requires] the most effort and the longest development, but it matters and gives the maison roots for its future.”
What sets Van Cleef & Arpels apart from other jewellery houses, which tend to focus on the purity of design and the rarity of stones, is its emphasis on storytelling. While design, craftsmanship and stunning stones are also paramount at Van Cleef & Arpels, the narrative element is just as important, inspiring its design studios and workshops to come up with the most fanciful pieces. Following a tradition that has seen the house create collections based on works of literature such as William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Romeo and Juliet, and Jules Verne’s The Extraordinary Voyages, Van Cleef & Arpels conjured up an entire world around a tale of adventure that has delighted readers of all ages for generations.