Vernissage Sponsor Van Cleef & Arpels Mounts Historical Jewelry Exhibit
Thursday, 11 September 2008
While taking on the exclusive Vernissage sponsorship of the 12th annual Palm Beach Fair, the internationally known jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels is also highlighting at the show two major collections of important jewels spanning the company’s 101-year-old history.
Van Cleef’s presence at the fair represents the first time the venerable jeweler has participated in this major fair on the global art circuit.
Among the most notable pieces in the Van Cleef & Arpels Heritage exhibit at the fair is this emerald-and-diamond necklace made by special order for Princess Salimah Aga Khan in 1971. Priced at $1.4 million, the necklace and detachable pendant feature 59 carved emerald beads and more than 800 round diamonds.
“It is entirely fitting that we commemorate our participation in this acclaimed show with our extraordinary exhibition,” says Emmanuel Perrin, president and chief executive officer of the Americas for Van Cleef & Arpels. The jewelry house will showcase a collection of iconic vintage examples and a new collection of contemporary pieces.
Van Cleef jewels have long been recognized in the museum world, and examples of the jeweler’s work can be found in such major fine-arts institutions as the Metropolitan Museum of Art as well as in institutions abroad.
“There are more than 50 museums worldwide with Van Cleef jewelry in their holdings,” says Nicolas Luchsinger, who heads up Van Cleef’s U.S. archives.
Nor is this jewelry house a stranger to the Palm Beach environs. The company opened its Worth Avenue location in 1940, just a year after the Fifth Avenue store was established.
The two collections on view at the fair include “Heritage,” composed of historic examples illustrating a century of distinctive design and craftsmanship, while the new “L’Atlantide” collection of high-style jewelry is said to nod at the company’s dynamic future.
Close to 60 period examples will be displayed. “Ranging from the Belle Epoque and Art Deco to the Retro periods, the jewelry on view encapsulates the evolution of Van Cleef style with brilliance,” says Luchsinger.
Founded in 1906 in Paris, Van Cleef & Arpels was early on recognized as a leader in creative designs coupled with high-quality craftsmanship. The vintage examples on view have all been fully restored, and each comes with a certificate of authenticity established through Van Cleef’s archives.
Taking center stage in Palm Beach will be a rare, important emerald necklace, circa 1971, originally commissioned for the Princess Salima Aga Khan.
Completed with emerald beads from the Aga Khan’s jewel collection, the 59 emerald beads weigh about 638 carats and are encircled with 807 diamonds.
Only one example of Van Cleef’s reach into the higher echelons of international royalty, the necklace is priced at $1.4 million.
L’Atlantide, meanwhile, features one-of-a kind fantastical creatures studded with precious gems such as sapphires, diamonds and rubies. Based on marine life and extraordinary fauna, L’Atlantide was designed to appeal to contemporary art enthusiasts as well as those intrigued by precious gems in dazzling new designs.
Highlights on display include the exquisite Océanide clip, whose movement transforms a sea creature into a flower in a swirl of blue sapphires; the whimsical Calypso pendant, its centerpiece composed of a block of onyx set with diamonds and white gold coral-like branches; and Maéra, a necklace of graduated sapphires with a rare a black opal.
To celebrate its participation in the Palm Beach Fair, Van Cleef & Arpels signed on as the exclusive sponsor of Vernissage, held Jan. 31 and raising funds for the Mosaic Fund, a philanthropic endowment dedicated to supporting non-profit programs in the arts and arts education throughout Palm Beach and Martin counties.
“Unquestionably, our sponsorship of the Palm Beach Fair is simply another way we are cementing our presence in the world of collecting at the highest levels,” says Perrin.
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No. 1 — January 28th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
must be expensive jewels had been exhibit in there.