It takes a jeweller with immense ardour for its craft, to not point out limitless creativity and unbelievable mastery, to see a mess of potentialities in a single bead of gold.

This was exactly what Van Cleef & Arpels visualised for its Perlée jewelry, having devoted a whole jewelry assortment to one of the conventional constructing blocks of goldsmithing. Van Cleef & Arpels’ Perlée is a contemporary ode to the straightforward but alluring golden beads and the detailed craftsmanship that goes behind every tiny bauble.

Their excellent spherical types work in unison to carry a distinctively reflective shimmer to the Perlée designs – whether or not in bracelets, rings, pendants or earrings – in addition to a beautiful tactility to the creations that beg to be caressed.

Whereas Perlée was launched solely in 2008, these golden beads date way back to the ’20s – serving to stipulate a design to intensify it or to type a border round a gemstone. The golden beads quickly developed right into a de facto motif for the maison, lending a contact of effervescence wherever they appeared. From 1948, Van Cleef & Arpels showcased new interpretations of the golden bead: enlarging them, arranging them in rows, setting them in ascending proportions, and even working with completely different supplies to surprisingly high quality outcomes.

Extremely symbolic of voluminous ’50s jewelry, the charming Couscous bracelets have been significantly memorable, as have been the Bagatelle creations, each of which used spherical treasured gems and decorative stones alongside traditional golden beads. Van Cleef & Arpels additionally often used golden beads, in addition to different textural goldsmithing methods, in its well-liked La Boutique assortment.

The tiny orbs have been particularly outstanding all through the ’60s. Jewelry kinds of the time favoured fluid and versatile shapes, and gold beads have been typically integrated into braids and mixed with decorative stones equivalent to coral, turquoise and cultured pearls within the maison’s Twist assortment.

Not solely has the standard bead change into a stylistic signature unto itself, but it surely has additionally discovered aesthetic concord with vibrant supplies, embracing a time-honoured Van Cleef & Arpels custom established since its earliest years. That elegant pas de deux between lots of of radiant golden beads and equally tiny spheres colored in each hue present in nature supplies a blinding visible spectacle that clearly distinguishes these creations as a Van Cleef & Arpels jewel.

Carrying on this decades-long heritage are the newest additions to the Perlée assortment, glowing with treasured or decorative colored gems, and really aptly named Perlée Couleurs.

HAUTE HUES

Solid in yellow, rose or white gold, the gold beaded motif right here supplies the spine of the brand new Perlée Couleurs designs, through which a symphony of colors from Van Cleef & Arpels’ all-time favorite gems carry the items to life. 5 new rings debut a three- dimensional setting, harking back to the maison’s beloved Philippine rings made in 1968. These Perlée Couleurs rings marry traditional yellow gold with a spread of decorative stones fastidiously chosen based mostly on color, high quality and dimensions.

Black onyx is the timeless favorite in lots of Van Cleef & Arpels creations, whereas wealthy, inexperienced malachite with its mesmerising striations emphasise the ring’s light curves. Glittering lapis lazuli, azure turquoise and orangey-red coral enliven the color palette, crafted solely in small portions as a consequence of their innate rarity.

Certainly, Van Cleef & Arpels is understood for its significantly stringent choice course of of decorative stones, going for heat purple carnelian with a flippantly translucent floor, and turquoise with an intense color and inclusion-free floor. In the meantime, hand- polished onyx shows its attribute shiny, deep black floor, and for lapis lazuli, solely specimens with intense color and evenly distributed pyrite inclusions are accepted.

Even non-mineral gems equivalent to coral and mother-of-pearl aren’t spared the maison’s scrutiny. As well as, the coral used is sustainably produced and chosen based mostly on evenness of hue. The Perlée Couleurs assortment additionally options, for the primary time, lapis lazuli- and coral-set yellow gold pendants and diamond open bracelets.

One other fascinating first is the introduction of colored treasured stones to the Perlée line. The Perlée Couleurs 5-row rings take inspiration from the maison’s Caroline rings and bracelets made within the late ’70s. However this time, its tiny spheres frolic amongst round-cut sapphires, emeralds and rubies, which carry a bolt of color to the fragile shimmer of gold beads. Van Cleef & Arpels expertly {couples} sapphire and emerald with yellow gold, and rubies with pink gold.

Discover how the beads playfully taper downwards in an asymmetrical ring design, which is widest on the high and slimmest on the backside. Polished gold nails safe the gems onto the fabric – a method used for the primary time within the Perlée assortment that requires nice mastery and dexterity from the stone-setter.

Additionally provided in scintillating diamond variations within the Perlée Diamonds line, these 5-row rings lend themselves completely to a few new pairs of domed diamond pavé earrings in white, rose or yellow gold.

GOLDEN HOUR

Together with jewelry, Van Cleef & Arpels debuts new timepieces that embody the refined nuances and detailed high quality craftsmanship of the Perlée line. Expressing the identical exuberance and heritage-rich savoir faire, the 5 new Perlée watches – 4 in 23mm and one in 30mm – bridge the golden bead method with conventional guilloché radiating from the centre of the dial. The result’s a surprising interaction of sunshine solid from all instructions, particularly when worn on the valuable golden bead bracelet.

This playful spirit is writ giant within the Perlée Toi et Moi secret watch, which straddles the jewelry and horological worlds in equal measure. A nod to the toi et moi fashion of jewelry design, it hides a watch dial below a swivelling Perlée motif, set both with turquoise or carnelian and going through a smaller motif in coral, pietersite or diamond pavé.

Embracing the wrist with the Perlée signature golden beads, it has all the trimmings of a Van Cleef & Arpels future traditional, one that’s primed for greatness in time to come back.