The Many Facets of Van Cleef & Arpels’ Perlée Collection

Words by Sophia Miller

Fine jewellery wouldn’t be fine jewellery if it didn’t inspire a sense of wonder: after all, the world’s foremost maisons pride themselves on centuries of savoir-faire. Van Cleef & Arpels is one such storied name. Founded in 1906 by Alfred Van Cleef and Esther Arpels at 22 Place Vendôme, Van Cleef & Arpels has always been known for its poetic, verging on whimsical, lens. From the Lucky Animals collection to the Alhambra motif inspired by a four-leaf clover, each new release offers a glimpse into a universe of, yes, exceptional craft – but also fun. This is fine jewellery that does joy and glamour in equal measure.

The Perlée collection is one such example. First launched in 2008, the now-legacy line celebrates the golden bead, a motif revisited by the maison since the 1940s for its intricate texture and light-diffusing properties. Now, the collection plays with these time-honoured signatures in new and creative ways: used in a single, delicate line, stacked across a chunkier piece, or interspersed with diamonds and gems.

These perles – or beads – are painstakingly crafted in a variety of different diameters from yellow, rose or white gold using wax casts, an ancient jewellery-making technique long-forgotten by most modern manufacturers. Each bead is then reworked by hand for a perfectly rounded, polished result. Applied to rings, necklaces and bracelets, these tiny golden beads make a much bigger impact: they’re both strikingly shiny but also enduringly wearable.

When it comes to diamonds, Van Cleef & Arpels is exacting in choosing which ones are destined to sit alongside its beloved perles. Only colours ranging from D to F (those that appear almost completely colourless) and clarity grades from IF to VVS (those with no or almost no internal flaws when inspected under a microscope) are accepted. Sapphires, emeralds, and rubies undergo a strict selection process as well. The Stone Department starts by assessing their intensity – the colour must be bold and consistent – while also paying attention to the beauty and the vital spark each stone. What else from a maison particularly renowned for its savoir-faire?