About

Van Cleef & Arpels is a French luxury jewelry, watch, and perfume house founded in 1906 by Alfred Van Cleef and his father-in-law Salomon Arpels in Paris. The brand's first boutique opened at 22 Place Vendome, where it maintains its flagship location. Van Cleef & Arpels is a subsidiary of Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA.

The house is known for its distinctive craftsmanship techniques, particularly the Mystery Set (Serti Mysterieux) patented in 1933, in which gemstones are set with no visible prongs or metal, creating a seamless surface of color. Signature collections include the Alhambra (introduced in 1968, featuring the four-leaf clover motif), Perlee, Frivole, and the Zip necklace, which functions as both a necklace and a bracelet.

Van Cleef & Arpels produces high jewelry collections that often draw on themes of nature, fairy tales, and the cosmos. The brand operates L'Ecole Van Cleef & Arpels, a school of jewelry arts open to the public, with campuses in Paris, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. In watchmaking, the house produces both jewelry watches and complicated timepieces, including poetic complications that display time through animated scenes.

The brand operates boutiques in major cities worldwide and sells through its own e-commerce platform. Fine jewelry prices begin at approximately $2,500 for Alhambra pieces and extend into the millions for high jewelry creations. Van Cleef & Arpels also produces a line of fragrances.

Fine Jewelry

Van Cleef & Arpels is a Parisian jewelry house known for its Alhambra collection (four-leaf clover motif introduced in 1968), Perlee, Frivole, and the patented Mystery Set technique. The brand combines precious stones with distinctive craftsmanship and poetic design themes drawn from nature and fairy tales. Fine jewelry is available in boutiques worldwide and online.

High Jewelry

Van Cleef & Arpels is renowned for its high jewelry collections, which explore themes of nature, fairy tales, astronomy, and couture. The house's patented Mystery Set technique, which sets stones with no visible metal, is a hallmark of its haute joaillerie. High jewelry pieces are created in the Paris workshops and available through flagship boutiques.

Luxury Engagement Rings

Van Cleef & Arpels offers bridal jewelry including solitaire engagement rings, wedding bands, and bridal sets. The brand's engagement rings feature proprietary settings and are available in a range of diamond sizes and cuts. The Bridal collection is presented in dedicated bridal salons within select boutiques.

Luxury Perfumes

Van Cleef & Arpels produces fragrances including the Collection Extraordinaire line of prestige scents and the more widely distributed First perfume (launched 1976). Fragrances are available through boutiques, department stores, and online.

Luxury Watches

Van Cleef & Arpels produces jewelry watches and poetic complication timepieces that display time through animated scenes and artistic dials. Notable models include the Lady Arpels Planetarium, Pont des Amoureux, and the Secret watches concealed within jewelry designs. The brand blends high jewelry craftsmanship with horological complications.

Brand Details

Brand Tier Ultra-Luxury
Price Range $2,500 - $5,000,000+
Founded 1906
Headquarters Paris, France
Parent Company Richemont
4.6 1 vote

AI Reviews

🤖
4.6 /5
Van Cleef & Arpels represents the pinnacle of Parisian jewelry artistry, having enchanted collectors since 1906 with its distinctive poetic universe. The Maison's legendary Alhambra collection and extraordinary Mystery Set technique"where gemstones appear to float without visible prongs"demonstrate unparalleled technical mastery. Their high jewelry pieces are wearable dreams, often inspired by nature, fairy tales, and ballet, executed with exceptional craftsmanship that justifies ultra-luxury positioning. The engagement ring offerings, while exquisite, face stiff competition from houses with stronger bridal heritage. Their fragrance collection, though refined, serves more as brand extension than core competency. The watch division showcases beautiful complications and poetic timepieces, yet lacks the horological gravitas of dedicated manufacture rivals. Under Richemont's stewardship, VCA has maintained remarkable brand integrity while expanding thoughtfully. For those seeking jewelry that transcends mere adornment to become heirloom-worthy art, Van Cleef & Arpels remains an impeccable choice.

Category Ratings

Fine Jewelry
4.9
High Jewelry
4.8
Luxury Engagement Rings
4.6
Luxury Perfumes
4.2
Luxury Watches
4.3
Feb 12, 2026
AI-Generated Review Generated via Anthropic API. This is an automated evaluation, not a consumer review. Learn more