Estimated Price:

$40,000 - $50,000

Realised Price:

$101,500

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& ARPELS The flexible band composed of a series of interlocking rings, alternately-set with French-cut sapphires and single, circular and old European-cut diamonds, joined by similarly-set "X" motifs, mounted in platinum, with French hallmarks, in a suede case, circa 1923 -- 7 ins. long Signed by Van Cleef & Arpels, No. 22499 Sylvie Raulet in her book, Van Cleef & Arpels, succinctly stated the philosophy of the firm when she wrote, "Elegance, spareness and proportion have always determined the aesthetic choices of Van Cleef & Arpels." This quote aptly applies to the illustrated bracelet. It was part of a series of geometric compositions that the firm created in 1923 with interlaced circles, rhomboids and squares, set with gemstones in a variety of cuts for contrast. The vogue for sleeveless fashions in the 1920s elevated the role of bracelets to a necessity. Flexible bracelets were so light that they could be worn in multiples. This bracelet is constructed with alternating circles that weave under and through the next, giving it a three-dimensionality. Each circle is linked to the next by an X; the connector providing enough flexibility for movement. In its design and execution, this bracelet truly epitomizes the above statement. It is perfectly proportioned with little decoration other than the essential parts and its elegance is beyond question. For illustration of a page from a Van Cleef & Arpels catalog with this bracelet, see Sylvie Raulet, Van Cleef & Arpels, New York, 1986, page 151.