Van Cleef & Arpels Earrings

Founded in 1906, Van Cleef & Arpels offers designs that are a compelling blend of artistry and technique. Both qualities have earned it a top spot in the pantheon of great European jewelers.

While other high-end jewelers exalt the tenets of restraint, Van Cleef & Arpels infuses its jewelry and timepieces with pure "joie de vivre," selecting the most brilliant colored gemstones and magnificent diamonds to bring its sculptural creations to life.

Today, Van Cleef & Arpels is known for its iconic quatrefoil, but in the early 20th century the jewelry house stood as an icon of Art Deco jewelry design. In addition to inventing (and trademarking) the minaudière, Van Cleef & Arpels were acclaimed for their incorporation of Egyptian motifs, including in their earring designs. Their earrings often glisten with combinations of rubies, sapphires, onyx, and of course diamonds, as the firm was borne from the merger of two diamond families in 1906.

Quick Facts

• The first Van Cleef & Arpels boutique opened in Paris’ Place Vendôme. They now have boutiques across four continents
• Her Imperial Highness Princess Soraya of Iran was an avid devotée of Van Cleef & Arpels jewels. Included in her collection were their mimosa earrings, clustered clips bedecked in yellow gold and diamond that she purchased in 1948, as well as their spectacular platinum and diamond Eventail earrings, purchased in 1950
• Van Cleef & Arpels mystified customers with their 1933 patent for the “Mystery Setting,” which involved delicate, prong-less metal gemstone settings that were invisible when worn