In the 18th century, aristocrats had to complete the Grand Tour in order to gain entry into society. This cultural pilgrimage through Europe served as a rite of passage, combining education, networking, and the pursuit of refinement. For Van Cleef & Arpels, this journey becomes a rich source of inspiration for its latest high jewellery collection, Le Grand Tour.
Composed of approximately 70 unique high jewellery creations, Le Grand Tour is a glorious showcase of Van Cleef & Arpels’ exceptional creativity, savoir-faire and exquisite taste in gems. Furthermore, it is a beautiful demonstration of how an extraordinary journey can become an immeasurable source of inspiration.
“At the beginning of the 20th century, when Van Cleef & Arpels was founded, curiosity for other cultures, periods and art forms fueled one’s imagination and gave rise to innovative creations. But even before that, travelling abroad to discover the vestiges of ancient civilisations served as a mind-opening practice for European intellectuals and artists… We still travel to widen our perspectives, seeking new experiences and encounters,” says Nicolas Bos, President and CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels.
By following the well-trodden trail of these 18th-century aristocrats, the maison’s master jewellers have expertly recreated the majestic views of Europe’s most cherished cities into breathtaking jewellery pieces. “The result is like a colourful sketchbook that invites you to dive into destinations and gemstones,” says Bos. Here are the highlights from each city:
London
Van Cleef & Arpels is inspired by Antonio Canova’s statue of the goddess Hebe, which can be found in the Sculpture Garden at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire. The Dea eterna clip portrays the goddess holding a golden pitcher, standing on an unpolished lapis lazuli rough and encased in a diamond-set pavilion that resembles a temple. The magnificent brooch is adorned with a 3.47-ct Madagascan pink sapphire, diamonds, sapphires and a sumptuous cultured grey pearl.
Paris
The Lucendi earrings evoke the splendour and luxury of the French royal court and are inspired by 18th-century chandeliers. It boasts a unique bowl-shaped silhouette typical of chandelier designs from that era. Adorned with stunning mauve sapphires and diamonds, it also boasts two oval-cut rubellites (weighing 11.48 and 10.14 ct) dangling suggestively from a delicate rose gold chain.
The Alps
The ethereal beauty of the Alps in winter is represented by the Regina Montium necklace, set with two large blue-green tourmalines surrounded by diamonds, sapphires, aquamarines and tanzanites. In true Van Cleef & Arpels style, the detachable pendant can be worn separately as a brooch.
Venice
The Reine de L’Adriatique is a spectacular necklace and clip set inspired by Piazza San Marco in Venice. Featuring diamonds, turquoise, lapis lazuli, and sapphires, the necklace has an openwork design that mimics the Grand Canal. At the same time, its geometric shapes and colours are reminiscent of the Piazza San Marco’s architecture and costumed harlequins. The central medallion, set with a 9.40-ct sapphire centre stone, can be replaced by a clip showcasing a micro mosaic of gems depicting the view of Venice from the sea. The design portrays the city of Venice in the 18th century, set against a turquoise sky, diamond clouds and a sea of lapis lazuli.
Florence
The Birth of Venus, a renowned masterpiece from the Italian Renaissance, was created by Sandro Botticelli in 1485. Van Cleef & Arpels pays tribute to this great artist by offering the Ode à l’amour ring, a highly realistic creation sculpted from gold with a three-dimensional texture resembling a seashell. It features a 4.04-ct oval-cut pink sapphire set in a rose gold shell with raised edges to protect the stone. Around the focal stone, rubies, pink sapphires, and diamonds are delicately scattered, while a border of diamonds accentuates the shell’s contour. The white gold shank is adorned with diamonds and decorated with marine life, including cockles and seashells.
Rome
Diana transformable necklace
It is a well-known saying that all roads lead to Rome. For Van Cleef & Arpels, this city has been the most significant source of inspiration for the Le Grand Tour collection. This transformable long necklace is named after the temple of Diana in the gardens of the Villa Borghese in Rome. It features an 8.55-cat Madagascan sapphire surrounded by emeralds, sapphires, diamonds, and cultured pearls. The cushion cut of the sapphire showcases its lovely blue colour and crystal structure, while the three-dimensional motif surrounding it is adorned with light and dark blue sapphires, as well as diamonds. The central medallion is complemented by three pendeloques of cultured pearls and topped off with a small rose gold cage enclosing another sapphire and a tassel of pearls and emerald beads that increase in size. The design of this necklace has been meticulously crafted to offer multiple wear options, requiring hours of work to perfect its flexibility and user-friendly transformation mechanisms.
Naples
The Symphonie Florale, Symphonie Végétale, and Symphonie De l’eau clips evoke the lush gardens of the villas along the Amalfi coast, further adding to the house’s rich legacy of producing magnificent brooches . Intricately interlaced bands adorned with stones and gadroons feature diamond-studded leaves in varying sizes, crafted from rose or white gold. The design is reminiscent of the multilevel terraces found in gardens. These bouquets, adorned with precious jewels including garnets, sapphires, tourmalines, and a 5.88-ct Australian black opal, are bursting with colour and vitality.
Baden-Baden
The Schäppel ring recalls the festive traditions of Baden-Baden in the Black Forest, where participants wear vibrant headdresses adorned with colourful beads, ribbons, and flowers. A 3.28-ct cushion-cut ruby is surrounded by an array of vibrant gemstones, including emeralds, rubies, pink and yellow sapphires, and spessartite garnets, as well as sparkling diamonds. Rose gold beads and a diamond-set white gold shank accentuate the beauty of this stunning piece.
