Van Cleef & Arpels

Estelle is the daughter of a precious stone trader and Alfred the son of a diamond dealer. Beyond their love for each other, they shared a love of precious stones. In 1906, the couple opened a jewelry boutique on the legendary Place Vendôme in Paris. Their family would experience a turbulent fate. Yet their love gave rise to jewelry creations each more sublime than the last.

A great success despite the Second World War

From the moment their boutique on Place Vendôme opened, Estelle and Alfred enjoyed great success. Between the 20s and 30s the couple imagined revolutionary jewelry pieces, notably including the leather watch strap at a time when the pocket watch was still fashionable. After Alfred's death in 1938, the horror of the war caught up with the family and the Van Cleef & Arpels boutique was placed under “Christian administration”. Having gone into exile in the United States, the family then designed jewelry inspired by American fashion. A piece of jewelry representing a ballerina where fairies appeared in the new collections and became the emblem of the house… The second generation of jewelers was born. The style of the 20th century would be a blend of French elegance and American culture. Despite the hardships and the war, it can be said that the house of Van Cleef & Arpels built its success on three guiding principles: love, creativity and innovation.

The key dates of Van Cleef & Arpels

The opening of the boutique at 22 Place Vendôme in 1906 is of course the most important date in the house's history. In 1925, Van Cleef & Arpels won the grand prize at the International Exhibition of Decorative, Industrial and Modern Arts for the rose bracelet. In 1935, the Duke of Windsor commissioned a first piece of jewelry for the Duchess. In 1939, the house created the set of jewelry for Queen Fawzia of Egypt. In 1950, the Shah of Iran commissioned a diamond bracelet for Her Highness Princess Soraya. In 1956, it was a wedding set of jewelry that Grace Kelly commissioned from the house of Van Cleef & Arpels. In 1973, Van Cleef & Arpels became the first French jewelry house to establish itself in Japan. In 1976, the house launched its first fragrance, First… Every decade, the house of Van Cleef & Arpels has imagined creations more extraordinary than the last, such as the Marguerite couscous watch, a tiara, the Baroda jewelry set, the Galilée clock...

Born of a love story between Estelle Arpels and Alfred Van Cleef in 1895, the house of Van Cleef & Arpels creates, innovates and moves from success to success. Life's hardships have taken nothing away from their creativity, which is passed down from generation to generation. In 2012, the Van Cleef & Arpels school crowned more than 100 years of expertise and love!