Vintage Van Cleef & Arpels Beyond the Alhambra

For many people, Van Cleef & Arpels means the Alhambra clover. The house had been making extraordinary jewelry for more than seventy years before the Alhambra appeared in 1968, and much of that earlier work is more rare and more interesting to collect. This guide covers vintage Van Cleef beyond the clover.

A short history

The house was founded in Paris in 1896, after Alfred Van Cleef married Estelle Arpels, and it opened on the Place Vendôme in 1906. In the 1930s it introduced two of its most famous inventions: the Mystery Set technique, patented in 1933, in which rubies or sapphires are set so that no metal shows between the stones, and the minaudière, an elegant evening case. Van Cleef came to New York at the end of the 1930s and opened on Fifth Avenue in 1942. Many of the pieces collectors look for today were made or sold in New York during the 1940s and 1950s.

What to collect

Figures and animals

From the 1940s on, Van Cleef made clips and brooches in the shape of ballerinas, fairies, jesters and animals. They are often set with colorful stones and enamel, and each one has its own personality. Our Van Cleef & Arpels jester brooch in enamel, coral and diamonds is identical to one that belonged to the Duchess of Windsor. The "Jewels of a Rajah" brooch, circa 1950 and signed Van Cleef & Arpels NY, is built around three cabochon emeralds with rubies and a rose cut diamond.

Mystery Set pieces

Mystery Set jewels take many hours of work and only a small number were made each year. They are among the most valued Van Cleef pieces at auction. When you see one, look closely at the surface of the stones. They should be even and well matched, and any replaced or chipped stones should be disclosed.

Gemstone jewelry

Van Cleef also made serious jewelry with important stones. Our ruby and diamond ring from the estate of Frank Sinatra, made in 1976, has three oval rubies in a platinum mounting and comes with a Van Cleef & Arpels certificate of authenticity.

Gold and color

From the 1950s through the 1970s the house made bold yellow gold jewelry with coral, turquoise, onyx and colored stones. These pieces are easy to wear and still look current. Browse our coral and diamond necklace, turquoise necklace and onyx and diamond dome earrings.

What to look for

• Signature and number: vintage pieces are usually signed Van Cleef & Arpels or VCA and carry a serial number. Pieces made in New York are often marked NY.
• Hallmarks: French-made pieces should have French gold or platinum marks. American-made pieces will have American marks.
• Construction: the back of a Van Cleef piece should be as well finished as the front.
• Paperwork: a certificate from the house, an original box or a documented history all add confidence and value.

Our guide on how to authenticate Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry goes into more detail.

See them in person

You can browse everything we currently have in our Van Cleef & Arpels collection. To see any piece up close, book a private viewing at our gallery in Rockefeller Center.