MILAN — Van Cleef & Arpels is holding its first major exhibition in Italy at Milan’s Royal Palace, with more than 400 highly crafted jewels created throughout the luxury jeweler’s 113-year history, flanked by archival sketches and other priceless documents.
Curated by Alba Cappellieri, who wished to “prove how the French maison fully represented the 20th century and the eternal values of beauty,” the exhibition is organized in 10 frescoed and richly decorated rooms around three main concepts: Time, Nature and Love, considered as the most representative of the brand. For example, a room is dedicated to Paris and, next to a necklace inspired by the Eiffel Tower, there is a 1945 powder case in gold, rubies, emeralds and diamonds dedicated to the Arc de Triomphe, featuring two women strolling on the Champs Élysées. Another room is dedicated to Exoticism, with a 1971 necklace inspired by India in gold, 44 engraved 18th-century emeralds and 745 diamonds that belonged to the Bégum Salimah Aga Khan. The necklace can be transformed into two bracelets and a brooch.
Curated by Alba Cappellieri, who wished to “prove how the French maison fully represented the 20th century and the eternal values of beauty,” the exhibition is organized in 10 frescoed and richly decorated rooms around three main concepts: Time, Nature and Love, considered as the most representative of the brand. For example, a room is dedicated to Paris and, next to a necklace inspired by the Eiffel Tower, there is a 1945 powder case in gold, rubies, emeralds and diamonds dedicated to the Arc de Triomphe, featuring two women strolling on the Champs Élysées. Another room is dedicated to Exoticism, with a 1971 necklace inspired by India in gold, 44 engraved 18th-century emeralds and 745 diamonds that belonged to the Bégum Salimah Aga Khan. The necklace can be transformed into two bracelets and a brooch.
The 1971 India-inspired necklace.
Patrick Gries
Other pieces include a 1976 tiara worn by Grace Kelly as Princess of Monaco when her daughter Caroline married Philippe Junot in 1978,