Estelle Arpels and Alfred Van Cleef: a love story
Once upon a time, there was a story of love and precious stones... It all started in 1895, in the heart of Paris, with the marriage of Estelle Arpels, daughter of a dealer in precious stones, and Alfred Van Cleef, son of a lapidary. The young couple shared the same values: a spirit of enthusiasm and innovation, a sense of family and a passion for precious stones.
Photography of the Van Cleef & Arpels boutique, circa 1906, Van Cleef & Arpels Archives
In 1906, the Maison of Van Cleef & Arpels was born at 22 Place Vendôme, uniting these two names in a common, bejeweled destiny. Their daughter Renée Puissant became Artistic Director of the Maison in 1926. With audacity and imagination, she forged a distinctive, eminently recognizable style for Van Cleef & Arpels.
