Birds: the beauty of nature in flight
True embodiments of unfettered nature in motion, birds figure predominantly in the history of Van Cleef & Arpels. As of the 1910s, diamond birds and feathers appeared on lapels and atop hats. Since then, the Maison’s fascination with birds has never ceased, with pieces depicting the hovering flight of hummingbirds and the vibrant feathers of exotic species. In the 1940s, the tenderness of a family of lovebirds perched upon a branch, mingled with the courtship ritual of Oiseaux de Paradis®, as well as the spirited momentum of birds fleeing their cage.
Drawing featuring a Lovebirds clip, circa 1950, Van Cleef & Arpels Archives
Drawing featuring a Bird clip, circa 1965, Van Cleef & Arpels Archives
To express the myriad nuances of avian radiance, the Maison’s expertise extends to a wide range of ornamental and precious stones. Turquoise, onyx and carnelian mix with diamonds and colored gems to bring creations suffused with grace and lightness to life.
Perroquet clip
White gold, rose gold, sapphires, onyx, chalcedony, pink opal, black spinels, Mystery Set™ sapphires and buff-topped marquise-cut Mystery Set™ sapphires, diamonds
Les Voyages Extraordinaires™ collection
Bird clip, 1946
Yellow gold, platinum, four cabochon-cut sapphires for 33.18 carats, rubies, diamonds
Heritage collection
Colombes clip
White gold, rose gold, mauve and pink sapphires, rubies, black spinels, white mother-of-pearl, diamonds
L’Arche de Noé racontée par Van Cleef & Arpels collection
In 2010, the Navette Mystery Set™ technique, a veritable achievement in the world of jewelry making, lent its generous volumes to the Perroquet Mystérieux clip, part of the High Jewelry collection Les Voyages Extraordinaires™.
In 2016, Van Cleef & Arpels dedicated a High-Jewelry collection to the animal kingdom with a multicolor rendering of Noah’s Ark. Feathered twosomes are represented in clips made of hard and precious stones: parrots, penguins, swans, peacocks, toucans, geese and phoenixes take flight in the Maison’s avian parade.
Positioning the eye in onyx, Lucky Animals Dove clip, rose gold, mother-of-pearl, onyx
