Van Cleef & Arpels Journeys To Egypt For Its Latest High Jewellery Collection

Diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds narrate an Egyptian tale

For over a century, the mysticism of Ancient Egypt has woven its way through the creative DNA of Van Cleef & Arpels. Prompted initially by the landmark 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, the Maison’s early relationship with the region birthed an aesthetic era defined by Art Deco geometry and rich colour palettes. Manifesting as brooches, bracelets and necklaces designed with Egyptian symbols, Egyptomania found itself at the crux of the Maison’s designs, most of which can be found in Van Cleef & Arpels’ patrimonial collection.

Today, that creative lineage is extended with the Van Cleef & Arpels Fascinating Egypt High Jewellery collection. Spanning 180 abstract and figurative designs, the contemporary narrative retells Egyptian history in a graphic style that meets the modern wearer’s expectations. Each design depicts a unique facet that encourages conversation regarding both its story and its savoir-faire.

At the heart of the new collection lies high jewellery created with the Maison’s patented Mystery Set technique, which allows gemstones to be meticulously set in a way that hides the underlying metal entirely. An example is the Bénou Mystérieux clip, which interprets the sacred solar bird through an intricate play of Traditional Mystery Set emeralds, turquoise, lapis lazuli and a central 2.63 carat pear-shaped diamond. Similarly, the Pharaon sacré clip introduces a synchrony of rose, yellow and white gold, utilising hammered and mirror-polished finishes to create a textured armour draped in rubies and diamonds.

Taking the form of wearable micro-mosaics of Egyptian civilisations, a trio of flexible cuff bracelets replicates architectural motifs, including the Paysage secret, which features hand-cut emeralds, sapphires and spessartite garnets interspersed with gold openwork spelling out “horizon of eternity” in stylised hieroglyphics. Further anchoring the collection’s solar theme, the Beauté légendaire breastplate necklace features a cushion-cut Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond of 10.02 carats suspended from a diamond-set structure mimicking royal finery.

The Maison also pursues its study of ancient hieroglyphic symbols through three cocktail rings: Origine de l’eau, Origine florale and Origine du soleil. In this geometric assortment, each design frames a generously sized cushion-cut centre stone; an 8.71 carat Sri Lankan sapphire, an 8.02 carat Colombian emerald and a 5.04 carat Mozambican ruby, respectively. The radiant engravings on the ring bodies also suggest the day star, a motif prevalent throughout the entire collection.

From the clean symmetry of silhouettes to the expertly set gemstones, Fascinating Egypt side-steps the cliché of historical reproduction, offering a perspective on antiquity that continues to claim a spot in the world’s most coveted personal collections.