“Van Cleef & Arpels: Time, Nature, Love"Exhibition in Riyadh

A Dazzling Display of History, Artistry and Innovation; Discover the “Van Cleef & Arpels: Time, Nature, Love" Exhibition in Riyadh this January

The “Van Cleef & Arpels: Time, Nature, Love” patrimonial exhibition puts the stunning pieces by the French High Jewelry Maison on display at the Saudi National Museum in Riyadh, from January 19^th to April 15^th, 2023.

Supported by the Saudi Ministry of Culture, the exhibition will feature more than 280 jewelry pieces, watches and precious objects created since Van Cleef & Arpels was founded in 1906, alongside more than 90 archival documents, sketches and gouaché designs.

Laila Alfaddagh, Director of the National Museum of Saudi Arabia, said, "The National Museum of Saudi Arabia is proud to host the ‘Van Cleef & Arpels: Time, Nature, Love’ exhibition. Museums are beacons of knowledge and they serve as educational centers to preserve history and pass it on to future generations. The partnership between the National Museum of Saudi Arabia and Van Cleef & Arpels represents an opportunity for cultural exchange, introducing the French Maison's rich and fascinating history to audiences in the Middle East and showcasing jewelry creations that reflect innovation in design.”

“We are very happy to already have two boutiques in the city and to have forged links with several Saudi cultural institutions over the years. We are glad to nurture this longstanding relationship and to be welcomed in the Saudi National Museum. This exhibition will be the first of its kind in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This lasting collaboration makes for a valuable exchange of views and enriches the way our creations are perceived,” stated Nicolas Bos, President and Chief Executive Officer of Van Cleef & Arpels.

The exhibition is curated by Alba Cappellieri, Professor of Jewelry Design at Milan Polytechnic University and President of the Milano Fashion Institute and its scenography is conceived by international architect-designer Johanna Grawunder. Drawing from Italian writer Italo Calvino’s Six Memos for the Next Millennium, Alba Cappellieri chose key concepts through which she interprets the Maison’s creations. The exhibition is divided into three sections representing three themes: Time, Nature and Love. These three themes testify to the Maison’s distinctive innovation, creativity and craftsmanship expressed by the striking patrimonial creations on display.

Time

The creative process is inextricably linked to time in its myriad facets. In addition to the time dedicated to producing them, Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry and precious objects are rooted in a specific age, a context that weaves subtle connections between Paris and the world, past and future, jewelry and other disciplines. In the center of this complex environment, the Maison has succeeded in building a distinctive and coherent style in constant evolution, and a legacy of chemistry between creativity, innovation and timeless elegance.

Time – Quickness

Ludo secret watch with flaps, 1949 Yellow gold, platinum, Mystery Set sapphires, diamonds Van Cleef & Arpels Collection

This secret watch first

launched in 1934 and named in reference to Louis Arpels,

known to his friends as “Ludo.”

This Ludo bracelet-watch from 1949 exemplifies the Maison's

mechanical savoir-faire. The rectangular dial is concealed

beneath two spring-loaded flaps – hence the name "secret

watch" – surrounded by Mystery Set sapphire crescents. The

mechanism to open the flaps, themselves engraved with a

brick pattern to match the band, is operated by pushing the

two sapphire arches towards the dial. The time of day thus

appears with a subtle gesture from the wearer. This is another

example of Van Cleef & Arpels’ tradition of creating discreet

timekeeping devices since the end of the 1920s, when the

first secret watch appeared, at once precious and functional.

Nature

A time-honored source of inspiration for both art and jewelry, nature has endowed the Maison with an inexhaustible formal repertoire. Throughout its history, plants, flowers and animals have engendered an abundance of colors, patterns and materials, from precious gems to hard stones and organic materials. The exhibition will call to mind a stroll through a lush garden, enveloped in greenery and flowers in bloom, birds in flight and mischievous animals, all representative of the ever-evolving style of the Maison.

Nature – Fauna

Bird of Paradise clip, 1942 Yellow gold, platinum, rubies, sapphires, diamonds Van Cleef & Arpels Collection

This Bird of Paradise clip from 1942 is one of many bird-themed pieces created by Van Cleef & Arpels since the 1920s, reflecting the Maison’s tradition of drawing inspiration from nature. The silhouette, depicted in mid-flight, is striking both for its size and volume. The bird’s body is sculpted in yellow gold, while the feathers of the outspread wings sparkle with sapphires and rubies, creating a contrast of light and color. The effect is further enhanced by a platinum beak set with brilliant-cut diamonds. The bird’s feathers are exquisitely rendered, sweeping graphic lines of calibrated rubies and sapphires that seem to flow through the air. The dynamic composition, as well as the glittering precious stones and metals, illustrate the Maison’s appreciation of nature, alive and in motion.

Love

Love is the most powerful energy on Earth. It is Love that gave birth to the High Jewelry Maison, founded in 1906 following the wedding of Alfred Van Cleef and Estelle Arpels in Paris. Some 30 pieces – clips, rings, bracelets, objects and more – together with sketches and archival documents illustrate the full symbolic power of precious gifts, as well as the bonds forged by Van Cleef & Arpels with certain legendary couples who left their mark on the 20th century.

Barquerolles choker, 1971

Transformable into two bracelets, a clip and a pendant Yellow gold, emeralds, diamonds Van Cleef & Arpels Collection

Part of the Van Cleef & Arpels Collection, the Barquerolles choker initially belonged to Elizabeth Taylor, whose love affair with jewelry started at an early age. “My mother says I didn’t open my eyes for eight days after I was born,” she recalled, “but when I did, the first thing I saw was her engagement ring. I was hooked!” The Anglo-American actress constituted one of the greatest private collections of jewelry in the world. Amongst her legendary assemblage is this Barquerolles necklace from 1971, a gift from her husband Richard Burton to celebrate the birth of her first grandchild — hence its pet name, the “Granny necklace.”

The passionate love story uniting these two Hollywood idols is one of many that enriches Van Cleef & Arpels history, each symbolized by exceptional pieces of jewelry, such as this choker. Inspired by Venetian door knockers, it depicts a lion’s head, the mane resplendent with several dozen components shaped like miniature gondolas interconnected by a mesh system that makes the piece remarkably flexible. This creation can be transformed into two bracelets, as well as a clip representing an emerald-eyed lion’s head and a double ring

pendant.

The exhibition “Van Cleef & Arpels: Time, Nature, Love” , supported by the Saudi Ministry of Culture, is the result of a distinguished partnership with Van Cleef & Arpels.