Introduction to a Timeless Tradition
From April 9th to April 15th, the premier watchmaking houses will convene in Geneva to showcase their latest designs at Watches and Wonders 2024. Van Cleef & Arpels is set to engage attendees from April 13th to 15th, 2024, ready to welcome the public to its immersive exhibit. The brand has designed an engaging exhibition space in partnership with Jean-Baptiste Auvray, a designer and scenographer who seamlessly integrates the themes of Enchanted Nature and Poetic Astronomy into the exhibit.
The Maison’s craftsmanship displays the ingenuity of its artisans, virtuosos who have mastered, refined, and shared skills that are sometimes centuries old. Van Cleef & Arpels continually innovates, drawing upon its rich heritage and sources of inspiration to develop groundbreaking techniques.
New Additions to the Poetic Complications Collection
Lady Jour Nuit and Lady Arpels Jour Nuit
Adding to the Poetic Complications collection, Van Cleef & Arpels introduces two new timepieces, Lady Jour Nuit and Lady Arpels Jour Nuit, which celebrate the celestial beauty.
Discover the New Lady Arpels Brise d’Été Watch
The exploration continues within the Maison’s garden with the new Lady Arpels Brise d’Été watch. Our path then meanders through an enchanted forest, where the Extraordinary Dials collection embraces the Lady Arpels Jour Enchanté creation. To sustain the tradition of crafting precious items, the Maison introduces two novel automatons – Apparition des Baies and Bouton d’Or – enhancing this journey of craftsmanship, combining artistry with a pursuit for dynamic beauty.
This new creation animates corollas in the Van Cleef & Arpels garden, featuring white and yellow-gold butterflies in plique-à-jour enamel. These butterflies not only display the time but also take flight thanks to an on-demand animation module that also vivifies the flowers and their stems, bringing a dynamic visual experience to the wearer.
Exploring the Métiers d’Arts
The Enchanting Poetic Complications® Collection
The Poetic Complications collection demonstrates the Maison’s expertise in watchmaking by merging precious materials and traditional craftsmanship, weaving delicate narratives into every timepiece.
In 2024, Van Cleef & Arpels reinvents the Lady Arpels Jour Nuit watch, originally launched in 2008, with two new models, 33 and 38-mm in diameter, after three years of development. These models feature a moon encrusted with diamonds and stars, which chase the sun adorned with either snow-set yellow sapphires or guilloché yellow gold. The depth effect of the Murano aventurine glass in these pieces captures the vastness of the cosmos and the enchantment of a starry night.
White gold, yellow gold, sapphires, diamonds
High Jewelry collection
The Poetry of Nature in Timekeeping
The Lady Arpels Brise d’Été watch, a tribute to nature, blossoms with flower corollas within the Van Cleef & Arpels garden. White and yellow-gold butterflies in plique-à-jour enamel not only display the time but also animate on demand, bringing movement to both the blossoms and their stems. This pastoral scene encapsulates the Poetry of Time, syncing the passage of hours with nature’s perpetual cycle.
Unveiling the Extraordinary Dials Collection
The Extraordinary Dials collection combines fine art and jewelry expertise to fully express its magical world.
The Lady Arpels Jour Enchanté watch, a limited edition designed as a miniature work of art, joins the collection. This piece features three-dimensional scenes that burst into life through cleverly crafted perspectives that celebrate enchanted nature. The design required two years of development and 180 hours of meticulous labor to capture a graceful figure gathering flowers under the morning sun, with light filtering through lush white gold leaves adorned with plique-à-jour enamel and diamonds.
Step Into the Enchanted World of Extraordinary Objects
Since its inception in 1906, Van Cleef & Arpels has been renowned for creating captivating precious objects. This year, they reveal two new automatons: Apparition des Baies and Bouton d’Or, which salute the marvels of flora and fauna. Each standing about 30 centimeters tall, these pieces are crafted in collaboration with François Junod, a noted automaton creator from Sainte-Croix, Switzerland.
The Apparition des Baies automaton features rose-gold leaves lacquered to form a lush dome that hides a secret. Upon activation, the bouquet opens to unveil a bird made of white gold, diamonds, and sapphires, which spreads its wings with lifelike grace. After soaring, the bird tucks back inside, and the leaves close gently while a soft melody plays, adding to the charm of this poetic display.
The Bouton d’Or automaton, drawing from the Maison’s rich heritage, showcases the iconic “paillette” motif, introduced in the mid-1930s. This piece animates a fairy dancing atop a golden flower bed, her movements guided by wings crafted from plique-à-jour enamel, holding a briolette-cut sapphire.
YOU ASKED…
What is the focus of Van Cleef & Arpels’ exhibit at Watches and Wonders 2024?
The focus is on showcasing their latest watch collections and the intricate craftsmanship of their artisans.
What new creations has Van Cleef & Arpels introduced at the event?
New additions include two watches in the Poetic Complications collection and two automatons in the Extraordinary Objects collection.
What themes does Van Cleef & Arpels explore in their designs?
The themes of Enchanted Nature and Poetic Astronomy are central to their designs.
How does the Maison incorporate nature into their watch designs?
Nature is celebrated through dynamic designs like the Lady Arpels Brise d’Été watch, featuring butterflies and blooming flowers.
Editor’s Note: All listed prices were correct at the time of publication. This article contains editorial selections and paid partnerships. Please note that this article may contain some affiliate links to products and we may receive a commission for selected purchases.
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