Alhambra bracelet charms
With the Vintage Alhambra® reversible ring, the Maison introduced a transformative piece rooted in the tradition of convertible jewels. The two faces creation—one in guilloché yellow gold set with a diamond, the other in blue agate— and double-beaded contour echo the collection’s aesthetic codes how to know if a cartier bracelet is real. A pendant, watch and earrings, in blue agate, complete the set.
One of the best things about bracelets, however, is that you never have to choose just one. Style icon Jacqueline Kennedy stacked her Croisillon bracelets — designed by Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co. — with such frequency that the ornate bangles were eventually dubbed “Jackie bracelets” by reporters. Contemporary silver pieces can easily complement each other, rendering a layering of luxury almost a necessity.
Faithful to the very first Alhambra® jewel created in 1968, the Vintage Alhambra creations by Van Cleef & Arpels are distinguished by their unique, timeless elegance. Inspired by the clover leaf, these icons of luck are adorned with a border of golden beads.
Alhambra bracelet charms
Mention must be made of Buccellati, whose name is synonymous with gold so finely spun that it suggests tapestry. The house’s many gold bracelets, typically embellished with a few or many diamonds, signified taste and distinction and are always in favor on the secondary market. Other important mid-20th-century houses known for their gold-themed jewelry include Hermès and Ilias Lalaounis.
Mention must be made of Buccellati, whose name is synonymous with gold so finely spun that it suggests tapestry. The house’s many gold bracelets, typically embellished with a few or many diamonds, signified taste and distinction and are always in favor on the secondary market. Other important mid-20th-century houses known for their gold-themed jewelry include Hermès and Ilias Lalaounis.
For the woman who prefers a minimalist look, the Tiffany & Co. twist bangle (thin, slightly ovoid) is stylishly simple. For Cummings devotees, signature pieces feature hard stone inlay, such as her pairs of gold ear clips inlaid with black jade (a play on the classic Chanel black and tan), or bangles whose design recalls ocean waves, with undulating lines of lapis lazuli and mother-of-pearl. And just about any design by the great Jean Schlumberger is by definition a classic.
Since its founding, in 1837, Tiffany & Co. has built its reputation on its company jewelry as well as its coterie of boutique designers, which has included Jean Schlumberger, Donald Claflin, Angela Cummings and Elsa Peretti. There are numerous gold Tiffany classics worth citing. Some are accented with gemstones, but all stand out for their design and the workmanship displayed.
Since Van Cleef & Arpels opened its Place Vendôme doors in 1906, collection after collection of jewelry classics have enchanted the public. As predominantly expressed in a honeycomb of gold, there is the Ludo watch and accessories, circa the 1920s, and the golden Zip necklace, 1951, whose ingenious transformation of the traditional zipper was originally proposed by the Duchess of Windsor. Van Cleef’s Alhambra, with its Moroccan motif, was introduced in 1968 and from the start its popularity pivoted on royalty and celebrity status. It remains one of VCA’s most popular and collected styles.
Numerous designs from Cartier are homages to gold. There are the classic Trinity rings, necklaces and bracelets — trifectas of yellow, white and rose gold. As a testament to the power of love, consider the endurance of the Cartier Love bracelet.
Alhambra bracelet replica
Abbot Lyon aren’t the only retailers jumping on the Van Cleef lookalikes, either. Loads of our fave affordable jewellery brands have gone with the cute clover vibes this season. But before you roll your eyes and even dare utter the words: ‘Florals for spring? Groundbreaking’, just take a peek at these beauties:
Choosing the right venue to sell your Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry can greatly influence the return you receive. Reputable second-hand jewelry dealers, who specialize in luxury pieces including Van Cleef & Arpels, possess the market expertise needed to provide competitive offers. These professionals typically have a broad network of prospective buyers, which increases the likelihood of a swift and successful sale. When selecting a dealer, it’s crucial to research their reputation, read customer reviews, and ensure they have a track record of honest transactions. For the highest offers and immediate payment, consider selling your Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry to SellUsYourJewelry.com, a trusted platform for dealing in luxury items, including other prestigious brands like Cartier and Tiffany & Co.
And the best part about purchasing a £7.99 bracelet rather than dropping all your pennies on a style for multiple thousands of pounds (!!) is that you can totally buy more than one and layer up both white and black chains.
Spotting the hallmark of 18k gold on Van Cleef & Arpels pieces is a definitive sign of authenticity. Genuine Alhambra pieces will feature the hallmark denoting the purity of the gold used in their creation, ensuring buyers of the quality and value of their purchase.
Alhambra jewelry
The craftsmanship behind The Alhambra is a result of the painstaking efforts of different areas of expertise, that begins with the lapidary — a person who cuts, polishes, and engraves gems — to the jeweler, who puts the pieces together, setting the stones and then polishing the finished pieces. Over the years, the collection has expanded from the original sautoir into rings, earrings, bracelets, watches, and more, decorated with a wide array of precious and rare stones, like lapis lazuli, tiger’s eye, grey mother of pearl, malachite, onyx, blue agate, among others.
Enter the Swinging Sixties: The free-spirited decade ushered in Twiggy and Cher, miniskirts and slinky silhouettes, vastly departing from the traditions of the first half of the century. It fast-forwarded a sense of style for independent women who could buy their own jewelry. Women wanted day-to-night versatility to accommodate their bustling careers and busy social lives. Sculptural haute jewelry itself suddenly belonged to the previous generation, and it demanded reinterpretation.
Its enduring prestige is perhaps also bolstered by the evolution of sub-collections that play with colour, form and different dimensions; from the ‘Lucky Alhambra’ designs, which incorporate heart, butterfly, leaf and star motifs, to the ‘Byzantine Alhambra’ styles, which celebrate the clover silhouette in solid and openwork gold.
Produced around 2007, this rare limited edition was one of 100 pieces made in this style. The Alhambra quatrefoil motifs are double-sided and crafted in both 18kt yellow gold and malachite. They are linked by an 18kt link chain.
Van Cleef & Arpels has historically celebrated luck, joy and optimism since it was founded in 1906, long renowned for its animated interpretations of flowers and animals. It was in 1968, however, that the four-leaf clover became a lucky icon for the house.
