Van Cleef & Arpels unveils the Le Grand Tour High Jewellery collection, celebrating the personal odyssey of travel and its ability to synthesize the contrasting notions of the past and present. The Maison draws influence from the sixteenth century practice of Le Grand Tour, whereby young aristocrats travelled to cultural centres across Europe as a rite of passage to develop cultural maturity and artistic awareness prior to entering society. The collection makes reference to key destinations along the expedition including Parisian cities, Italian villas and monuments, the Swiss Alps, and Germanic villages, crafting high jewellery pieces that spotlight the majestic beauty of each destination as well as the associated lessons of refinement learned while visiting. Across the collection of over seventy pieces, designs feature dazzling gemstones such as coloured sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds which blend traditional jewellery with decorative arts to craft a multi dimensional collection for the Maison.
Le Grand Tour breathes life into each landmark destination by using vibrant gemstones, architectural shapes, and maison signature designs masterfully crafted by a team of skilled artisans. These designs feature themes and motifs from the Renaissance, Medieval, and Roman periods from an array of locales, a decision which is emblematic of the curiosity of culture and art that drives Le Grand Tour journey. Designs featured in the collection represent each respective stop of Le Grand Tour and its associated aesthetic value. Among other key pieces, the Jardin de Mosaique necklace showcases the grandiosity of Roman mosaics through decadent strands of cascading emeralds. In reference to the German town of Baden-Baden, the Schappel ring alludes to decorative beaded headdresses through pink and yellow sapphires in floral patterns and arrangements. The Chants des Gondoliers necklace draws influence from the tranquil waters of Venice with turquoise cabochons adorned with diamonds to signify the aquatic splendour of the area.
Van Cleef & Arpels Le Grand Tour High Jewellery collection punctuates the Maison’s dedicated heritage of preserving high culture and refinement. Their team of skilled designers and craftsmen were able to embark upon a journey of dreamy escapism, using sculptural necklaces, girandole earrings, and vintage inspired clips to map a contemporary voyage along the picturesque allure of sixteenth century Europe.
View the gallery to discover the Van Cleef & Arpels Le Grand Tour High Jewellery collection.
Van Cleef & Arpels Celebrates Savoir Faire With Le Grand Tour High Jewellery Collection
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