The Alhambra motif, a symbol of luck, reflects Van Cleef & Arpels’ optimistic view of life. Since its creation in 1968, this collection has continually evolved, incorporating different material combinations, new functionalities, and adjustments to the size of the motifs. This year, the intense shine of guilloché yellow gold merges with the deep tones of blue agate in the Sweet Alhambra watch and the reversible Vintage Alhambra ring. A pendant and earrings, both in blue agate, complete the collection.
The Alhambra collection exemplifies Van Cleef & Arpels’ jewelry savoir-faire and mastery, standing out for its careful stone selection and its wide palette of materials and colors. The guilloché motif is a traditional aesthetic technique used by the maison since the 1910s to embellish watches, and since the 1930s to adorn boxes, powder cases, and minaudières. This motif was introduced to the Alhambra collection in 2018, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. Combined with ornamental stones or diamonds, its sunray-like grooves add a delicate texture to the golden surfaces, capturing the eye with their luminous reflections.
In this new line, Van Cleef & Arpels celebrates blue agate, which was first introduced to the Alhambra collection in 1989. This translucent variety of chalcedony meets the maison’s high selection standards, which prioritize material purity, color intensity, and a glossy surface. To ensure harmonious sets, the clover-shaped motifs are carefully matched in each piece. Slight natural variations in opacity may be observed, giving each creation its uniqueness and charm. Due to the microcrystalline structure of the stone, the various polishing stages are carried out with extreme delicacy. Additionally, a beaded contour—characteristic of Van Cleef & Arpels’ style—surrounds each motif, highlighting the combination of the guilloché shine with the deep blue tone of the agate.
Vintage Alhambra ring
Since its launch, the Alhambra collection has redefined the art of everyday jewelry, creating pieces that adapt to desires and styles. In 2023, the maison introduced the reversible Vintage Alhambra ring, a transformable piece inspired by the tradition of convertible jewelry, highly appreciated by the brand.
This piece, reinvented this year, features two faces—one in guilloché yellow gold with a set diamond, and the other in blue agate—both with double-beaded contours that reflect the aesthetic codes of the collection.
The ring’s body, formed by three cascading rows of golden beads, holds the central motif. Its mechanism rotates smoothly and precisely, and the interior features a semicircular gold band that gently wraps around the finger. The height of the set diamond in the guilloché motif has been carefully designed to ensure comfort while preserving the stone’s brilliance. All pieces are assembled and adjusted by hand.
Sweet Alhambra watch
Since its creation in 1998, the Alhambra watch collection has continued to evolve. True to the Sweet Alhambra aesthetic, this new creation combines guilloché yellow gold and blue agate.
Fifteen meticulous steps, including rigorous selection of raw stones, careful pairing of materials, gemstone setting, and preparation of the movement and dial, bring this magnificent piece to life.
The motifs are placed in a beaded setting, meticulously crafted by the jeweler artisans. The rounded edges, designed to resemble golden beads, are skillfully bent downward. Finally, the piece is polished to enhance the watch’s shine.
