Van Cleef & Arpels "Socrate" Collection Diamond Necklace/Brooch
About the Item
- Creator:
- Metal:18k Gold,White Gold
- Stone:Diamond
- Stone Cut:Round Cut
- Period:21st Century
- Date of Manufacture:Unknown
- Condition:
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:
Van Cleef & Arpels
One of the world’s foremost jewelry houses, Van Cleef & Arpels is particularly noted for a focus on technical virtuosity, craftsmanship and artistry, evident since its beginning. Rather than create earrings, bracelets, necklaces and other adornments primarily for the aim of displaying of wealth and opulence, Van Cleef & Arpels sought to produce jewelry that projected the wearer’s taste and style.
The company was formed a year after the 1895 marriage of Alfred Van Cleef, the son of a gem cutter, to Estelle Arpels, daughter of precious-stones dealer Salomon Arpel. Ten years later, Van Cleef & Arpels opened its first boutique on the Place Vendôme in Paris, setting the march on a square now crowded with dealers in bijouterie. (The company still occupies the New York flagship store opened in 1939 at Fifth Avenue and 57th Street.)
Born from a union of expertise in both jewelry making and gem selection, Van Cleef & Arpels distinguished itself with both the consistency of the color and clarity of its stones and the creativity of its designs. In doing so, the house would win a roster of dedicated, fashion-conscious clients that included the Duchess of Windsor, Marlene Dietrich, Barbara Hutton, Jacqueline Onassis and Elizabeth Taylor. In 1933, Van Cleef & Arpels patented its trademark Mystery Setting — a technique by which gems are fitted into an intricate matrix of slots and “drawers” that keep the setting hidden. Another signal innovation was the Zip necklace, introduced in 1951, which can be worn either around the neck or, with the zipper closed, as a bracelet.
But as much as to the firm’s craftsmanship, clients have been drawn by the insouciance and playfulness of Van Cleef & Arpels designers, as well as their attunement to the cultural climate. After the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, the company produced several lavish pieces featuring hieroglyphics and other Egyptian motifs to go along with the geometric Art Deco jewelry of that decade and the next. Following World War II, as symbols of freedom and rebirth, the firm focused on naturalistic forms such as birds, flowers, fruit and flying insects. High society’s 1960s fascination with the Near East and India prompted such pieces as the best-selling Alhambra necklace, popularized by Princess Grace.
Lately, attention among collectors and connoisseurs has centered on Van Cleef & Arpels’s quality of workmanship as much as its glamour. The firm was the subject of a 2012 show at the Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, as well as exhibitions at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California, in 2013 and at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in 2014.
Find an exquisite collection of Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Palm Beach, FL
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
- Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Collection Diamond Turquoise Pendant BroochBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYVan Cleef & Arpels Vintage Collection 1970s Diamond Persian Turquoise Pendant Brooch Diamond weight approx. 15.00 carats total. Measures appr...Category
Vintage 1970s French Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Collection 1980s Diamond Flower BroochBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYVan Cleef & Arpels Vintage Collection 1980s Diamond Flower Brooch A brilliantly fabricated flower brooch emblematic of the Van Cleef & Arpels 'savoir-faire', with petals intricately...Category
Vintage 1980s American Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Brooch PendantBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYA remarkable brooch pendant by Van Cleef & Arpels that dates back to the 1980s, comprised of 18k yellow gold set with 20 carats of brilliant round cut diamonds forming rows of circul...Category
Vintage 1980s French Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, 18k Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Yellow Diamond Flower BroochBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYA resplendent piece by Van Cleef & Arpels, comprised of 218 fancy vivid yellow diamonds weighing approximately 25 carats VVS-VS, finely set in 18k yellow gold and designed as a quin...Category
Vintage 1980s American Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, Yellow Diamond, 18k Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Ruby Butterfly BroochBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYA petite butterfly brooch by Van Cleef & Arpels dating from the 1980s. This abstract pin features a quatrefoil with oval-cut radiant rubies framed with white round brilliant diamonds...Category
Vintage 1980s Brooches
MaterialsWhite Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Wood Butterfly BroochBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYVAN CLEEF & ARPELS Wood Butterfly Brooch An 18k yellow gold butterfly motif pin brooch/clip. Stamped “Van Cleef & Arpels“, serial number, French hallmarks ...Category
Vintage 1970s French Brooches
Materials18k Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Dog BroochBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYVan Cleef & Arpels Diamond Dog Brooch. A Saint Bernard dog brooch featuring pave diamonds, a ruby as the tongue & black enamel nose & eyes. Diamond Weight: approximately 8.15 cara...Category
Vintage 1980s Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Turquoise & Diamond BroochBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYVan Cleef & Arpels Turquoise & Diamond Brooch An 18 karat yellow gold flower motif brooch set with 76 round cut diamonds and 4 cabochon turquoise Signed Van Cleef & Arpels N.Y. an...Category
Vintage 1960s American Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Coral Diamond BroochBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYFloral design, the petals composed of 6 coral cabochons,accented by round diamonds. Estimated weight of the diamonds is 1.70carats Signed Van Cleef & Arpels N.Y. Serial # xxxxxxCategory
Vintage 1980s American Brooches
MaterialsCoral, Diamond, 18k Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Butterfly Diamond White Gold Brooch NecklaceBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Feasterville, PAA fabulous Van Cleef & Aprels diamond brooch depicting a butterfly and floral motif crafted in 18k white gold showcasing the finest Van Cleef & Arpels round brilliant cut diamonds. T...Category
Early 2000s Pendant Necklaces
MaterialsDiamond, White Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels Gold BroochBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYVan Cleef & Arpels 18 karat yellow gold brooch with a human motif, carrying a basket filled with various goods on her head. She is sitting on a grape vine. Total weight: 19.6 grams. ...Category
Vintage 1980s Brooches
Materials18k Gold
- Van Cleef & Arpels S-Shaped Diamond Gold BroochBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYLined along the center of an elegant S shape, this brooch has multiple diamonds in varying sizes weighing a total of 1.20 carat. The S is outlined with 18 karat yellow gold in twiste...Category
Vintage 1980s Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, 18k Gold
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Gems by David Webb, Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels Anchor The Back Vault’s Treasure Trove
Boasting one of the largest collections of David Webb in the world, the firm offers exceptional jewels — always in demand yet never in short supply.
This Turquoise Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra Necklace Is a Rare and Alluring Find
You know the French maison’s famous motif well. But why is this particular piece so in demand?