Legendary jewellers Van Cleef & Arpels gave us a lesson in the wonders of the earth. Here, we lay down our top five highlights from the maison’s latest exhibition, ‘The Art of Science and Gems’ at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.
#1. Van Cleef & Arpels’ most stunning masterpiece – “The Walska Briolette Diamond” – is a brooch featuring a hefty 96.62 carat yellow diamond. Created in the 1930s, this unique gem once belonged to the Polish singer Ganna Walska, before making its way to its new owner. Today, the jewel is a testament to Van Cleef & Arpels’ tradition of transformability, with the bird metamorphosing into a pair of winged earrings and a brooch, while the yellow diamond can be detached from the clip and worn as a pendant.
The Walska Briolette Diamond clip and pendant, adorned with emeralds, yellow and white diamonds, a sapphire and a 96.62-carat briolette-cut yellow diamond
#2. One of the maison’s most extravagant themes – couture – is explored within the exhibition, and nothing defines it more than the jeweller’s Zip necklace. An idea conceived by none other than the late Duchess of Windsor herself, this bold creation is notable for being able to open and close like a real zipper, and thus worn in two different ways: as a necklace, or as a bracelet!
The iconic Zip necklace, circa 1954, adorned in platinum, gold, rubies and diamonds
#3. Another heavyweight in the exhibition? An 800-kilogram crystal found in the Swiss Alps presented to Napoleon Bonaparte in 1797, considered to be the largest crystal found within the Swiss region itself.
The 800-kilogram crystal – th largest found within the Swiss region | Photography: Edward Hendricks
#4. Speaking of heavyweights – a replica coronation crown of Her Imperial Highness Farah Pahlavi of Iran was also on display. Weighing at 2 kilograms, the original crown itself is adorned in a breathtaking array of diamonds, pearls, emeralds and rubies. So precious to its home country, the maison created its royal masterpiece within Iran and is said to be the only piece conceived outside of Paris.
A replica crown of Her Imperial Highness Farah Pahlavi of Iran, which is said to weigh at an approximate 2 kilograms
#5. On a more intriguing note, pieces from Van Cleef & Arpels’ archived “La Boutique” collection were also presented. Originally in a set of 10, only nine of its puppy-inspired brooches are on exhibit as the maison searches for of its final missing piece, hoping to reunite it with the rest of its family. Join the hunt! #missingpreciouspuppy
A piece from Van Cleef & Arpels’ “La Boutique” collection, circa 1961
