Van Cleef & Arpels continues to weave poetry into gold with its latest additions to the Alhambra collection. The four-leaf motif, a universal symbol of luck and optimism since its introduction in 1968, has long embodied the house’s spirit for craftsmanship and timeless elegance. Now, in 2025, it transforms once more, revealing jewels that promise graceful innovation and delicate artistry.
At the heart of this renewal are two new transformable long necklaces from the Magic Alhambra line. The asymmetrical play of different-sized motifs—a signature of Magic Alhambra—creates a rhythm that feels spontaneous yet impeccably balanced. For the first time, these necklaces can be worn in multiple ways: As an elongated sautoir, a shorter necklace, or a bracelet. This transformation is made possible through a discreet, detachable element hidden within the design, allowing each piece to shift fluidly between styles while maintaining its effortless elegance.
The Maison’s dedication to harmony and proportion is evident in every detail. The length of each chain section, the placement of motifs, and the fall of the central element were all studied meticulously to ensure a natural drape and perfect balance. Even the clasps, expertly concealed behind the neck, reflect Van Cleef & Arpels’ devotion to subtle perfection, and preserve the jewel’s purity of form.
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Each creation tells its own story through the language of materials. One necklace glows with guilloché rose gold paired with the luminous shimmer of white and gray mother-of-pearl; the other radiates serenity through guilloché white gold, chalcedony, and white mother-of-pearl. The guilloché, a signature of the Maison, captures and reflects light in fine rays that ripple across the surface, giving the motif a quiet vitality. Encircled by the Alhambra’s signature beaded contour, these jewels appear soft yet architectural—icons reborn through light and texture.
That same spirit of transformation extends to two new Vintage Alhambra reversible rings, which reinterpret the motif in a playful yet sophisticated way. Each ring features a double-faced design that rotates smoothly, allowing the wearer to reveal a different personality with each turn. The first pairs guilloché rose gold with gray mother-of-pearl and a sparkling diamond; the second marries white gold with chalcedony and a diamond framed by radiant guilloché lines. In both of these creations, a triple-beaded ring shank enhances the sense of depth. True to Van Cleef & Arpels’ ethos, technical ingenuity meets sensual design for an artful union of movement, emotion, and ease.
Completing the collection is the Sweet Alhambra watch, which presents a poetic marriage of timekeeping and high jewellery. The bracelet alternates between chalcedony, guilloché white gold, and diamond-set motifs, each bordered by delicate golden beads that dance with light. The result is a jewel that tells time not by counting seconds, but by marking moments with grace.
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This evolution of the Alhambra collection carries forward Van Cleef & Arpels’ long-standing tradition of transformable jewellery, a legacy that dates back to the 1920s. From the ingenious Passe-Partout necklace of 1938 to the revolutionary Zip necklace of 1950, the Maison has always embraced versatility as an expression of creativity. Today, that legacy continues through the Alhambra’s subtle English blade clasps—ingenious mechanisms that allow each jewel to adapt without compromising its purity of form.
Behind these delicate transformations lies a world of craftsmanship. Each piece undergoes more than 10 meticulous stages of creation, from stone cutting and polishing to setting and final assembly. Only the most exceptional materials are chosen: White mother-of-pearl for its ethereal glow, grey mother-of-pearl for its silvery depth, and chalcedony for its soothing tones of blue and lavender. Each gem is hand-polished to reveal its full radiance before being framed in gold.
Beloved by generations of women—among them icons like Catherine Deneuve, Grace Kelly, Adele, and even LeBron James—the Alhambra has transcended fashion to become an enduring emblem of style and sentiment. With the 2025 collection, Van Cleef & Arpels reaffirms its commitment to crafting pieces that drip with modernity while embracing tradition. Its clover-shaped motif continues to whisper of optimism and grace, while delivering the Maison’s promise of beauty, luck, and love.