Collection: Vintage Van Cleef & Arpels Jewelry

Established in Paris in 1906 by Alfred Van Cleef and his father-in-law, Solomon Arpels, Van Cleef & Arpels is world-renowned as one of the great luxury jewelry houses. Their first boutique was established in Place Vendome, Paris where it stands today, now one of many around the world. Founded during the Edwardian period, VCA’s first creations featured lacy designs in platinum and diamonds, later transitioning to sublime Art Deco jewels defined by geometric patterns set with colorful precious gemstones. For over a century, the jewelry house has been a leader in innovation, creating the technically difficult "mystery setting" in the early 1930s — a technique which utilizes uniformly colored, specially cut gemstones placed above and along metal tracks to create an absolutely invisible mounting. As creative and vibrant today as when it was founded, Van Cleef & Arpels is known for some of the most glorious jewels of the Art Deco period and beyond including the Cadenas watch, the Ludo bracelet, Passe-Partout necklaces, Ballerina, Love Bird and Rose de Noël brooches, the Zip Necklace and in 1968, the now iconic Alhambra collection followed by Frivole, Perlée and more of what can only be called High Jewelry of the utmost quality and design.

Authenticating jewelry requires nuanced expertise. Many thousands of pieces of jewelry from every era and every maker have passed through our hands for over 40 years. This familiarity enables us to know what a piece should look and feel like, if it has the expected quality of material and workmanship, if the metal and makers marks are correct and if the expected signature is authentic.

As a first step, we look at the front and back of every bracelet, ring or brooch, turning it over in our hands to see that the workmanship on the reverse is as fine as the detail on the front. Using a loupe, the jeweler’s essential tool, we look carefully at many different touch points, some of which include examining the precision with which diamonds are mounted in their settings, the manner in which gold or platinum links are connected to each other, the fineness of the material, the quality of the azuring - a difficult and refined aspect of metalwork and lastly, the flawlessness of the polish.

If we have any doubts whatsoever as to authenticity, we submit the piece to the relevant firm, be it Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Verdura, David Webb and others. We also request the original bill of sale, box and papers for those items most commonly faked such as Cartier Love brackets and VCA Alhambra pieces. And just as banks know their customers, we, too, ensure we know enough about our clients to assure ourselves of their ownership and provenance.

Our team of GIA-certified jewelry experts has such a well-regarded reputation in the international jewelry industry that we are frequently called upon to advise auction houses, appraisers and other dealers in matters of authenticity and value.