La Collection Van Cleef & Arpels, 1906-1953

For more than a century, the Van Cleef & Arpels House of fine jewellery has combined exceptional expertise with technical prowess, and distinguished itself through the ingenuity and beauty of its creations.

This book, the first volume of the catalogue raisonné of the Van Cleef & Arpels Collection, traces the beginnings of the collection, from 1906 to 1953, highlighting nearly 700 pieces of jewellery created during this period. With an emphasis on images, it presents the heritage collection in all its diversity: pieces of haute joaillerie, jewellery, watches, as well as accessories and objets d'art.

Detailed notes accompany certain emblematic pieces, highlighting the collection's place in the historical, cultural and artistic context of the first part of the 20th century. A corpus of scientific texts, written by art historians and the heads of the Van Cleef & Arpels Heritage Department, evoke the creative process, the major themes dear to the House - flora, transformability, etc. - and the artistic currents that shaped the collection. -and the artistic currents at work during this period.