Van Cleef & Arpels finds its Treasure Island in Miami
Mar 31, 2025
Van Cleef & Arpels rounds up a merry band of pirates in scenic Miami for the launch of its latest high jewellery collection, Treasure Island. Gordon Lam joins the crew from Hong Kong
It all started with a call from Van Cleef & Arpels’ Hong Kong office asking if I would be available in November to attend a global launch event. Anyone who has been privileged to be invited to one of the French luxury jewellery brand’s previous global events would know you don’t even pause to consider your schedule – you just drop everything and say yes, because you know you’re in for something spectacular.
Once November rolled around, all I knew – because I was so busy I hadn’t had a chance to go over my itinerary or research what the launch was even for – was that I was headed for Miami. After more than 24 hours of travel from Hong Kong to Los Angeles and finally ending in “The Magic City”, I arrived at the W Hotel at the exact time the breakfast service was starting. Besides an invitation from Van Cleef & Arpels, another thing I can’t refuse is food. Naturally I headed straight to the restaurant and enjoyed a nice breakfast while also managing to say hello to some of the familiar faces from the global press who had also been invited for this special event.
Although our Hong Kong host had planned some relaxing activities for the first day, including a welcome dinner, after breakfast I opted to go straight to bed for my beauty sleep and to get my jet lag under control. After checking into my room with its stunning ocean view and finishing my social-media commitments, I fell into what can only be described as a coma. The following morning, I miraculously woke up as charged as a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Yes, indeed, it was time for breakfast again.
At last, I realised I was really in Miami. Ahoy, me hearties, it was all hands on deck for a full day of activities! The captain for our inaugural voyage was none other than the newly appointed managing director for Van Cleef & Arpels Hong Kong and Macau, Marc Leplingard. After meeting up at the Miami Beach Marina, we set sail for La Villa LaGorce.
The rest of the global press had also gathered at the marina like a band of pirates ready to go in search of loot and booty (and no, not the booty you’re thinking of, but the old-fashioned pirate kind). Once underway we marvelled at the view, learning about all the rich and famous who once lived or were still living along the Miami shoreline. It was music to any pirate’s ears. Maybe I should go back and pay a visit when they’re not in town. LOL.
Arriving at La Villa LaGorce, a private residence not usually open to the public, was a literal “shiver me timbers” moment – Van Cleef & Arpels had managed to take over this spectacular residence just for us to enjoy a beautiful presentation and incredible luncheon. We started off with a hearty breakfast along with some aperitivo, champagne and cocktails before three talks organised by L’ÉCOLE – Van Cleef & Arpels’ school of jewellery arts – providing background on the brand’s latest high jewellery collection.
You might be wondering about the weird phrases I’ve been throwing into my story so far, which might only make sense if you’re an actual pirate. In fact, they were hints leading up to this unpredictable journey in Miami. Van Cleef & Arpels has always been known for its storytelling – poetic, dreamy fantasies based on a range of characters inspired by fairies, ballerinas, butterflies, ladybirds, flowers, animals and more.
The move from its usual predictable pretty elements surprised everyone, with the theme for this latest collection, Treasure Island, marking the start of a brand-new creative chapter and storytelling adventure. The brainchild behind it all was former global CEO Nicolas Bos, who is now heading up Richemont but remains closely connected with Van Cleef & Arpels as one the group’s maisons. The Treasure Island launch also reunited us with our long-time friend Catherine Rénier, who served as Van Cleef & Arpels’ president for Asia-Pacific based in Hong Kong from 2003 to 2018 before moving to Jaeger-LeCoultre as CEO. Her return as global CEO of her beloved Van Cleef & Arpels, taking over for Bos, was a stroke of genius in terms of maintaining the brand’s DNA for years to come.
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Never in a million years would I have imagined Van Cleef & Arpels creating a story based on pirates, let alone a collection inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s famed 1883 novel Treasure Island. This daring step outside its comfort zone underscores the brand’s ability to forge new paths in storytelling.
Our three-part lesson, created by the leading historians from L’ÉCOLE, took us on journeys across time and place with stories of real pirate treasures from as far back as the 9th century. We learned about jewellery owned by the Queen of Scotland, the famous Casket of Hedwig Jagiellon at the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, the chest made for Louis XIV in 1675 to store his gems (now on display at the Louvre), and so much more.
Our final lesson of the day gave us a more in-depth look into fictional books and films from different periods, starting with Treasure Island through to modern-day works such as Pirates of the Caribbean. Our curiosity piqued, we were more than eager for the final reveal of the Treasure Island high jewellery collection. But of course, the Van Cleef & Arpels crew first had a few more adventures in store.
After an exquisite lunch, we were transferred by car to central Miami for a guided walking tour of the city’s rich history and diverse architecture. We walked and walked, stopping in at different hotels, bars and restaurants along the way to understand the historical art deco designs as well as more modern developments. By the end I
was in desperate need of a power nap before the gala dinner that night celebrating Rénier’s return to Van Cleef & Arpels. As a veteran of many such launch events, I requested a car to take me back to the W – a wise choice indeed on my part, especially since they can’t refuse a special request at my advanced age!
The gala dinner was held at the renowned Vizcaya Museum built in 1916 as a vacation home for industrialist and art collector James Deering. With stunning gardens, a mangrove shoreline, 34 exquisitely decorated rooms and a historical village spanning more than 10 acres, the venue blew us all away. Upon arriving, we were greeted by a fleet of buggies ready to ferry us up a long driveway to what looked more like a French palace than a Miami museum. The presence of countless flickering candles only added to the dreamy fairy-tale atmosphere.
The star of the evening greeted every single one of us with a photo op before we descended down the steps to a vast and perfectly sculptured garden leading to the pre-dinner cocktail gathering. Besides taking our own photos with this breathtaking museum, we were also greeted by models offering us a first glimpse of the Treasure Island collection prior to the official launch the following day.
I’ve always been the official photographer and lighting assistant for all my media friends, helping everyone with their personal photo sessions. The brands know that when they invite me to any international event, I’m the one person they don’t have to worry about looking after. In fact, they can rest assured that I will be an outstanding host for their guests, other media and even their own staff. So after making sure my Hong Kong media friends and our hosts, Marc Leplingard and Van Cleef & Arpels’ president for Asia-Pacific Julie Clody, got all photos they needed, I was ready at the front entrance to be the first to storm into the dinner venue to take all the photos and videos I needed for my own Instagram post.
Once inside, my first thought was that I was at the wrong party. The venue was decked out like a real pirate ship with all the detail and trimmings you would expect from Pirates of The Caribbean! This was definitely a pleasant surprise from Van Cleef & Arpels – and it was only the beginning. My first mission was to hunt down Ms. Rénier to congratulate her personally and to take the opportunity (probably my only chance during the launch event) to get a photo together. Luckily I accomplished my mission without any trouble.
Then it was time to take my seat with my official chaperone and host, international press and PR manager Olivia Zhu, who has been my regular date, table partner, partner in crime and, as we jokingly say, my VCA wife for many years. No event is complete without her next to me – she’s a lucky girl, if I may say so!
Rénier’s welcome speech brought so many memories flooding back, it was as if she had never left. At one point she asked the audience to raise our hands if we had played pirates in our lives, whether when we were young or old. Oh, is that a trick question, I wondered. Everyone looked around to see who would dare raise their hand. I paused for a moment, then realised that from my own childhood all the way to my son’s, pirate stories and characters have always been a part of our lives. I finally understood why Van Cleef & Arpels chose this concept for its latest high jewellery collection. #Bravo!
The rest of the evening was filled with Michelin-starred cuisine, surprise performances by a band of pirates – one of who looked a lot like Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow – and a spectacular high jewellery showcase featuring models dressed in period costumes. For the incredible finale, we all left our seats and were guided to the edge of a pirate ship overlooking the sea where the performers climbed the masts and did all kinds of acrobatics while the models paraded behind them. There are no words to describe it. All I can say is, “Wish you were there!”
Still riding high from the previous night’s festivities, we spent the next day discovering Treasure Island up-close at the colourful Faena Hotel. The well- crafted presentation took us on a pirate’s journey in three parts. First, Adventure at Sea showcased creations inspired by the aquatic world with beautiful stones in a surge of blues that captured every hue from the sun’s reflections on the ocean in the heat of the afternoon to the reflections of moonlight in still waters.
Each design featured an array of minute details relating back to the Treasure Island theme, including ropes and sailor’s knots as well as interchangeable motifs that allow the wearer to play with different looks. My favourites of the entire collection, the Cordage infini and En haute mer transformable necklaces are to die for! The first chapter of the collection also consisted of many other unique pieces, such as the Trio of Pirates clips – with the names John, David and Jim in a nod to Robert Louis Stevenson – and the Moussaillon necklace outlining the contour of a masculine ornament popular at the time depicted in Treasure Island.
The second chapter, Exploring the Island, followed the pirates’ journey after they dropped anchor off the coast of a dreamlike isle. The highlight had to be the jaw-dropping Palmeraie merveilleuse necklace and clip with detachable pendant. Weighing in at 47.93 carats, the emerald cabochon at its centre will certainly hypnotise you into opening your wallet – just make sure you don’t tell your husband.
The Coquillage Mystérieux clip is another masterpiece that features a surprise element within its unique design, encasing a fairy sculpted in white gold and holding an emerald while nestled at the heart of a coral reef. The Coquilles Mystérieuses bracelet is also exceptionally exquisite, with a motif inspired by seashells and a concealed clasp that’s hidden in the piece’s curves.
Finally, The Treasure Hunt took us into the den where all the gold, gems
and goodies lay hidden. Every pirate’s most closely guarded secret would have
to be their treasure map, which they fiercely protect with their lives. The Carte
au trésor clip, which depicts a golden map wrapped in a twisted cord and made to look as though it has just been put away, is one of my favourite pieces from this series. If you look close enough, you can see an actual engraved map adorned with evocatively-named locales like Cape Tourmaline, Pearl Islands, Valley of Rubies, Sapphire Island and Emerald Lagoon. This third chapter included two other clips – Dieu du vent and Dieu du ciel – that capture the allure of distant horizons with colourful representations of the Mayan divinities Huracan and Itzamna.
Treasure Island has to be the most daring and innovative feat of storytelling I have ever seen from Van Cleef & Arpels, and it undoubtedly took a lot of confidence to move away from its usual fairy-tale characters. But this is exactly why I admire the maison – its determination to keep pushing boundaries has certainly captured my curiosity for the next adventure to come.
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