VCA: the beauty and vitality of spring

Van Cleef & Arpels celebrates the beauty and vitality of spring with a range of special collections and collaborations

The arrival of spring is always cause for celebration, as the days grow longer, the air gets warmer, and Mother Nature blooms anew in a riot of colour and beauty. Van Cleef & Arpels has long marked the season with special creations imbued with an airy grace and this year takes flight with new additions to its Two Butterfly collection.

Whether figurative or stylised, butterflies have been a hallmark of the maison since its foundation. These delicate creatures, known for their kaleidoscopic wings and incredible life cycle, have been recreated on clips, necklaces and cigarette cases as far back as 1906. The Two Butterfly collection dates back to 2001 and a Between the Finger ring with a pair of butterflies in yellow sapphires and diamonds.

Following the introduction of pink sapphires, tsavorite garnets, mother-of-pearl and lapis lazuli, the latest additions to the collection are the first to feature the intense blue of turquoise combined with the warmth of yellow gold and sparkling diamonds. The pendant, Between the Finger ring and earrings also feature the energy and vitality that is characteristic of Van Cleef & Arpels, with asymmetry and contrasting colours on the ring and earrings and a tilted position that gives the butterfly a sense of movement on the pendant.

Each piece has been meticulously crafted, from the selection of the turquoise to ensure harmonious, uniform blue to the openwork backs that allow light to pass through the diamonds and reveal their true radiance. The stunning result suggests glimpses of a blue spring sky revealed by the fluttering of the butterflies’ wings.

Two Butterfly is in fact a perfect match for Van Cleef & Arpels’ Frivole collection, which likewise celebrates the arrival of spring in a series of sparkling flowers. Its latest additions include six creations in rose gold and diamonds, each showcasing a trio of heart-shaped petals in full bloom around a diamond pistil. They add to the garden of flora the maison has captured over the decades, from roses and daisies to sunflowers and cherry branches.

But, when it comes to nature and Van Cleef & Arpels, there’s always more. Starting this month, the jewellery house is collaborating once again with award-winning French artist Alexander Benjamin Navet to bring the beauty of the season to its Hong Kong boutiques (with the exception of the Landmark Prince’s flagship).

Recreating the feel of a sketchbook, Navet has explored the world of nature bringing butterfly shapes and dazzling colours into bloom in the boutiques’ window displays. The project will continue through the year with a large-format interior design concept and a series of short films. As the artist says, “A spring light and a flight of butterflies reveal hidden treasures… Nature is alive, vivacious and sometimes a little magic.”

Also see: Graff: Tilda’s Bow collection expresses effervescent imagination with diamond magic