Van Cleef & Arpels expands the Alhambra universe with pieces that can be worn in multiple ways.
Since its creation in 1968, the Alhambra collection has stood as Van Cleef & Arpels’ emblem of luck, inspired by the four-leaf clover and its promise of good fortune. Over the decades, it has evolved while remaining true to its original motif, combining simplicity, craftsmanship and versatility. Now, the maison introduces a new chapter in this enduring story: transformable pieces that can be worn in multiple ways, making it both an aesthetic variation and a functional creation.
The Magic Alhambra transformable long necklaces extend the collection’s playfulness to design. First introduced in 2006, the Magic Alhambra signature uses asymmetrical motifs of varying sizes to create a sense of movement and dynamism. The new long necklaces incorporate detachable elements, allowing them to be worn as a full-length necklace, a shorter necklace or even a bracelet. Guilloché rose gold is paired with white and grey mother-of-pearl, while another version combines guilloché white gold with chalcedony and white mother-of-pearl. Each motif is carefully arranged to balance proportion, light reflection and the fall of the chain, with clasps discreetly hidden behind the neck.
Two Vintage Alhambra reversible rings add to the collection’s versatility, featuring a double beaded contour and reversible motifs. One presents grey mother-of-pearl on one side and a diamond set in rose gold on the other, while the second alternates chalcedony with a diamond set in white gold. Their design preserves the sparkle of the stones, with smooth rotation mechanisms and a graduated interior of golden beads ensuring comfort. The Sweet Alhambra watch, powered by a Swiss quartz movement, complements these pieces. A combination of guilloché white gold with chalcedony and diamond-set motifs, the design balances decorative detailing with legibility.
Crafted with meticulous attention to materials and technique, these creations reflect the maison’s century-old expertise. Stones such as mother-of-pearl and chalcedony are selected for their colour, striations and luminosity, while each motif undergoes multiple steps of cutting, polishing and assembly before being set into the beaded gold mount. This dedication to precision echoes Van Cleef & Arpels’ long history of transformable jewellery, which dates back to the 1920s with clip systems and has since evolved through iconic Passe-Partout and Zip necklaces.