English Version | A token of good fortune

The four-leafed clover, an iconic symbol of Van Cleef & Arpels' Alhambra collection, returns to the world of High Jewelry. Proof that the mastery and ingenuity of the French Maison know no limits.

Twelve raisins, a rabbit's foot, the number seven... There are many ways to ensure that luck follows us like a shadow. But none reaches the status of Van Cleef & Arpels' Alhambra collection. Inspired by the ultimate symbol of good fortune, the four-leaf clover, this High Jewelry line is not only a guarantee of success andguarantee of success and hope, it is a unique set of objects of incomparable design. Now, with the latest pieces in the collection, the Maison reaches a new zenith, combining Van Cleef & Arpels' most iconic symbol with one of its most recognizable techniques: guilloché.

The primordium of what would eventually become the iconic Alhambra symbol was introduced in 1920 when Van Cleef & Arpels created a collection entirely dedicated to good fortune: clovers, talismans, and other mythological figures were chosen to bring good luck to all who wore them. The symbolism of the plant, however, remained, partly due to the affinity that Jacques Arpels, nephew of the couple who founded one of the most famous Haute Jewelry brands in the world, had for the symbol.

It is therefore not surprising that, given the Maison's growing association with the four-leaf clover, the first piece in the Alhambra collection dedicated entirely to the symbol was an immediate success when it was presented in 1968. The good luck talisman, emblematic of the French brand, has become one of the most recognizable symbols in the world of Haute Jewelry. For a century, the Alhambra clover has been in constant metamorphosis, changing according to different materials and aesthetic sensibilities.

The most recent additions to the Haute Jewelry collection are a true tour de force of manufacture that only Van Cleef & Arpels is capable of. Guilloché, a technique adopted by the Maison in 1910, creates a truly magical effect in these pieces. By lapping the surface of the clover, the symbol of the Alhambra, the light reflects it with a supernatural glow, giving an idiosyncratic tone to the luxurious white gold used in the collection. The material is omnipresent in the latest pieces of the Alhambra collection, constantly broken only by a sumptuous watch in a delicate floral tone, achieved through rose gold. 

Translated from the original on "The Velvet Touch" issue of Vogue Portugal, published December 2022.Full stories and credits on the print issue.