How to sell and value your Van Cleef and Arpels jewelry at auction?

The House of Van Cleef & Arpels

The history of the iconic jewelry house began at the beginning of the twentieth century after a happy event: the marriage between Estelle Arpels, daughter of a stone merchant, and Alfred Van Cleef, son of a lapidary and diamond broker. This marriage gave birth to a company in which Alfred Van Cleef's brothers joined. The first boutique was set up on the emblematic Place Vendôme, in the heart of Paris, the center of refinement and a meeting place for Parisian high jewelry. From the outset, Van Cleef and Arpels positioned itself in the work of precious stones and created sets, necklaces, earrings, brooches and rings for elegant Parisians. It also developed watchmaking and invented innovative models, such as the "Wood" watches, made entirely of wood. Celebrities from all over the world snapped up the company's creations in the 20th century, like Grace Kelly, the Duchess of Windsor, or Farah of Iran.

Iconic models by Van Cleef & Arpels

Here is a list of some of the iconic Van Cleef & Arpels models:

1. Alhambra : Alhambra necklaces in gold and mother-of-pearl with clover motifs are highly sought-after. Prices can start from a few thousand euros for models in yellow gold and mother-of-pearl, and rise considerably for models adorned with diamonds.

2. Perlée : Perlée rings in yellow gold, rose gold or white gold with rows of pearls can vary in price depending on the size and number of pearls. Prices range from a few thousand euros to tens of thousands of euros.

3. Frivole : Frivole necklaces with gold petals and diamonds range in price from several thousand euros to tens of thousands of euros.

4. Sweet Alhambra: Smaller models in the Alhambra collection, such as earrings or bracelets, can be priced from a few thousand euros up to tens of thousands of euros.

5. Magic Alhambra: Magic Alhambra jewelry, with its larger, more opulent clover motifs, can command prices well into the tens of thousands of euros, depending on the materials and gems used.

6. Zip : Zip necklaces, with their functional zippers, can be considered collector's items. Prices can vary considerably, starting from several thousand euros and reaching higher sums for rarer, more luxurious models.

Please note that these price estimates are approximate and may change over time. We recommend that you consult an auctioneer, the only professional qualified to provide you with current and precise prices for the specific models you are interested in.

Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry and watches at auction

Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry and timepieces are sought after at auction. Van Cleef's jewels form sets of exceptional pieces. During the Art Deco period, Van Cleef created exceptional pieces that made up the jewelry treasures of the 1920s and 1930s. The company's jewelers used precious materials such as gold, mother-of-pearl, precious stones and also semi-precious stones such as coral, lapis lazuli and turquoise. At that time and up to the present day, there are also secret watches, jewel watches whose dials can be revealed at will, hidden under important settings of rubies, diamonds, sapphires and emeralds, sometimes in the form of flowers or bows. In the 1950s and 1960s, Van Cleef and Arpels specialized in amusing animal-shaped clips and brooches that breathed a light and unusual wind into the world of jewelry. In this bestiary of animals of all kinds, we find cats, lions, rabbits but especially the famous birds of paradise in gold and precious materials that make the reputation of the house of jewelry and achieve records in auction.

Why sell your Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry and watches at auction?

The assistance of an auctioneer in theestimation and auctioning of jewelry from Van Cleef & Arpels is necessary. The quality of the pieces requires a thorough expertise and sometimes the intervention of a gemologist. The work of the auctioneer and the expert guarantees the seller the seriousness, the competition and the publicity of his object which allows him to sell it at the best price. The buyer, for his part, is secured by the work of research on the object of the auctioneer who verifies the veracity of the jewel and the precious materials composing it.