1895年一名寶石商的女兒Estelle Arpels與寶石切割工匠的兒子Alfred Van Cleef墜入愛河,他們的聯婚促成了珠寶世家Van Cleef & Arpels,也奠定了日後世家對優質寶石努力不懈的追求與堅持。世家全新推出的The Legend of Diamonds – Van Cleef & Arpels Mystery Set 高級珠寶系列便是對極致鑽石與世家百年傳承珠寶工藝的最高敬意。
(圖片來源:Van Cleef & Arpels)
追求極致寶石
Van Cleef & Arpels百年來不斷尋找最優質的鑽石打造驚世佳作,早於1921年的每日郵報上便記載著世家最早尋獲的稀有巨鑽Prince Edward of York 60克拉梨形白鑽,後來世家亦多次為皇室名流進行不可能的任務,搜羅各式聞所未聞的珍貴寶石,如為埃及公主Princess Fawzia所打造的鑽石項鏈,共用了6個月時間搜尋90顆共重115克拉的明亮形美鑽;為著名法國舞蹈家Zizi Jeanmaire設計的項鏈,則用上名為Blue Heart的31克拉心形藍鑽;1960年Louis Arpels從蘇富比拍賣會投得產自著名鑽鑛Golconda的34.64克拉粉紅鑽;還有1964年世家投得的30.58克拉Mazarin鑽石,此鑽曾為法國皇室所有,並從紅衣主教馬扎林傳承下來。世家歷年來對傳奇寶石的痴迷成就一次又一次的驚世設計。
1922年Van Cleef & Arpels目錄上展示了The Prince Edward of York 巨鑽。(圖片來源:Van Cleef & Arpels)
Blue Heart 心形藍鑽(圖片來源:Van Cleef & Arpels)
全球第5大巨鑽
全新 The Legend of Diamonds- 25 Mystery Set珠寶系列的由來要從2018年開始說來,當時Van Cleef & Arpels 透過鑽石供應商Taché購得一顆名為「The Lesotho Legend」,重910克拉的巨鑽原石,這顆來自非洲萊索托王國的頂級D色IIA型鑽石,光彩超凡、閃爍極致,IIA型鑽石因含氮量極低,被外界喻為最純淨的鑽石。鮮有處理原石的Van Cleef & Arpels同時找來安特衛普鑽石切割工坊Diamcad合作,經過一年時間寶石學家的仔細觀察與先進定位科技的幫助下,世家成功切割出67顆共重441.75克拉的美鑽,寶石超凡的質量亦為Van Cleef & Arpels設計團隊帶來4年後的今天The Legend of Diamonds系列橫空面世。
「The Lesotho Legend」原石(圖片來源:Van Cleef & Arpels)
專利技術Van Cleef & Arpels Mystery Set
是次The Legend of Diamonds珠寶系列為了突顯寶石最美形態,25件作品通通起用了世家專利技術 -Van Cleef & Arpels Mystery Set隱密式鑲嵌工藝,可以在不讓鑲爪及其他金屬元件外露的情況下鑲嵌珍貴寶石。Mystery Set工藝繁複,只有少數珠寶大師才能掌握其中竅門。90年代起世家更從Mystery Set工藝中衍生出更多技術,如Navette Mystery Set與Vitrail Mystery Set 隱密式鑲嵌工藝,迎合不同主題打造更富動感、層次的視覺效果。
(圖片來源:Van Cleef & Arpels)
可變換的珠寶設計
蛻變是Van Cleef & Arpels珠寶的另一重大特色,The Legend of Diamonds- 25 Mystery Set珠寶系列中亦不乏可變換的細節,如把吊墜拆下套於戒指上,又或是項鏈變換成耳環,某些作品更可變出6個款式,而每一個「變身」皆體現出世家無比創意。
25 MYSTERY SET JEWELS ATOURS MYSTÉRIEUX ATOURS MYSTÉRIEUX TRANSFORMABLE NECKLACE White gold, rose gold, one DFL Type 2A oval diamond of 79.35 carats, Individual Mystery Set rubies, Traditional Mystery Set rubies, rubies, diamonds. (圖片來源:Van Cleef & Arpels)
COUTURE MYSTÉRIEUSE RING White gold, rose gold, one DFL Type 2A oval diamond of 18.32 carats, Traditional Mystery Set rubies, rubies, diamonds. COROLLE MYSTÉRIEUSE EARRINGS White gold, rose gold, two DIF Type 2A oval diamonds of 1.60 and 1.59 carats, Traditional Mystery Set rubies, diamonds. (圖片來源:Van Cleef & Arpels)
VOLUTES MYSTÉRIEUSES TRANSFORMABLE NECKLACE AND EARRINGS WITH DETACHABLE PENDANTS White gold, rose gold, 3 oval-cut DFL Type 2A diamond of 30.61, 15.52 and 15.50 carats, Traditional Mystery Set rubies, diamonds. (圖片來源:Van Cleef & Arpels)
ORNEMENT MYSTÉRIEUX CLIP White gold, rose gold, 21 DIF Type 2A round diamonds for 12.09 carats, Traditional Mystery Set rubies, rubies, diamonds. (圖片來源:Van Cleef & Arpels)
CHEVRON MYSTÉRIEUX NECKLACE AND EARRINGS WITH DETACHABLE PENDANTS White gold, rose gold, three DFL Type 2A pear-cut diamonds of 31.24, 12.18, and 12.07 carats, one DFL Type 2A round diamond of 1.08 carats, Traditional Mystery Set emeralds, emeralds, sapphires, diamonds. LISERÉ MYSTÉRIEUX RING White gold, rose gold, one DFL Type 2A pear-cut diamond of 2.50 carats, Traditional Mystery Set emeralds and sapphires, diamonds. (圖片來源:Van Cleef & Arpels)
DRAPERIE MYSTÉRIEUSE CLIP White gold, rose gold, two DFL Type 2A pear-cut diamonds of 1.26 and 1.09 carats, one DIF Type 2A pear-cut diamond of 1.73 carats, Traditional Mystery Set emeralds and sapphires, sapphires, diamonds. (圖片來源:Van Cleef & Arpels)
DUO MYSTÉRIEUX
自70年代起盛行開放式的指間戒指,玩味創意挑戰傳統珠寶穿搭,Duo Mystérieux指間戒把兩顆祖母綠切割鑽石面向彼此,映照出更動人火光。
DUO MYSTÉRIEUX BETWEEN THE FINGER RING Rose gold, two DFL Type 2A emerald-cut diamonds of 2.10 and 2.10 carats, Traditional Mystery Set buff-topped rubies, pink sapphires, diamonds. (圖片來源:Van Cleef & Arpels)
COLLERETTE MYSTÉRIEUSE TRANSFORMABLE NECKLACE AND RING White gold, rose gold, two DFL Type 2A emerald-cut diamonds of 51.14 and 10.52 carats, Individual Mystery Set rubies, Traditional Mystery Set buff-topped rubies, pink sapphires, diamonds. (圖片來源:Van Cleef & Arpels)
ENTRELACS MYSTÉRIEUX BRACELET White gold, red gold, two DFL Type 2A Asscher-cut diamonds of 10.88 and 10.88 carats, Traditional Mystery Set buff-topped sapphires, diamonds. (圖片來源:Van Cleef & Arpels)