Today – for the first time – the collection welcomes four secret pendant watch models. They celebrate the poetry of a time that remains hidden, revealing itself when so desired on the chain of a long neck lace. A longside these unique pieces, two Sweet Alhambra watches are adorned with ornamental stones, complemented by the gleam of delicately beaded yellow gold.
Precious Hours
Four new creations are joining the Alhambra collection – which for the first time welcomes the notion of a personal time, concealed at the heart of the emblematic, four-leafed clover-inspired motifs. Following in the footsteps of the chain watches that appeared in Europe in the 17th century, these jewels that tell the time take the form of precious pendants, accompany ing their wearer’s silhouette. They combine the Maison’s characteristically elegant jewelry style with its secret watch tradition. The time is revealed at will: a simple action pivots the stone-set motif to unveil the dial.
In keeping with the Alhambra collection’s iconic aesthetic, each creation is adorned with precious materials. Two of them showcase the intense radiance of guilloché gold: the first discloses a dial in white mother-of-pearl beneath a motif in guilloché rose gold, while the second conceals a dial in guilloché yellow gold inside a sparkling case, entirely set with diamonds. A third piece combines the softness of rose gold with the warm tones of carnelian, enclosing a dial in white mother-of-pearl, delicately embellished with diamonds. Each piece is bordered by a double beaded contour, accentuating the curves of the Alhambra pendant.
Dazzling materials in the sweet Alhambra collection
Over the years, the Alhambra collection has been enriched with different-sized motifs – among them Sweet Alhambra, with its delicate dimensions. Echoing the design of the collection, the case of the two new creations is fringed with a double beaded contour, and set wit h diamonds on its side. The dials are crafted from rare and precious materials: turquoise for one, and lapis lazuli for the other. Inside the bezel, a row of diamonds borders the dial, providing a dazzling complement to the beauty of the ornamental stones, and accentuating the plays of contrast with the yellow gold.
For multiple wearing options, Van Cleef & Arpels offers a selection of interchangeable bracelets with its Sweet Alhambra watches; their colors – notably dark or light blue, black and burgundy – have been chosen for their elegant simplicity. Removable with a simple press of the fingers, they will match any outfit or mood from season to season.
A palette of rare stones
Reflecting all the expertise of Van Cleef & Arpels’ gemologists, the ornamental stones have been chosen in line with the Maison’s stringent criteria. The carnelian is selected for the evenness of its warm hue, while the turquoise displays an intense sky blue. The lapis lazuli is of a deep midnight blue, subtly interspersed with pyrite golden flakes suffusing the material with a distinctive charm. For each creation, the diamonds used by Van Cleef & Arpels meet the highest gemological standards: D to F for color and IF to V VS for clarity. They endow the creations with an intense and vivid sparkle.
