Clients who arrived by private jet to Van Cleef & Arpels recent debut of its latest high jewellery collection, Treasure Island, were clearly impressed by the French maison’s idea of pirate’s booty—the entire collection was reportedly nearly sold out by the time press got to see pieces the following evening at a gala hosted on the grounds of Vizacaya in Miami. Inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s 19th-century adventure novel of the same name, the collection predominately focused on coloured stones (and some very heavyweight ones at that) in designs that directly translated the theme from brooches designed as pirates, palm trees, and ships to more subtle references like a geometric sapphire, emerald, and diamond collar necklace meant to evoke the windows of a pirate’s ship.
Some of the first pieces to be swiped up for clients’ own treasure chests? A necklace with an enormous turquoise drop was the pièce de resistance of the collection to an emerald and diamond palm tree brooch that is classic Van Cleef and emblematic of the collection, and a bevy of jaw-dropping cocktail rings with enormously sized stones. Talk to anyone inside or outside the company, and you will hear that the Parisian jeweller is on fire (as a result, Nicolas Bos, the former CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels, is now CEO of its parent company, Richemont, with former VCA alum and Jaeger-LeCoultre CEO, Catherine Renier, now spearheading the jeweller). Word has it that when a jewellery house is constantly selling through, it’s no longer enough to have the right spending history to be invited on a luxurious first-dibs trip for a big collection reveal—only the most pleasant clients with a deep investment history in the brand will get an invite.
To celebrate the extensive collection, Van Cleef entertained its guests to the hilt with a three-star Michelin dinner by Emmanuel Renaut, a performance by CocoRosie, and an entire troupe of performers in a pirate costume that danced among the tables against the backdrop of a sunken ship—part of the decor of Miami’s Gilded Age Vizacaya mansion. In case you need any further verification that Van Cleef & Arpels is doing exceedingly well, the proof is in the expense budget. And judging by the size and quality of the stones on display, the house is, unsurprisingly, getting first, or at least very top, picks when it comes to purchasing gems. Almost all were sold, but we did clock a stunning multi-million-dollar sapphire ring on display that is not part of the Treasure Island collection but is still up for grabs—a purchase certainly worthy of an invite to next year’s grand affair and an eternally valuable treasure to secure for one’s vault.
Click here for more images of the Treasure Island collection.
