Special Order – Van Cleef & Arpels
17th October 2026-
Van Cleef & Arpels, a Special Order cultured pearl and diamond choker necklace, circa 1965 (Lot 645) Estimate £15,000-£20,000
Throughout the 1960s, Van Cleef & Arpels made unique, specially ordered pieces for leading international figures including Barbara Hutton, Princess Grace of Monaco and Empress Farah Pahlavi of Iran. Special Order pieces by Van Cleef & Arpels are particularly coveted by collectors today and those commissioned in New York are especially unusual. The October Fine Jewellery sale includes a cultured pearl choker with a detachable flowerhead clasp (Lot 645), signed Van Cleef & Arpels, NY 1638, SO, which was a special order made in the United States and carries an estimate of £15,000-£20,000.
Van Cleef & Arpels is renowned for its inventive transformable jewellery. Through exceptional ingenuity and craftsmanship, its convertible designs allow the owner to wear the jewels in various ways, in this case as either a showstopping necklace or brooch. In the 1930s, reportedly at the suggestion of the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson, the Maison began developing the Zip necklace, which could also be worn as a bracelet. It took the firm’s artisans many years to perfect a fully functioning zip mechanism in precious metals and gemstones. When the necklace was finally unveiled in 1951, it quickly became a sought-after design.
During the 1960s, Van Cleef & Arpels jewellers favoured flora inspired designs. Dated 1965, this specially commissioned cultured pearl choker centres on a clasp with a detachable trio of flowerheads, suspending three graduated rows of cultured pearl tassels, each terminating in a pompom set with single-cut and baguette-shaped diamonds.
The 1960s and 1970s ushered in a period of renewal for the Maison when the Arpels brothers’ extensive travels across Asia, sparked fresh inspiration. In 1968, the Maison introduced the iconic Alhambra collection, inspired by the four-leaf clover, that endures as one of the house’s most popular designs today.
In our April 2025 Fine Jewellery sale, a1950’s pair of Van Cleef & Arpels natural pearl and diamond earrings, after a design created especially for Princess Grace of Monaco, sold for £75,600 (including fees). Jewellery by Van Cleef & Arpels regularly features in our sales. The Autumn sale comprises 650 lots, featuring an exceptional selection of rare, antique and contemporary jewels.
