Van Cleef & Arpels
Van Cleef & Arpels is first and foremost one of the great Paris jewelry houses, founded in 1906 by Alfred Van Cleef and his father-in-law Salomon Arpels on the Place Vendôme — the address that has defined luxury since the Napoleonic era. The brand's contribution to watchmaking is inseparable from its identity as a creator of jeweled objects of surpassing beauty, and its watches are best understood as extensions of this jeweler's vision rather than as horological instruments competing on technical grounds. Van Cleef & Arpels' most important horological creation is the Poetic Complications series, including the Lady Arpels Planétarium — a wristwatch that recreates the solar system's movements in real time — and the Midnight in Paris, which displays the Paris skyline at various hours through an animated architectural miniature. The Alhambra, the brand's signature four-leaf clover motif, appears on watches as well as jewelry, with iconic bracelets and necklaces making the Alhambra name universally recognized. Pre-owned Van Cleef & Arpels timepieces, from gem-set bracelet watches to Poetic Complications, represent the outer edge of what wearable art can achieve. DeMesy & Co. in Dallas has been a trusted source for pre-owned Van Cleef & Arpels timepieces since 1987.
