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Van Cleef & Arpels Sapphire and Diamond "Camellia" Earrings
$120,000
These Van Cleef & Arpels "Camellia" earrings, in blue sapphires and diamonds, evoke the spectacular blossom from Asia that possessed the European imagination from the late 18th century onward. Like their camellia-loving contemporary, Coco Chanel, Van Cleef & Arpels designers were inspired by the luxurious flower, designing this classic line of stylized jewels that has been beloved since the 1950s. Beautifully modeled to hug the ear, these sparkling flowers-to-wear enhance the eyes and face.
- Product Details
- Curator's Notes
Item #: ER-18249
Artist: Van Cleef & Arpels, New York
Country: United States
Circa: 1960s
Size: 1.125” diameter
Materials: 150 Round-cut diamonds (approximate total weight 6.00 carats); 48 Round- and oval-cut sapphires (approximate total weight 7.70 carats); Platinum
Signed: “Van Cleef NY” (partially obliterated on finding)
Literature: Earrings of the same design, in ruby and diamond, are pictured in Van Cleef & Arpels: L'Art De La Haute Joaillerie, by Évelyne Possémé, Les Arts Decoratifs, 2013, p. 187
Head curator at the Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, Évelyne Possémé, who has written extensively on Van Cleef & Arpels, has written about the eternal appeal and influence of Camellia ear clips in the 1960s: “At the same time as the Indian influence, a rather more classical vein was still found in earrings such as the Camellia clips, leaves composed of bead and prong-set rubies (and sapphires) and diamonds."