Over half a century since its debut, Van Cleef & Arpels’ Alhambra motif continues to charm generations of jewellery lovers.
Introduced in the 1960s, Van Cleef & Arpels’ emblematic Alhambra collection was conceived for a new cohort of free-spirited women who were increasingly buying fine jewellery for themselves and wearing it every day. Though clover designs have been a part of the Parisian maker’s repertoire since the early 1900s, the innovative motif as we know it first appeared in 1968 on an opera-length necklace featuring 20 four-leaf clovers.
For more about the Alhambra read why it’s so appealing to Gen Z
Its design was inspired by the traditional good luck charm, a favourite of Jacques Arpels (a nephew of one of the maison’s founding families), as well as the exotic quatrefoil motifs that decorate the Moorish Palace in Spain – from which the jewel derives its name.
Chic and endlessly versatile, Alhambra was quickly embraced by tastemakers such as Grace Kelly and Elizabeth Taylor and went on to become a bestseller. Today, the range has expanded to include rings, earrings, bracelets and watches, and it remains one of the most collectible jewels in the world, popular with A-list athletes (Simone Biles, Jack Grealish, LeBron James), musicians (Central Cee, Offset, Cardi B) and even royalty (the Princess of Wales, Queen Camilla).
Let’s take a closer look…
BOLD COLOUR
In the 1960s, the Alhambra collection was produced using popular ornamental stones like malachite and rock crystal. Today, 10 different accents are available: diamond, malachite, mother-of-pearl, tiger’s eye, agate, chalcedony, turquoise, carnelian, lapis lazuli and onyx.
GOLD BEADING
Each quatrefoil motif is trimmed with Van Cleef & Arpels’ signature ‘perlée’ beading, a goldsmithing technique used since the 1920s. The frames are created with the ancient ‘lost wax’ method, then polished and finished by hand to ensure a perfect fit around the central stone.
SOCIAL MEDIA STARDOM
Despite being a mid-century design, the Alhambra motif has found modern fame on Tik Tok, with over 80 million related videos.
A LUCKY CHARM?
Associations with a lucky clover have, unsurprisingly, made the Alhambra collection popular with athletes. Notably, tennis player Aryna Sabalenka sported vintage Alhambra to win the 2023 Australian Open; fencer Cheung Ka-Long secured a gold medal for Hong Kong at 2024 Olympics whilst wearing an Alhambra bracelet, and high jumper Elena Kulichenko became first female Cypriot athlete to compete in an Olympic track and field event at the same Games, whilst wearing her Alhambra piece.
COMPLEXITY
Over 15 successive steps are required to create each Alhambra piece, including selecting and carving each individual motif and complex engraving, all undertaken by master craftspeople.
HAND STAMP
Every Alhambra jewel bears a hand-stamped signature. Usually located on the motif nearest the clasp, it includes the brand’s hallmark, the number ‘750’ to indicate 18k gold, plus a unique serial number.
Every fortnight, we take apart one iconic jewel – what it’s made of, why it endures, what it’s worth now. Join 2,000 readers.
Like this? Read the story of the Cartier Love bracelet.
Editor’s note: This story originally appeared in Issue 12 of Something About Rocks – there’s still time to get a copy of the issue.
