French luxury for sophisticated connoisseurs: Famous precious ballerina brooches from Van Cleef & Arpels

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Van Cleef & Arpels is a very famous and romantic jewelry brand, the name of which reflects the names of two lovers - Alfred Van Cleef and Estelle Arpels. One of the sources from which the jewelers of Van Cleef & Arpels draw inspiration is the world of dance, and therefore it is not at all surprising that the ballerina brooches, Ballerinas, became its highlight.

There is hardly another jewelry company developing as rapidly as Van Cleef & Arpels. Neither the global crisis nor the war could prevent its prosperity.

Many famous clients have bought jewelry from Van Cleef & Arpels, but I would like to especially mention the magnificent Jarretiere platinum bracelet, made especially for Marlene Dietrich.

This massive bracelet on the thin wrist of the actress perfectly emphasized her sophistication. Marlene was very fond of this bracelet, and although in the last years of her life she was forced to sell her jewelry, she did not part with the bracelet. But still, shortly before his death, in 1992, he had to be sold too.

Precious ballerina brooches

During World War II, some of the Arpels family members left for New York and continued their business. It was here, on the initiative of a passionate admirer of ballet Louis Arpels, that the first wonderful brooches, depicting fragile, graceful ballerinas, appeared. They very accurately convey the grace of the dancers performing ballet steps. In the dark war years, these brooches brought joy and hope to people.

Since then, Van Cleef & Arpels and ballet have become inseparable, and this connection continues to this day.

The jewelers of Van Cleef & Arpels, creating their masterpieces, drew inspiration from the grace of ballerinas. And their ballerina brooches, in turn, inspired the founder of the New York City Ballet, legendary choreographer George Balanchine, to create Jewels, a masterpiece of 20th century choreography.

In the design of this abstraction ballet, three colors were used - green, red and white, corresponding to three stones - emerald, ruby and diamond. The first movement of the ballet, Emeralds, performed to the music of Gabriel Fauré, reflects the romantic and sophisticated French ballet school.

The second part, entitled "Rubies", dedicated to the American ballet, is accompanied by the harsh music of I. F. Stravinsky, and the costumes of the dancers are more like jazz than ballet ones.

The third movement, "Diamonds", accompanied by the solemn music by P. I. Tchaikovsky, symbolizes the Russian ballet school. The costumes of the dancers, accordingly, sparkle with diamonds.

The ballet premiered in New York in 1967.

In 2007, the jewelers of Van Cleef & Arpels celebrated the 40th anniversary of this ballet with the release of the Ballet Precieux series of ballerina brooches.

Many wonderful jewelry was created by the jewelers of Van Cleef & Arpels in honor of the Russian ballet: In 2012 - two brooches based on the ballet Swan Lake (the reason for this was the opening of a Moscow boutique)

and the second collection, Ballet Precieux, dedicated to the famous Russian ballets - Swan Lake, La Bayadère, The Nutcracker, The Golden Fish and The Rite of Spring.

Brooches depicting ballerinas are inextricably linked with Van Cleef & Arpels and are deservedly considered the trademark of this jewelry house, which continues to create jewelry with graceful ballerinas to this day.

Continuing the topic, a story about 15 luxurious brooches that Queen Elizabeth II loves to wear and their stories.