Images courtesy of Van Cleef & Arpels

If finding the perfect gown to fall in love with is hard, finding the sparkles that celebrate the special love between you and your other half might prove even harder. But it’s not impossible, if you turn to the jewellery house that knows all about love. True romance has always been at the heart of Van Cleef & Arpels, for the Parisian maison is one born out of the love story of Estelle Arpels, daughter of a gemstone dealer, and Alfred Van Cleef, son of a lapidarist. Married in 1895, they founded their salon at 22 Place Vendôme in 1906. Since then, jewels of love have always taken a special place at the maison.

The jeweller’s enduring affinity for wedding and engagement rings, together with its well-known high jewellery savoir-faire, unrivalled master craftsmanship and gemstone expertise, means its bridal collections through the years have been nothing short of exceptional. In fact, with iconic designs that are as beautiful as they are unique, a Van Cleef & Arpels ring is instantly recognisable and highly coveted.

They include the whimsically textured Perlée range of wedding bands and engagement rings; the statement-making Couture and Tête-à-Tête solitaire rings; the elegant Estelle solitaire ring; and the more extravagant and stylish Boucle, Éventails, and Une Soirée à l’Opéra solitaire rings.    

 Now, couples who want their very own bridal jewellery may look to Van Cleef & Arpels’ new Poetic Settings service, launched in January 2017. It offers a range of made-to-measure engagement rings in the maison’s most beloved designs. The bride can choose her ring from a selection of settings, along with that all-important diamond solitaire, which can range from 0.30 to 1 carat in size.

Every diamond presented by the house has been carefully selected by its expert gemmologists to meet the most stringent criteria of cut, colour and clarity. And while the jeweller adheres to GIA’s stringent criteria for not just centre stones but also pavé stones, it goes further by employing an additional criterion: character, also called the fifth C. By ensuring each gemstone possesses the Pierres de Caractère qualities of vivacity, charm and individuality, Van Cleef & Arpels gives every bride the assurance of fulfilling her dream.