Poetry of Time: Van Cleef & Arpels Celebrates Watchmaking in London

June 5, 2024

10 min read

For its inaugural London-based watch exhibition, French Maison Van Cleef & Arpels will take us right back to 1906 for a journey through its archives of timepieces and métiers d’art. The showcase will meander through six chapters of luxury, including nature, astronomy and ballerinas that exemplify the themes of the heritage house. Although the seconds never stop ticking, let’s pause for a moment to uncover some of the haute horological treasures that we can expect behind the doors of Cromwell Place in May and early June…

Being able to see multiple creations in one place is a useful way to get under the skin of a brand, especially one with the history of Van Cleef & Arpels. Its upcoming exhibition in London will be a feat of high watchmaking infused with some of its most sensational, one-of-a-kind timepieces and feats of craftsmanship. The theme – Poetry of Time – is a reference to the fact that we’ll be taken on a journey from the early 20th century up to the present day, skipping across themes like chapters in a book. Plus, the event will be supported by L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts, who will host a series of talks and children’s workshops to inspire the next generation of haute horologists and collectors.

Designing the Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux Été watch in 18k white gold and set with diamonds, sapphires, and spessartite garnets

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux Été watch in 18k white gold, diamonds, sapphires, and spessartite garnet, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

Van Cleef & Arpels watches are typically floral, pretty, whimsical and colourful. They are designed to be noticed and admired, not only for their aesthetics but their internal mechanisms and automations. All this will be supported by the décor of the exhibition itself, including an ‘enchanted forest’, Art Deco-inspired interiors, and live watchmaking demonstrations, which sounds like a good opportunity to feel inspired.

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Ballerine Musicale Rubis watch in 18k white gold with diamonds and rubies, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

The first chapter in the ‘Poetry of Time’ is Astronomy, centring on the representations of the sky and the cosmos that have been a constant theme throughout the history of Van Cleef & Arpels. In addition to the Lady Arpels Planétarium watch, new iterations of the Lady Arpels Jour Nuit (38mm) and Lady Jour Nuit (33mm) watch will light up this section. Both track the movement of the sun and the moon with a 24-hour rotating disc decorated with glittering aventurine glass, diamonds, mother of pearl, and yellow sapphires or guilloché yellow gold in a white gold case. The introduction of these models required three years of patient work, allowing Van Cleef to take the typical moon phase complication to a whole new level.

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Lady Jour Nuit watch with a 33mm white gold case, set with diamonds, aventurine glass, mother-of-pearl, white and yellow gold and diamonds, with an alligator leather strap, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Jour Nuit watch with a 38mm case in white gold, set with diamonds, aventurine glass, mother-of-pearl, white and yellow gold, diamonds, and sapphires, with a diamond covered bracelet strap, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

Crafting the Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Jour Nuit watch with a diamond-set 38mm case in white gold and a dial featuring mother-of-pearl, white and yellow gold, diamonds and yellow sapphires, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

The details of the Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Jour Nuit watch with a 33mm white gold case, plus diamonds, mother-of-pearl, white and yellow gold, and diamonds, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

A closer look at the aventurine glass used in the Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Jour Nuit and Lady Jour Nuit watches, both to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

The golden sun element in the Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Jour Nuit watch with a 33mm case in white gold, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Jour Nuit watch, which has a 24-hour rotating Day/Night module so “stars perpetually pursue the Sun”, will be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

Next, the exhibition will touch upon a ubiquitous high jewellery theme – nature – focusing on the “constant metamorphoses of flora and fauna” alongside butterflies, gardens, petals and much more. Here, we will see the results of the Heures Florales project, which is the result of a partnership with botanist Carl von Linné, who imagined a time-telling garden miniaturised to fit the wrist. Highlights include the Lady Arpels Heures Florales 38mm watch with a miniature painting in shades of blue, purple, violet, green and brown atop mother of pearl and sculpted gold, and a second Lady Arpels Heures Florales Cerisier watch with pink sapphires, yellow and white diamonds, mother of pearl and a similarly detailed miniature painting. But that’s not all. Both of these precious timepieces are built around a mechanical movement, fitted with a module that opens the flowers on each of the 12 hours – a complete day of blossoming flowers and closing blooms, requiring 166 moving parts.

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Heures Florales Cerisier watch with a 38mm case in rose gold is fitted with a mechanical module that opens and closes the flowers with each passing hour (visible from left to right)

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Heures Florales Cerisier watch with a 38mm case in rose gold, set with diamonds, rose, white and yellow gold, pink sapphires, yellow and white diamonds, mother-of-pearl, and decorated with miniature painting, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Heures Florales Cerisier watch with carefully carved mother of pearl flowers will be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

The colourful dial of the Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Heures Florales watch with white, yellow and rose gold, yellow and white diamonds, mother-of-pearl and miniature painting, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Heures Florales watch with a 38mm diamond-set case in white gold, decorated with white, yellow and rose gold, yellow and white diamonds, mother of pearl, and miniature painting, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

There’s more of note in this chapter, too, including the Lady Arpels Brise d’Été watch with mother of pearl, tsavorites, spessartite garnets, miniature painting, plique-à-jour, champlevé and vallonné enamel. In this piece, an on-demand automation allows butterflies to flutter and stems to shudder as if caught in an imaginary wind. The Lady Arpels Papillon Automate watch is a beautiful mix of diamonds, blue, mauve and purple sapphires and mother of pearl, boasting butterfly wings that beat to the wearer’s steps and randomly flapping wings depending upon the power reserve.

A model wears the Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Papillon Automate watch with a 40mm diamond-set case in white gold, featuring blue, mauve and purple sapphires, mother of pearl, champlevé, paillonné and plique-à-jour enamel, and miniature painting

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Papillon Automate watch with a 40mm diamond-set case in white gold, featuring blue, mauve and purple sapphires, mother of pearl, champlevé, paillonné and plique-à-jour enamel, and miniature painting, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

A closer look at the purple-hued sapphires set into the Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Papillon Automate watch, alongside mother of pearl, champlevé, paillonné and plique-à-jour enamel

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Brise d’Été watch with a 38mm diamond-set case in white gold, featuring mother-of-pearl, tsavorite and spessartite garnets, miniature painting, and plique-à-jour, champlevé and vallonné enamel, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

The process of hand-painting each element of the Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Brise d’Été watch with a 38mm diamond-set case in white gold, mother-of-pearl, tsavorite and spessartite garnets, and plique-à-jour, champlevé and vallonné enamel

Finally, there’s the Éveil du Cyclamen automaton – a non-wearable art object – with a bowl of purple jade, two green aventurine structures, and fluttering butterflies decorated with diamonds, emeralds, lapis lazuli and plique-à-jour enamel. These emerge from a bouquet of cyclamens that opens and closes to tell the time, complete with a bespoke melody for a whimsical finishing touch.

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Éveil du Cyclamen automaton with an eight day power reserve and on-demand animation, crafted with rose, yellow and white gold, pink sapphires, diamonds, purple jade, green aventurine, lacquer, black ebony, aluminium and goat leather, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Éveil du Cyclamen automaton features butterflies crafted in white gold with emeralds, diamonds, lapis lazuli, and plique-à-jour enamel

A closer look at the Cyclamen floral details in the Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Éveil du Cyclamen automaton, crafted in rose gold, yellow gold, lacquer and diamonds

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Éveil du Cyclamen automaton brings even the smallest details to life using rose gold, yellow gold, lacquer and diamonds

Preparing the golden framework for the Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Éveil du Cyclamen automaton, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Éveil du Cyclamen automaton features hand-painted lacquer flowers that cascade from a central golden core

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Éveil du Cyclamen automaton stands at 30cm tall and features a crystalline carillon sound created specifically for this object

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Éveil du Cyclamen automaton contrasts pink lacquered petals and rose gold floral details with a deep green aventurine base

The journey through Van Cleef & Arpels’ ‘Poetic Complications’ continues with two of its most iconic motifs – fairies and ballerinas – and then shifts into the theme of ‘Love’ inspired by the marriage of Alfred Van Cleef and Estelle Arpels. The Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux watch, for example, presents a young woman who travels across a Parisian bridge with the passing hours, reaching her beloved in the middle at noon and midnight. The scene is decorated with diamonds and grisaille enamel, set in white gold for the truly romantic among you. The slightly different Midnight Pont des Amoureux 42mm watch was reworked to enhance the urban feel of the cityscape, while also making the male and female characters bigger to fit the male wrist.

The Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Pont des Amoureux watch with a 42mm case in white gold, featuring grisaille enamel, an on-demand animation module, and an alligator leather strap, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

A closer look at the details on the Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Pont des Amoureux watch with a 42mm case in white gold, featuring grisaille enamel, an on-demand animation module, and an alligator leather strap

The hand-painted dial that forms the romantic backdrop of the Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Pont des Amoureux watch with a 42mm case in white gold

The exhibition will conclude with two sections – Couture and Golden Bead. The former will present high jewellery timepieces, notably the belt-like Ludo secret watch and pieces from the archives. Examples include a yellow gold, platinum, emerald and diamond timepiece from 1965 and an Art Deco bracelet watch with onyx and diamonds in platinum, dated 1925. The latter references the ‘golden bead’ bracelet watch style that now decorates the Perlée collection, which the brand describes as offering a ‘second skin’ feel.

A model wears the Van Cleef & Arpels Perlée watch with a 23 mm case in 18k yellow gold, a mother of pearl dial, and a ‘Golden Bead’ bracelet strap

The Van Cleef & Arpels Ludo Secret watch in the closed position, crafted in 18k yellow gold with diamonds and mother of pearl

An Art Deco Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet watch from 1925, transformable into a lapel watch, in platinum, onyx and diamonds, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

A Van Cleef & Arpels watch from 1965, crated in yellow gold and platinum with emeralds and diamonds, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

Upon finishing its poetic journey, Van Cleef will have taken visitors on a complete journey, starting in the early 1990s and ending in the present day. No matter your personal tastes, there are elements of horology, craftsmanship and métiers d’art to evoke wonder and have you wishing for a wrist upgrade. If you are London-based, this is a snapshot of watchmaking culture that is not to be missed.

The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Ballerine Musicale Diamant watch in 18k white gold and diamonds, to be showcased at the Poetry of Time exhibition in London

Van Cleef & Arpels’ ‘The Poetry of Time’ exhibition will take place at 4 Cromwell Pl, South Kensington, London, SW7 2JE, from May 26 to June 9, 2024. Guests can visit from Tuesday to Saturday between 11 AM and 6 PM and from 11 AM to 4 PM on Sundays. Entry is free of charge.

WORDS

Sarah Jordan Starting her career as a journalist, Sarah discovered the world of fine jewellery in 2014 when she began working as a magazine editor for a jewellery retail magazine in London. Since going freelance, Sarah has specialised in content writing, editing and branded storytelling for a range of businesses, including De Beers Jewellery, Sotheby’s, the Natural Diamond Council and Gem-A (Gemmological Association of Great Britain). She is also the founder of her own specialist copywriting business, The William Agency. Sarah has completed courses at both De Beers Group Institute of Diamonds and the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), and is well-versed in the language of high jewellery and the history of jewellery design movements. She has known Katerina for many years and shares her vision of helping even more women fall in love with fine jewellery… one gemstone at a time!

JEWELLERY TYPE:

Watches

EVENTS:

exhibition

BRANDS:

Van Cleef&Arpels

Jewellery Insights straight to your inbox.

Jewellery Knowledge

Finishing Touch: How Jewellers Set Deep Gemstones in Their Designs

From edgy, avant-garde methods to more classical yet creative solutions, setting deep gemstones has become a true showcase of artisan craftsmanship at its finest.

by Aliki Barnes

Katerina PerezClub

Step into a universe devoted to jewellery that has been especially curated to indulge your passion, impart knowledge and inspire the next steps on your jewellery journey. Discover exclusive content you won’t find elsewhere.

join the club