The celestial constellations were a lasting source of inspiration for lovers, dreamers and creative souls. Similarly, the signs of the zodiac have long fascinated the designers of the famous Parisian jewellery brand Van Cleef & Arpels.
Jewellery collections that include pendants, bracelets, buttons and cufflinks have regularly appeared in the brand's range over the decades, many of which are adorned with materials such as wood, diamonds, mother-of-pearl and decorative stones. Since 2014, zodiac signs have appeared on various Van Cleef & Arpels watches, including the acclaimed 2018 Zodiaque Lumineux series.
Now a well-known luxury jewellery brand presents a new collection "Zodiaque" that pays homage to each of the 12 astrological signs in two different ways: with a choice of long necklaces surrounded by rare decorative stones illustrating symbols and elements and solid yellow gold medallions that also show different signs of the Zodiac.
Twelve long necklaces show signs in three-dimensional relief. The front shows the zodiac symbols in rose gold in the foreground, decorated with a background that emphasizes their element - earth, air, fire or water. The same materials and techniques adorn the backs of the necklaces, showing astrological symbols and dates.
Among the earth signs, Virgo is represented by malachite with wavy motifs, Taurus with chrome aventurine, and Capricorn with amazonite. The materials used for the air signs reflect the beauty of the night sky: lapis lazuli representing Gemini, blue aventurine for Aquarius and glittering golden obsidian for Libra. Fire signs are evoked by materials that suggest flame, lava and embers: an iron eye for Aries, red parsite for Sagittarius and red jasper for Leo. Water signs, meanwhile, are enchanted with materials reminiscent of the ocean depths, with blue quartz for Cancer, sodalite for Pisces and turquoise for Scorpio.
Solid gold medallions began to appear as part of the Van Cleef & Arpels collection in the 1950s and quickly achieved great success, available in a wide range of sizes and shapes. Now they are spectacularly returning to the "Zodiaque" collection, as the first astrological medallions of the house, produced in a new size of 21 mm. Like the necklaces, these yellow gold medallions have a three-dimensional representation of the signs and dates of the zodiac on both sides.
