Few collections in the world of fine jewellery carry the same authority as Van Cleef & Arpels’ Alhambra. Since 1968, its four-leaf clover motif has become shorthand for elegance; a talisman of luck, refinement, and optimism. But the Maison’s latest evolution of this icon proves that even the most timeless designs are always ripe for reinvention.
This season, the Alhambra collection embraces the art of transformation. Through subtle engineering and extraordinary craftsmanship, pieces that once held a singular form now move, shift, and adapt with the wearer. The new Magic Alhambra long necklaces are a masterclass in versatility, capable of transitioning from a statement-length strand to a bracelet or shorter necklace in a single gesture. These pieces have been crafted as a nod to modern life’s multiplicity, to shift with the wearer’s ever-changing needs.
The effect is one of poetic precision. Two elegant colour and material combinations define the collection. On one, rose gold meets the iridescence of white and grey mother-of-pearl; on another, the bluish nuances of chalcedony converse with white gold and the luster of white mother-of-pearl. The asymmetry of the motifs — a defining feature since the collection’s inception — gives each piece rhythm and energy.
Similarly, the reversible Vintage Alhambra rings carry an understated brilliance: turned one way, each reveals a luminous mother-of-pearl or captivating chalcedony, turned another, a diamond set within sculpted guilloché gold takes centre stage.
This latest chapter speaks to Van Cleef & Arpels’ enduring fascination with transformation, a philosophy rooted as much in emotion as in technique. The result is jewellery that transcends adornment, becoming a living expression of movement, fortune, and grace. Half a century on, the Alhambra remains not just a symbol of luck, but of evolution itself — proof that true icons seldom fade; they simply find new ways to shine.
