Before Perlée became a collection, the golden bead was already firmly established within the Van Cleef & Arpels vocabulary, appearing across jewellery designs as a polished point of emphasis rather than a grand declaration. Now, with six new three-row rings spanning diamonds and coloured gemstones, that small sphere of gold assumes a scale that sits between delicacy and presence, with the kind of elegance the Maison has long made appear effortless.
Within the Van Cleef & Arpels world, the golden bead remains one of its most enduring signatures, a discreet orb of polished gold that has appeared consistently in the Maison’s creations since the late 1940s. Its strength lies in repetition, proportion and tactility, qualities that have allowed it to possess the sort of permanence one wants from jewellery, rather than being tied to fleeting trends.
3 rows from Van Cleef & Arpels
3 rows from Van Cleef & Arpels
3 rows from Van Cleef & Arpels
3 rows from Van Cleef & Arpels
The new three-row rings lend greater significance to Perlée, offering presence on the finger while still preserving the refinement that has always defined the collection. The five-row rings introduced in 2022 brought greater volume, while the single-row pieces remain more discreet; three rows sit between the two, substantial enough to be acknowledged, yet restrained enough to allow for layering without excess. When worn individually, each ring reads as a concise gesture. Worn together, a yellow-gold sapphire beside a rose-gold ruby, or white-gold diamonds against vivid emeralds, Perlée becomes a matter of personal taste.
On the diamond models, a diagonal line of nine round stones cuts cleanly across the polished beads, secured by a nail setting whose rounded tips echo the golden spheres with precision, a technical feat executed exclusively by the Maison’s High Jewellery stone setters. The couleurs rings move further still, with sapphires lending depth, rubies bringing saturated crimson, and emeralds retaining their cool intensity.
Beneath the stones, honeycomb openwork allows light to pass upward through the setting, amplifying brilliance from within. Even the beads are prepared with a distinct level of respect, each cast using the lost-wax method, then reshaped and polished by hand through successive stages until its luminosity gradually emerges. Perlée’s appeal lies in detail, proportion and restraint, the place where true everyday luxury usually proves itself.
