Buying any luxury item of jewellery is often more challenging than people think, with the retail market closed to most buyers unless you are a celebrity, a known buyer, or spend months or years on a waitlist for a specific item. The market around luxury accessories today means that demand is usually heavily undercut by a limited supply, meaning that, for every piece that is released, there are a multitude of prospective buyers.
As such, getting your hands on an authentic Van Cleef & Arpels piece of jewellery is not easy – and building your own collection can take years and thousands of pounds of investment.
In this slightly different from usual blog, we are sharing tips on collecting Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery – considering where to find and buy pieces, how to ensure they are authentic, and which pieces make for the best investment.
But first, why is Van Cleef & Arpels such a popular brand?
Why Is Van Cleef & Arpels Such a Sought-After Brand?
As is so often the case with a luxury brand, the coveted status of each authentic piece of jewellery lies in the limited supply, the craftsmanship, the high-value materials and details, and the connection between the brand and its high-end celebrity ambassadors.
Buyers want to own pieces that are recognisable as being high in quality and in status. They covet brands that appear regularly on the red carpet, and that grant them the prestige and status of owning something that others know is both expensive and difficult to get their hands on.
What’s more, with Van Cleef & Arpels specifically, buyers want the prestige of a brand that is known for being innovative and different, and packing character into each and every collection. Far from the brands that rely purely on logos and high-value materials, the design of each Van Cleef & Arpels collection is incredibly unique, vibrant, and colourful – making it a brand that people want to own a piece of.
Where to Buy Authentic Van Cleef & Arpels Jewellery
Short of buying direct from the brand, which is difficult for buyers who aren’t known by the retailer, on a waitlist, or of high status themselves, the best place to buy authentic Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery is through a reputable reseller or second-hand seller.
These sellers have access to authentication services and perform both the checks and the valuation required to ensure that the price is reflective of the piece that is being purchased.
Some of the more expensive or rare pieces can sometimes be found at luxury accessory auction sales as well.
Authentication: How to Know if a Piece of Jewellery Is Authentic
Authentication is crucial when dealing with luxury goods, as it ensures that the piece you are buying or selling has been made by the brand and is not a fake. The luxury goods industry has increasingly found fake and fraudulent pieces to be an issue for brands, with the fake items not only undercutting authentic goods on price but also mimicking and copying designs.
An authentic Van Cleef & Arpels piece can be identified by the signature stamp, which will either be the full brand name or a simpler VCA tag. The hallmark of the material used should also be clearly marked on the piece, and a serial number should be found near to both the hallmark and the VCA stamp.
As you would expect, other indicators of an authentic piece from the Van Cleef & Arpels collection include the material quality and the craftsmanship of the piece as a whole. Luxury jewellery items owe their price tag as much to the quality of the craftsmanship and the intricate detail as to the brand name – meaning that quality is an excellent indicator of your piece being real or a fake.
Which Van Cleef & Arpels Jewellery Collections Are the Best for Investment?
The Van Cleef & Arpels range of jewellery is characterised by colour, by influences from nature, and by underlying motifs and themes that breathe vibrance and charm into both the everyday pieces and the occasion wear items.
The Alhambra range of jewellery is arguably the most famous across the entire Van Cleef & Arpels range – favoured by celebrities and buyers alike – utilising the talisman of the four-leaf clover as its central focal point. Finished in a multitude of colours, with different metals and precious stone details adorning each iteration and individual piece, the Alhambra collection is both effortlessly timeless and overwhelmingly simple – something just as likely to be seen on the red carpet as adorning an everyday look.
With a piece of this kind of prestige, the investment lies not just in the immense quality and craftsmanship, and the value of the raw materials themselves, but also in the status of the collection and its motif. The Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra collection is recognised across the world – and this creates the kind of status that sees every piece on the market snapped up in record time (and at ever-increasing prices).
Beyond the Alhambra collection, Van Cleef & Arpels has other ranges that remain staples for investment and style buyers alike – including those items from within the various Flora ranges, and of course the one-off statement pieces that make headlines. For those seeking a truly timeless and unrivalled investment opportunity, one-off pieces like the zip necklace worn by Margot Robbie are rare and highly coveted. Alternatively, focussing on the rare precious stones that adorn the everyday nature-inspired collections is a great way to secure your investment and ensure that your piece retains its value.
Once you’ve found a trustworthy reseller, take their advice when it comes to the right investment for your budget and your personal style. The beauty of a luxury brand like Van Cleef & Arpels is that the pieces available change daily – with Love Luxury a reputable source of some of the best brands in the world.
Browse our full collection of pieces online or in our London store.
