Van Cleef & Arpels Unveils a new watch that pays homage to Paris, the birthplace of the Maison, at “Watch & Wonder 2025”

[Van Cleef & Arpels] Unveils a new watch that pays homage to the Maison’s birthplace, Paris, at “Watch & Wonder 2025” ​
Van Cleef & Arpels Press release: April 1, 2025 [Van Cleef & Arpels] Unveils a new watch that pays homage to Paris, the birthplace of the Maison, at “Watch & Wonder 2025” Poetry of Time under the Parisian sky With Watches & Wonders 2025, the Maison pays homage to its birthplace, Paris. Here, we create a special encounter with the Pont des Ameloux collection and write a new chapter through the Lady Arpels Bal des Ameloux Automata watch, incorporating an unprecedented harmony of colors. This automaton watch tells the story of the Van in Geneva. It is a story of a tender reunion, where the mechanical watchmaking expertise cultivated by the Krief & Arpels watchmaking workshop and Métiers d’art intersect. Meanwhile, two Extraordinary objects embody the Maison’s vision of Poetry of Time, allowing you to reflect on the passage of time to the beat of Cupid’s wings or enjoy a celestial ballet. Furthermore, the jewel-encrusted watch celebrates the Maison’s cherished tradition of time-telling jewelry.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23106/148/23106-148-2d99007e2f7a5245ce07af277b2269bb-2009×2700.jpg La Boutique advertisement, 1957 – Van Cleef & Arpels Archives (C)Publicis Conseil Van Cleef & Arpels, a maison born of love The story of Van Cleef & Arpels begins in 1895 with the marriage of Alfred Van Cleef and Esther (commonly known as Estelle) Arpels. They both came from families involved in jewelry. Van Cleef & Arpels was founded in 1906 at 22 Place Vendôme in Paris as a high jewelery and
watchmaking house. Since its founding, the Maison’s creativity has been enriched by love. The first piece recorded in the trade ledger in 1906 was a heart-shaped piece of jewelry set with diamonds. Along with luck and nature, the theme of love is an irreplaceable and important source of inspiration for Van Cleef & Arpels, embodying a positive vision of life. Our passion for these themes is reflected in our precious works of love, such as flower bouquets, cupids, lovebirds, secret messages, and couples in love. Symbols like these decorate the Maison’s jewelery and watches, creating a delicate romance, as in the case of the Pont des Ameloux watch. 1. Poetic Complications Collection Since 2006, the Maison has expressed its poetic world through complications watches. These pieces expertly combine mechanical watchmaking expertise, precious materials and métiers d’art to tell a story on each dial. Following the initial design stage, a lengthy development and engineering process completes the movement that brings the piece to life. A retrograde movement gracefully tells the time on the dial, while on-demand The animation creates a gentle mood suitable for a romantic meeting. From enamels to miniature paintings, engravings, lapidary work and precious stone settings, we bring together the skills of a diverse range of artisans, creating a perfect combination of technical excellence and original vision. The timepiece thus becomes a precious object that reflects Van Cleef & Arpels’ uniquely poetic vision of time.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23106/148/23106-148-429fdb73f56bfdb9f4cf86f87bd3dfac-2025×2700.jpg Pont des Amelou Collection: Flower Opening Story In 2010, Van Cleef & Arpels introduced the Pont des Ameloux watch, which became the first poetic complication to win the Geneva Watch Grand Prix. Since then, this collection has told the story of a man and woman bound by love who meet on a bridge in Paris. As the double retrograde movements mark the hours and minutes, the lovers gradually step closer and kiss at noon and midnight. After three minutes that feel like time has stopped, they separate, marking a new hour and minute. An on-demand animation module allows you to play this scene for 12 seconds so you can experience this poetic moment the way you want. This year, four new watches with luxurious bracelets enrich the story of love by illustrating lovers in landscapes that evoke different times of the day. Each dial has the color nuances of dawn, morning, dusk, and moonlight It is tinged with
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23106/148/23106-148-f9f6f2ea65fdb50bd0c314ed2472515e-1733×2700.jpg Lady Arpels Pont des Ameloux Orbe Watch
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23106/148/23106-148-2e7b213aabe1476c8556ffc4fbb93d28-1733×2700.jpg Lady Arpels Pont des Ameloux Matinee Watch Grisaille enamel creates these enchanting decorations. This technique brings a wide range of tones to life like a delicate watercolor painting. In the foreground, the silhouette of a bridge is elaborately sculpted in gold and stands out from the landscape, creating a sense of perspective. The story continues on the caseback, where the sapphire glass is illustrated with an enamel decal and gold engraving technique. Masu. These new watches come with jeweled bracelets fully set with diamonds and graduated sapphires, while the Orb and Soirée come in soft and vibrant pink respectively, and the Matinee and Claire de Lune in pale and deep blue hues, respectively. A dense mesh-like system allows the bracelet to fit smoothly around the curves of your wrist.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23106/148/23106-148-43eacfbc7230d32b386eea673ea459eb-1733×2700.jpg Lady Arpels Pont des Ameloux Soiree Watch
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23106/148/23106-148-0753d6cc0ce2e9cd1c5073af004b8d15-1733×2700.jpg Lady Arpels Pont des Amelou Claire de Lune Watch Lady Arpels Val des Ameloux Automata: The beginning of a new chapter Van Cleef & Arpels presents a new rendezvous watch to continue the story that began at the Pont des Ameloux. The Lady Arpels Bal des Ameloux Automata watch embellishes the stage of the lovers’ meeting with a completely new decoration. Here we have recreated the atmosphere and charm of the guinguettes, open-air dance cafes that were popular in and around Paris in the 19th century. The automata’s modules bring the lovers closer together, and they kiss at noon and midnight. This romantic scene can be played anytime by simply pressing a button on the case. The hours and minutes are each driven by the collection’s signature double retrograde module2 Indicated by two stars. Inside the dial, five stepped surfaces emphasize the depth. A palette of grisaille and colored grisaille enamels evokes the shadowy and enchanting landscape of a starlit night. The white gold stone pavement and gorgeous lantern illumination, handcrafted by the Maison’s artisans, evoke the streets of Paris. The scene depicted on the dial continues onto the case back, where the sapphire glass is engraved with an enamel decal and the images of dancing lovers It is expressed in Bing.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23106/148/23106-148-9d491510301cc3a926bf1d6e2c043c3f-1733×2700.jpg Lady Arpels Val des Amelou Automata Watch
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23106/148/23106-148-7717b0ba844d3e7f1f221730bcdb304a-3900×2601.jpg New movement developed exclusively by the Maison The magical charm of the Lady Arpels Bal des Amelou Automata is the result of the meticulous work of Van Cleef & Arpels’ expert watchmakers in Geneva. After four years of research and development, a new automaton movement has been added to the Maison’s collection. When the animation is activated, each of the lovers begins to come to life. As the two of you approach each other, the arms connected by the three joints will naturally lower. Professional craftsmen paid close attention to achieve the natural and smooth movements of the lovers. This module has been designed to be extremely small to fit into the thin case and is cleverly hidden beneath the dial decoration. Grisaille enamel: savoir-faire of the Maison The grisaille enamel that adorns the dial of the Lady Arpels Bal des Ameloux Automata watch is It is a traditional métiers d’art that requires skill and patience. Developed in France in the 16th century, this delicate technique captures the enchanting light and shadow effects of a Parisian night. In this work, we can see two variations of this rare savoir-faire. In the
traditional grisaille enamel technique, the artisans in the workshop apply two coats of white enamel powder called “Blanc de Limoges” on a dark blue background to accentuate the contrast of the decoration. Color grisaille further enhances this effect. It’s enamel. It is decorated with varying shades of blue, illuminated by warm touches of yellow to represent the light of a lantern. This enamel technique requires 40 hours of work and 12 kiln firings to complete each dial.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23106/148/23106-148-921d986429073cbe5e41597fba83eb2b-3900×2601.jpg 2. Extraordinary objects Since its founding in 1906, Van Krief & Arpels also stands out for its creation of precious objects full of magical charm and wonder. These adornments, as well as beauty accessories such as powder compacts and fragrance bottles, reflect both the customs of their respective eras and the Maison’s high technical expertise. Automata continues this tradition while offering a new perspective on time. Time seems to stop for a moment when a moving element emerges from the center of the bouquet, while time passes as you watch the stars rotate in a decoration that recreates the mysteries of the universe. A striking combination of materials, these pieces set the stage for a dialogue between the mechanics of art, high jewelery and métiers d’art, demonstrating Van Cleef & Arpels’ wide-ranging expertise, its fascinating worldview, and its unwavering commitment to the preservation and inheritance of age-old savoir-faire.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23106/148/23106-148-89a1df712b78b42a466e2960228e3f17-1800×2700.jpg Drawing of the pattern of the work based on gouache painting Naissance de l’Amour Automata The Renaissance de L’Amour Automata will be launched by Van Cleef & Arpels in 2022 with the Réverie de Baie Liline, followed by the Eveil du Cyclamen and Bouton d’Or in 2023 and 2024 This work is a sequel to the collection that has been enriched. This object, approximately 30cm in height, is designed to express feelings of kindness, with the motif of Cupid appearing in mythology. The Cupid, carved in white gold, rose gold, yellow gold and diamonds, emerges from a basket of feathers decorated with lacquer gradients. This highly complex mechanism was designed in partnership with François Jenot’s studio in Sainte-Croix, Switzerland. Cupid rests on a carved rose gold Grecian column and a cloud rendered in white gold, diamonds and tritones of pink sapphires. Cupid spins and rises gracefully, briefly flapping his plique-à-jour enamel wings before returning to his lair. A carillon melody plays as Cupid rises. The base of the automaton is constructed of Iron Eye, a stone striped with gold highlights and carved throughout. A bowl made of fossilized palm wood, new to the Maison’s creations, supports the feather basket. These materials are carefully selected by the Maison’s experts, then cut and polished to enhance their individuality and uniqueness. The graduated ring rotates to indicate the time using two lacquered wings accented with diamonds. This feather is secured with a ribbon covered entirely with diamonds.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23106/148/23106-148-89c59c465e00685555726c96155af56d-1909×2700.jpg Renaissance de l’Amour Automata Planetarium Automata Van Cleef & Arpels has always been captivated by the twinkling stars and celestial spectacle seen from Place Vendôme. The Maison celebrates the beauty of these celestial bodies through the world of Poetic Astronomy. Since 2014, the Maison has been working on shrinking the 19th-century planetarium, a model that recreates the sun, moon, and the planets that surround the earth, to fit the size of the wrist. The Planetarium collection, consisting of complication watches and large automata, was born. This year, the collection is further enriched with new Extraordinary objects combining materials in luminous hues. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23106/148/23106-148-bc63fe8cfe8b1d30d7c672fa13fd09ca-3900×3446.jpg Planetarium Automata 3. Jewelry that tells time: a symbol of Van Cleef & Arpels’ heritage At Van Cleef & Arpels, where watchmaking and high jewelery meet, we continue to explore the creative world of
time-telling jewellery. His pieces perfectly combine discreet time displays with the savoir-faire of exquisite jewellery. Invisible clasps and inventive assembly techniques give the bracelets suppleness and elegance, while the gemstones are carefully selected and assembled according to exacting quality standards.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23106/148/23106-148-b6aab9cd0ee9133812f515a9aa32b414-1800×2700.jpg Cadena watch drawing, circa 1936 – Van Cleef & Arpels Archives Kadena Watch Introduced in 1935, the Cadena watch quickly became a symbol of Van Cleef & Arpels watchmaking. The sophisticated design of this timepiece is characterized by a handle reminiscent of a cadena (padlock). Around it, a double snake chain clasp glides supplely, creating a soft fit that follows the curve of your wrist. Therefore, it can be worn as a bracelet, and the slanted dial allows you to casually check the time. Van Cleef & Arpels is proud to present a rare new creation that continues the unique aesthetics of this historic model. This new watch combines a yellow gold bracelet with a case filled with snow-set diamonds, complemented by a row of princess-cut sapphires. This luminous color combination is repeated on the clasp, which is adorned with a line of square-cut sapphires. The white gold dial is also adorned with diamond brilliance.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23106/148/23106-148-76bb2347c48a2e6f0e7c1216195da200-1038×2700.jpg Cadena Watch The Van Cleef & Arpels signature since 1935 The Cadena watch occupies a particularly important place among the Maison’s signature pieces. First produced in yellow gold in 1935, it has been available in numerous color variations. Of particular note was the introduction in December 1936 of models featuring a row of calibre-cut sapphires or rubies on the upper side of the case and behind the clasp. 1938 Diamonds 1943 Emerald was added in 2015, further enriching the color chart. This piece also taps into the white jewelery trend by combining a platinum snake chain with pavé-set brilliant-cut diamonds and a row of baguette-cut diamonds. Furthermore, the model has been reinterpreted for everyday wear and is also available with a leather bracelet. By repurposing the shape of a common item, such as a padlock, into a watch case, Van Cleef & Arpels echoes the concept of the readymade, coined by Marcel Duchamp in the 1910s and developed by the Surrealist movement in the 1930s. This work also follows the etiquette imposed on fashionable women of the time: no sense of the passage of time. Because of these rules, women had to keep an eye on their watches without being noticed. With its dial tilted towards the inside of the wrist, giving it a jewel-like appearance, this watch allowed you to “see the time in secret,” as the 1936 ad put it.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23106/148/23106-148-e54668f24a5355df2d9bc382156bc1d8-2677×2700.jpg Cadena Watch, 1944
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23106/148/23106-148-0050407751ef0d31c32b6c21f2bebb9a-3900×3900.jpg Cadena Watch, 1972 Luban Mysterieux Watch This High Jewelery watch is inspired by the world of couture that the Maison has interpreted since its inception, recreating the delicacy of a ribbon that gracefully wraps around the wrist. A 3.72-carat oval-cut DIF diamond shines brilliantly in the center of the dial, and its highly pure and precise crystal structure allows you to read the time. What brings this watch to life is a hand-wound mechanical movement. The integration of this small movement into the case requires an extremely high degree of precision. This High Jewelery watch is inspired by the world of couture that the Maison has interpreted since its inception, recreating the delicacy of a ribbon that gracefully wraps around the wrist. A 3.72-carat oval-cut DIF diamond shines brilliantly in the center of the dial, and its highly pure and precise crystal structure allows you to read the time. What brings this watch to life is a hand-wound mechanical movement. The integration of this small movement into the case requires an extremely high degree of precision. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23106/148/23106-148-b25af123b711e43d53eb03da4e56630a-1753×2700.jpg Ruban Mysterieux Watch [Contact information] Van Cleef & Arpels Le Desk (0120-10-1906)