This week in Paris, jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels presented its highly anticipated High Jewelry collection, titled Fascinating Egypt, which instantly became an object of desire for collectors. This massive assembly of gemstones pays homage to the brand’s rich Art Deco heritage and its early work in the Egyptian Revival genre. Those original masterpieces were created in an era when Western modernism was just emerging and archaeological discoveries from a century ago were captivating the imagination of the European public, Robb Report writes.

The collection stands as a true triumph of the French house’s decades-long craftsmanship (savoir-faire). A prime example is a stunning, immediately sold Art Deco collar necklace crafted from 18-karat white gold and diamonds. Cascading from it are 10 pear-shaped Colombian emeralds totaling 107.37 carats, interspersed with 7 natural pearls weighing a total of 85.13 carats. The piece serves as an homage to the famous 1929 Collerette necklace, which was crafted from the same materials for Princess Faiza of Egypt, one of the most stylish representatives of the Muhammad Ali dynasty.

In other pieces, the brand masterfully reimagines its greatest hits. Of particular note is the Déesse ailée Mystérieuse set in 18-karat white and rose gold: the winged collar necklace is encrusted with diamonds and rubies using the house’s signature Mystery Setting. Crowning this splendor is a flawless 14.05-carat pear-shaped diamond (D color, FL clarity, Type IIa), which can be detached and remounted onto a ring with a matching setting.

Another dazzling necklace—Beauté Légendaire—showcases an incredible level of stone-setting mastery. A diamond pavé is complemented by larger encrustations along 18-karat gold scallops, culminating in a rare cushion-cut yellow diamond weighing over 10 carats, certified as Fancy Vivid Yellow.

Naturally, the exhibition also featured the brand’s signature figurative brooches depicting the heads of Egyptian goddesses. However, the standout revelation of the show was the jewelry playing on the theme of hieroglyphs. The collection features 12 such compositions in total. The presentation showcased a trio of brooches backed by solid plaques of coral, turquoise, and lapis lazuli. Utilizing the ancient pictographic language, each piece encodes a specific message: "happiness," "beauty," and "splendor."

In reality, the vast majority of the collection has already been sold out to VIP clients. Yet, the colossal labor poured into these jewels is only half the story. Van Cleef & Arpels originally planned to present the collection in Paris and then fly guests to Egypt to immerse them in the history on-site. However, the geopolitical situation in the Middle East forced a change of plans.
Pivotally pivoting, the jewelry house instead invited guests to Vienna for a large-scale exhibition at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK). According to one of the house’s veteran employees, who has been with the company for 14 years, it is the largest exposition the brand has ever mounted in his memory.
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