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A Brand Par Excellence
Stanislas de Quercize, CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels, is happy with the progress of the brand. Why shouldn’t be? Van Cleef & Arpels is the brand of royals, socialites, aristocrats and celebrity- the cream of society. You name it and they own it – proudly. Its rich past and bright future tells the whole story.
Van Cleef & Arpels draws on a long tradition of fine watch-making to bring its fabulous new creations to life. It is always aiming to surpass itself in fashioning timepieces unlike any others. De Quercize shares with us time which moves to the pace of happiness and emotions. Below are the excerpts from the interview:
On what foundation has been built the success of 104-year-old Van Cleef & Arpels? Is brand adapting to the new consumer trends and preferences?
In 1896, Estelle Arpels, daughter of a dealer in precious stones, married Alfred Van Cleef, who came from a long line of Dutch craftsmen specialized in cutting precious stones. In 1906, they registered the name “Van Cleef & Arpels” and opened their first boutique on Place Vendome. Our role since then has been to find inspiration in beauty and interpret it with our creativity, select what we call the best Pierre de Caractere, and craft unique pieces of jewellery thanks to our Mains d’Or. That is precisely this combination which makes our Maison a real signature of style, recognizable across our various collections which explore the diversity of our world.
Are you happy with the brand’s performance for 2010?
Yes, sure. As we say VCA also stands for very creative artists which are best shown by the creativity displayed in our high jewellery collection Les Voyages Extraordinaires premiered during the Biennale last September: the success around this collection kept the adventure going with the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva last January.
What is your vision for Van Cleef & Arpels – especially in the Middle East?
Jacques Arpels used to say ‘We only want to offer the best to our clients’. It means to offer the best design: You can recognize a Van Cleef & Arpels from metres away just like with a Picasso, the best stones. We call them Stones of Character and they have this rare ability to make one’s heart beat faster. Finally, the best craftsmanship with our Mains d’Or. Our clients in the Middle East have a sharp eye for quality, and as they are becoming more and more connoisseurs of our Maison. Van Cleef & Arpels has a strong presence in the Middle East and a promising future.
Do you plan to open new exclusive Van Cleef & Arpels boutiques in the Middle East?
Our Maison just opened a boutique in Salhia, Kuwait City, last November and one in Doha, Qatar, in January.
Van Cleef & Arpels’ high jewellery timepieces are themed and tell a story. Could you please elaborate on these innovations?
Van Cleef & Arpels draws on a long tradition of fine watch-making to bring its fabulous new creations to life. In fact, the Maison has been creating exceptional watches since 1910, always aiming to surpass itself in fashioning timepieces unlike any others.
Born from the imagination of Van Cleef & Arpels, Poetic Complications unveiled in 2006 a new way to perceive High Watchmaking: the discreet precision of the complication movements is combined with the creative virtuosity of the Maison’s workshops. Van Cleef & Arpels thus bestows an intimate dimension to these precious timepieces, that of time which moves to the pace of happiness and emotions.
What are Van Cleef & Arpels novelties for S 2011? What are your expectations?
Van Cleef and Arpels is always aiming at creating timepieces whose inspirations are linked to the Maison’s heritage and creativity but at the same time keeps on exploring new Metiers and developing new technical innovations. The extraordinary dials illustrate this idea since new Metiers d’Art are introduced in the Timepieces every year, the most recent being paillone enamel and vallone enamel.
In this SIHH 2011, Van Cleef & Arpels has decided to spend a little longer on one of the Les Voyages Extraordinaires of Jules Verne: Five weeks in a balloon.
A retrograde minute is indicated by the balloon’s anchor. Positioned on the right of the dial, it descends from zero at the top to sixty at the bottom, and then returns to its starting point at the end of the sixtieth minute. The hours are indicated on the left of the dial by a bird in flight that moves upwards, returning to start again after twelve hours. Beyond the technical feat, this special use of complications gives meaning to Van Cleef & Arpels time. The anchor is a symbol of stability, retaining the memory of a precious moment fixed in The Poetry of Time. The flying bird is a symbol of hope: hope that this precious moment will arrive, or hope for renewal in permanent movement.
What did Van Cleef & Arpels overcome global financial malaise?
The act of purchase is linked to an emotional effect. Feelings are not affected by an economical crisis; our clients still fall in love and have special occasions to celebrate. All throughout history, men and women have worn jewellery to protect themselves. Jewels represent a part of eternity. I would add that the purchase of a jewel or a high-end watch may answer a need for reassurance as well; a unique occasion to link pleasure and patrimonial investment.
The brand has been associated with some of the most glamorous women of the past and present; how helpful has this association with celebrities been for the brand?
Our Maison Van Cleef & Arpels has always been the jeweller most closely associated with beauty and elegance, and today it continues to fascinate the world’s most beautiful and exceptional women.
From its very beginnings, such women have sought after its designs. The Maison has been an important presence at royal coronations, and played its part in the engagements and weddings of some of the most famous lovers of our times. Our jewels have been treasured by legendary Hollywood screen sirens - Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, Ava Gardner; adored divas - Maria Callas; world-famous socialites, aristocrats and royalty – Jackie Kennedy, Princess Grace of Monaco, Princess Fawzia of Egypt, Queen Sirikit of Thailand, Princess Soraya of Iran and the crowning of the Shah of Iran; and contemporary stars and actresses such as Ryoko Hirosue, Julia Roberts, Scarlett Johansson, Uma Thurman, Eva Mendes, Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett. All these beautiful women have worn Van Cleef & Arpels. Their beauty and talent have made them all “ambassadors” of the Maison.