News
Extraordinary Objects and Poetic Complications from Van Cleef & Arpels
News
Extraordinary Objects and Poetic Complications from Van Cleef & Arpels
Planétarium Automaton
First, let’s get carried away by the mystery of extraordinary objects. Van Cleef & Arpels has a long history of notable objets d’art, including automata and mysterious clocks. The first of two objects the Maison is highlighting this year takes inspiration from the night sky, with the Planétarium automaton — a large-scale interpretation of their critically acclaimed Planétarium wristwatch.
Fontaine aux Oiseaux Automaton
Rêveries de Berylline Automaton
Sitting on a base of gold and red porphyry, this floral automaton displays an on-demand animation of a hummingbird (gold, set with sapphires, emeralds and tsavorite garnets, naturally) taking flight from a golden flower set with yellow sapphires, mandarin garnets and diamonds. Much work has gone into ensuring that the movement and rhythm of this delicate little bird match the real deal. When the automaton ceases its dance, the petals of the flowers gradually close to protect it until it is time for it to shine again.
Poetic Complications
While the large timekeeping objects of Van Cleef & Arpels are absolute showstoppers, their wrist-worn equivalents are equally delightful. This year, we have six new additions to the Poetic Complications collection. First, two new floral arrangements, a pair of diamond-encrusted 38mm white gold watches — the Heures Florales and the Heures Florales Cerisier — in which the mechanically opening flowers display the hours in a typically charming manner, alongside a lateral minutes display.
Tech Specs
Planétarium Automaton
Function: Automaton and mechanical movements including a planetarium and 11 other modules such as hour/minute display, perpetual calendar, on-demand animation
Base: 50cm high, 66.5cm wide; yellow gold, white gold, diamonds, blue aventurine glass, ebony, white holly, glass, miniature painting, aluminum, brass, black and blue PVD, goat leather
Fontaine aux Oiseaux Automaton
Function: Automaton and mechanical movements with retrograde hours and minutes
Base: 44.15cm high, 41.13cm wide; white gold, yellow gold, vegetal lacquer, hen eggshell marquetry, ebony, glass, purple sapphires, emeralds, tsavorite garnets, diamonds, aluminum, steel, black PVD, goat leather
Rêveries de Berylline Automaton
Function: Automaton with on-demand animation, retrograde hours and minutes
Base: 27cm high, 21.5cm wide; yellow gold, diamonds, red porphyry, lapis lazuli, lacquer, ebony, aluminum, goat leather
Lady Arpels Heueres Florales / Heueres Florales Cerisier
Function: Module opening the flowers for the hours and a lateral display for the minutes
Case: 38mm; white gold with diamonds
Strap: Shiny blue or pink alligator strap
Lady Arpels Ballerines Enchantées
Function: Retrograde hours and minutes
Case: 40mm; white or rose gold, with diamonds
Strap: Diamond paved strap or purple alligator
Lady Duo de Lions / Duo de Lapins
Function: Hours, minutes
Case: 33mm; white gold case with diamonds
Strap: Shiny lilac or green alligator strap