Eerste Bodylotion van Van Cleef & Arpels - Een Luxe Verzorgingservaring

Friday, May 31, 2019

Currently- May 2019

I'm sneaking this one in just hours before the end of May. I waited for Game of Thrones to be over so I could exorcize it from my mind and read things other than recaps. Yes, the last two seasons should have been a full ten episode each, yes, there was no payoff to several story threads, and true- the Night King ended up being pretty lame (the actor, Vladimir Furdik, is a delight, though). Still, the ending did make sense in the grand scheme of Westerosy things, and as long as Brienne and Davos are alive and well I'm happy. Now, where did Drogon go and what's west of Westeros?

Book
Johan Harstad- Buzz Aldrin, What Happened to You in all that Confusion?
It's a Norwegian novel from over a decade ago (I've had it on my Kindle app forever), about a young man whose hero is the second man on the moon instead of Neil Armstrong.
There's something about the sensibility of some Scandinavian literature that makes me want to hop on a plane and spend midsummer over there.

Music
Erik Scott- The Invisible Wand

TV
We just watched the first season of A Discovery of Witches. Like the books, it's not bad. With the added charm of Matthew Goode. Who doesn't like Matthew Goode?

Perfumer

The Van Cleef & Arpels Zip necklace

Open link https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/Jewelry/iconic-ruby-sapphire-emerald-and-diamond-zip-6178646-details.aspx

It took the firm’s artisans many years to perfect a fully working zip in precious metals and gemstones. When the necklace was finally unveiled in 1951, it quickly became a sought-after item, but given the time needed to make this challenging jewel, only a limited number were produced.

The ones that sold most quickly were those that could be opened to their full length or entirely closed, they could then be turned into a bracelet by removing a section from the back of the necklace and replacing it with a bracelet clasp.

Zip necklaces consist of a series of very small gold cups supported by hooks that mesh with one another when brought together by a sliding clasp. They have been made in gold and platinum, and studded with diamonds, sapphires, emeralds or rubies. A few are still produced today — a diamond and sapphire Zip necklace was worn by the Australian actress Margot Robbie at the 2015 Academy Awards.

The Van Cleef & Arpels Ballerina brooch

The iconic Ballerina brooch was first conceived in New York in 1940, inspired by Louis Arpels and his nephew Claude, who were friends of George Balanchine, co-founder of the School of American Ballet.

The first Ballerina brooches were made by John Rubel, who (as Jean Rubel) had emigrated to New York in the late 1930s and was the principal manufacturing jeweller for Van Cleef & Arpels until 1943.

After the ‘Spanish dancer’ was created in 1941, the firm produced a series of ballerina, dancer and fairy brooches, some with matching earrings. The Camargo brooch, made in 1942 and mounted in platinum with diamonds, rubies and emeralds, was inspired by Nicolas Lancret’s painting of Marie Camargo dancing, circa 1730.

A Van Cleef & Arpels ruby and diamond ‘Bird of Paradise’ brooch. Size/dimensions: 13.1 x 3.0 cm. Sold for CHF453,600 on 10 May 2023 at Christie’s in Geneva

In 1944, Barbara Woolworth Hutton (1912-1979), who at the time was married to Cary Grant, bought a ‘Spirit of Beauty’ Dragonfly Fairy brooch set with diamonds, emeralds and rubies, as well as purchasing a Ballerina brooch in the same year.

The distinctive jewels portray a series of poses, the costumes designed with rows of rose-cut diamonds, turquoises, rubies or emeralds. These dynamic creations were an instant success in New York, where they were viewed as something very distinct from the jeweller’s pre-war designs.

The Boutique

Van Cleef & Arpels Flagship Boutique, Toronto

The street view of the boutique consists of an Art Deco inspired façade, embellished by a geometric pattern of alternating matte black and gold, lozenge-shaped tiles. This design was first seen in 1937, on a Van Cleef & Arpels’ minaudière ( a small, decorative handbag without handles or straps). Faithfully replicated on the boutique’s exterior, the design spans the entire height of the boutique, which is a first for any Van Cleef & Arpels store in the Americas.

The color scheme of the interior, matte gold and black, echoes that of the boutique’s façade and once again is reminiscent of the Art Deco aesthetic. “We are delighted to enhance the elegant universe of our French Maison with our new boutique on Bloor Street, designed to evoke the warmth and elegance of a Parisian apartment,” comments Helen King, President & CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels, Americas about the boutique.