Van Cleef & Arpels' newest fine jewellery collections Flowerlace and Fleurs d'Hawaï take the maison's signature floral motifs to vibrant new heights at Scotland's Dumfries House
Van Cleef & Arpels took over Dumfries House, one of Scotland's most beautiful estates, for the unveiling of two fine jewellery collections – Flowerlace and Fleurs d'Hawaï – both inspired by the floral motifs that have always been at the heart of the maison's visual vocabulary.
Van Cleef & Arpels is the principal patron of the gardens and estates of The King's Foundation, which owns Dumfries House. In recognition of the maison's support, The King's Foundation has renamed the rose garden at Dumfries House – one of the most beautiful public gardens in Scotland – The Van Cleef & Arpels Rose Garden.
Given the theme of the collections, the 18th century stately home and its grounds, which were saved by
King Charles when the foundation acquired them in 2007, were an apt setting for the launch of the ranges.
Advertisement
A Fleurs d'Hawaï clip in rose gold, rhodolite and diamond stands out for its vivid pink hue. Photo: Van Cleef & Arpels
'The idea was to bring our blooming flowers from our creative garden to a real garden that was meaningful to us. That garden is the rose garden here, which the maison has helped bring to life through our collaboration with The King's Foundation, which we've worked with for almost 20 years,' says
Catherine Rénier , CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels, the day after the launch. 'The King's Foundation shares many values with the maison: protecting craftsmanship, transmission and respect for heritage, so it was a good match for this to take place here.'
As its name suggests, Flowerlace combines two signature motifs of Van Cleef's repertoire: flowers and haute couture. Made of yellow gold and diamonds, the pieces in the range – some of them transformable – stand out for their openwork and deft use of empty space. The gold ribbon that recreates the shape of the flowers is a reference to the Silhouette clips Van Cleef & Arpels made in the 1930s. The yellow gold gives the creations an almost vintage feel while still exuding the easy elegance of everyday jewellery, thanks to the clean lines and simple pairing of gold and diamonds.
A pair of earrings in yellow gold and diamonds from the Flowerlace collection. Photo: Van Cleef & Arpels
Fleurs d'Hawaï, on the other hand, boasts a rainbow of hues and is meant to evoke a garden in full bloom, just like the grounds of Dumfries House at the height of summer. The five gemstones used in the creation of the pieces – citrine, amethyst, rhodolite, aquamarine and peridot – truly shine in their vibrant shades: orange, purple, deep pink, light blue and green respectively. The pear-cut coloured gems representing the petals of the flowers surround pistils made of seven diamonds, for a dainty and elegant look that stays true to the house's codes.
The Fleurs d'Hawaï collection also features timepieces, including this secret watch in white gold, aquamarine, white mother-of-pearl and diamond, which can also be worn as a necklace and a brooch. Photo: Van Cleef & Arpels
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
5 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
How a rare whisky's box can bump its value, and the makers getting creative
Over the last 10 years, rare whisky has seen significant price increases and fluctuations, with some bottles fetching millions at auction. But what is in the bottle is not all that matters. These days, packaging plays an important role in determining the value of a rare vintage, according to Jonny Fowle, global head of spirits at Sotheby's auction house. 'Presentation in whisky is a key factor,' he says. Unlike wine, whisky can maintain its condition even when placed on a display shelf in a collector's home, so the allure of a bottle can lie in how it looks. This is one reason why there has been an explosion of creativity in the packaging of rare whiskies in recent years, Fowle says. Jonny Fowle, Sotheby's global head of spirits, holds a bottle of The Macallan 1926, the world's most expensive whisky. Photo: Sotheby's Sotheby's is currently working on a four-year project called The Luminary Series with Scotland's Dalmore distillery and design museum V&A Dundee, in which the packaging of rare whiskies is designed by renowned architects. Three editions of rare whiskies have already been released.
South China Morning Post
9 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Trump in Scotland for golf and trade talks amid hopes of EU deal
US President Donald Trump, dogged by questions about his ties to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, arrived in Scotland on Friday for some golf and bilateral talks that could yield a trade deal with the European Union. Trump told reporters upon his arrival that he will visit his two golf properties in Scotland and meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, whom he called a 'highly respected woman.' As hundreds of onlookers cheered his arrival, Trump repeated his earlier comment about a 50-50 chance of securing a deal with the EU, adding it would be his administration's biggest trade agreement thus far, if it came together. However, he said there were still 'sticking points' with Brussels on 'maybe 20 different things'. Trump said his meeting with Starmer would be more of a celebration of the trade deal already reached than continued work on it, adding: 'It's a great deal for both.' Before he left Washington, Trump said his administration was working hard on a possible trade deal with the EU, and Brussels was keen to make a deal. Von der Leyen said later she would meet Trump in Scotland on Sunday.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
For jewellers and investors, all that glitters is gold: Hermès, Pomellato and Chow Tai Fook are betting that gold jewellery holds financial and aesthetic appeal as prices surge
At the recent unveiling of high jewellery collections in Paris, yellow gold glowed brightly. And well it might, since the value of gold has soared 40 per cent in the past year. Luxury brands such as Messika , Louis Vuitton, Pomellato, Hermès, Repossi and Dries Criel have taken a shine to the precious yellow metal, making bold modern design statements as if to celebrate its increased value. People like gold. We have been engaged with it for over 6,000 years and it has long been considered a safe haven for wealth – even more so now if you were to add up the value of the gold jewellery you are wearing. A year ago, the spot price for gold bullion was just under US$2,400 per ounce. In April, it hit a record-breaking US$3,500 milestone and has since eased back a little. The spot price in mid-July, according to the World Gold Council, was US$3,355 – a near 40 per cent rise since July last year. Some banks, like J.P. Morgan, predict it may rise further, nudging towards US$4,000 by mid 2026. Politics has a big influence on the value of gold. Right now, uncertainty over American tariffs and financial market turmoil are driving investors towards this historic safe haven, and that situation doesn't look like it'll change any time soon. Therefore, gold jewellery is a truly sound investment, whether you bought pieces a year ago or are considering acquiring something new like Hermès' new rose gold Chaine d'Ancre, a Bee de Chaumet rose gold and diamond honeycomb collar, or something from Repossi's tactile Blast collection, where glossy swirls of gold are tipped with diamonds. Advertisement Gold takes centre stage in these pieces by Hermès. Photo: Handout Until now, big jewellery brands have been swallowing the rising cost of gold within their margins, but that is slowly changing. Jewellery sales at Richemont are buoyant, up 11 per cent, and according to Vogue Business, a senior equity analyst says that Richemont management has indicated it raised prices on Cartier jewellery and watches by 3 to 4.5 per cent, respectively, in the second quarter of this year and on Van Cleef & Arpels by 4 to 5 per cent in April, and that there may be further pricing decisions in the autumn based on currency and gold prices. However, these price increases are modest when compared to soft luxury brands. In China, the Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group is finding that customers are gradually adapting to elevated gold prices, 'demonstrating a consistent confidence in gold's enduring value', says a spokesperson. Their fixed-price gold products, finely crafted jewellery in both 18k and 24k gold, have been particularly popular, with sales rising significantly from 7.1 per cent in April 2024, to 19.2 per cent in 2025. Among the brand's most popular collections are the Palace Museum range, based on traditional goldsmithing motifs like dragons and clouds, and Rouge , designed by creative director Nicholas Lieou with the auspicious symbol of good fortune and launched in spring 2024. These have garnered around US$510 million in sales during that period, far outstripping expectations. Of course, as the spokesman points out, 'the preference for gold is not only because of its perceived investment potential but also for its aesthetic and emotional value'. A gold necklace from Chow Tai Fook's Rouge collection. Photo: Handout Traditional Chinese jewellery shops price gold by weight and link daily pricing to international gold markets. However, like Chow Tai Fook, Laopu Gold is another luxury brand that uses a fixed price policy which factors in design, symbolism and craftsmanship. It is also tapping into the emotional value of gold, with a deep focus on heritage and traditional Chinese goldsmithing. Needless to say, even they had to up their prices in February, according to Reuters. They factor in two annual price increases, but if gold prices fall, there will be no reductions. For American jewellery designers, the situation is more complicated. Price increases have been inevitable, not just due to the rising cost of gold, but also because the precious gems they import are subject to tariffs.
