From July 4th, 2025, to January 12th, 2026, the Galerie du Patrimoine, located in the boutique at 20 place Vendôme in Paris, is hosting the exhibition "An Ode to Nature by Van Cleef & Arpels". Illustrating the significance of flora and fauna in the Maison’s work, 53 creations dating from the 1920s to the 2000s are on display, some for the first time in this venue, alongside seven original archival documents. 

Dear to Van Cleef & Arpels since its founding, nature has continually inspired pieces imbued with vitality and movement. In an harmonious interplay of land and sea, the Maison orchestrates a dialogue of colors and materials converse in a selection that invites the exploration of distant horizons.

In the early twentieth century, the Maison envisioned an aviary of graceful birds. Whether delicately perched or in flight, adorned with vibrant colors or entirely embellished with gold or diamonds, the style of these precious creatures has evolved over time.

This openwork brooch illustrates the Maison’s attachment to the bird motif, already apparent in the 1920s, and its embrace of the Art Deco aesthetic. The abstract geometry of its plumage harmonizes with the roundness of the surrounding decor, creating an interplay of winding lines and curves. Imbued with dynamism, especially due to the elements extending beyond the frame, this representation significantly foreshadows the birds in flight created by Van Cleef & Arpels in the following decades.

Inspired by marine fauna and flora, other creations are a tribute to nature. During the 1950s, the Maison used yellow gold in various ways to bring texture and relief to its creations, as illustrated by this Flower bracelet. Its overlapping motifs create a jeweled flowerbed evoking the spirit of springtime renewal dear to Van Cleef & Arpels. Meanwhile, the 1957 powder case faithfully reproduces the embossed appearance of a shell, achieved using the gadrooned gold technique. The emerald-set clasp reveals a mirror inside the precious container. 

Creations from the 2009 California Rêverie™ High Jewelry Collection exploring the flora of an American West are also displayed. A highlight is the Carpenteria clip, standing out for the volume of its petals sculpted from a single block of opal. The three blooming flowers rest on a bed of emerald leaves. Their peridot hearts are surrounded by garnet and yellow sapphire pistils, whose colors contrast with the milky whiteness of the petals. 

In all its delicate beauty, marine fauna also finds a place within this precious verdant setting. The body of the 1970 Seahorse clip is realistically sculpted in yellow gold and coral, while twisted filaments punctuated with diamonds adorn its head and back. The animal’s emerald eye presents an intensity that captivates. The elegantly curled tail creates a sense of movement, as the seahorse seems to undulate against the current.

Felines and other savanna animals are not left out, treated with tenderness and lightness. Young lions, antelopes, capricorns, or elephants, with their lively expressions, particularly reflect the caring universe of Van Cleef & Arpels.

The 1971 Barquerolles necklace, which belonged to American actress Elizabeth Taylor, follows in the tradition of the Maison’s transformable creations. Its central element detaches to form a clip whose rings, also removable, can convert into a pendant. The piece features a depiction inspired by Venetian door knockers: a lion’s head with its mouth ajar holds a double ring by a bezel. Represented by two emeralds, the eyes draw the gaze to the center of the composition. Lines of undulating oval motifs in yellow gold and diamonds evoke the animal’s mane. The latter unfold to form an openwork mesh that lends remarkable flexibility to the piece. 

Offering a glimpse into the dream worlds of the Maison, this exhibition expresses the poetry and diversity of the plant and animal universes, in praise of all forms of life.