Taking the form of a dreamlike landscape, inhabited by fantastic flora and fauna, this encounter between High Jewelry and mineralogy inspires a sense of surprise and wonder.

A steep, lapis lazuli mountain rises from a plain of blue quartz, as if in a dream. At its feet, crouching in a forest of tourmaline crystals, a chimera of precious stones stands guard over a treasure: a ring set with a two-colored tourmaline. A unicorn and two fairies – the other inhabitants of this wondrous refuge – rest among flowers, refreshed by a waterfall of diamonds and sapphires. This dreamlike landscape bridges the gap between the universe of precious stones and the imaginary worlds that fuel Van Cleef & Arpels’ creativity.

Composed of rough or polished stones and detachable jewels, this object has been designed as a mineral sculpture, in which each self-contained element lives in harmony with the ensemble.

It took nearly two years to bring the object to life, along with its nine creations. Once the design had been chosen from among several creative propositions, expert gemologists set off in search of precious materials that would meet the stringent criteria of High Jewelry, for both the cut and the rough stones.

A unique object that includes numerous transformable pieces, the Rocher aux merveilles posed a real challenge for the Maison’s teams, and notably for the workshops responsible for its technical production. Between making a mock-up, sculpting the fairies and unicorn in wax, recutting the stones, assembly, jewelry craftsmanship, setting and polishing, it took nearly 6,400 hours to bring this piece to fruition.

Resolving the various technical challenges — fixing the elements together and creating the mechanisms to transform the pieces, for example — called for ingenuity on the part of the craftsmen. Forged by this collaborative approach, the finished object invites the onlooker to draw closer and admire all its details and secrets.

The Maison has imagined this object as a changing landscape, in which elements can be removed from the base to take on new life. The Rocher aux merveilles thus includes nine High Jewelry creations that can respectively be worn as a ring, clips, a pendant, earrings and a bracelet.