Carnelian is a variety of chalcedony that belongs to the microcrystalline quartz family. The carnelians that the Maison chooses can show variations in shades, textures and opacity which make it possible to constitute uniform sets of stones ranging from intense red to bright orange.

For its creations, Van Cleef & Arpels carefully selects a very small proportion of rough stones to pick the most beautiful pieces with the liveliest colors.

The colors of carnelian are often balanced by lapidaries using specific techniques in order to achieve homogeneous undertones. The Maison seeks to obtain the highest level of polish in each stone in order to bring out its full beauty.