With a first patent in 1938, the Zip necklace embodies the creative audacity of Van Cleef & Arpels. This iconic piece illustrates the expertise and innovative craftsmanship of the Maison. Due to its technical intricacy, the first Zip necklace was finally realized in 1950.
Of humble and practical origins, the zipper is reinvented in 1938 and realized in 1950 by Van Cleef & Arpels with creative audacity. Allegedly inspired by a suggestion by Duchess Of Windsor, Renée Puissant, daughter of the founding couple and artistic director, transformed the ordinary zipper into an astonishing and exceptional piece of jewelry. While Elsa Schiaparelli adorned her dresses with striking zippers, the jeweler perfected the encounter between ordinary and extraordinary with the Zip necklace.
Emblematic expression of the innovative craftsmanship of the Mains d’Or, the Zip necklace harmoniously combines technical ingenuity and design. If the zipper is engaged, the jewelry piece keeps operating: sliding up and down, it goes from a necklace to a mesmerizing bracelet. Its transformability gives it a playful yet functional character.
A true icon of Van Cleef & Arpels, the Zip necklace displays a broad palette of precious and hard stones, that delicately combine to give birth to new harmonies. Various plays of colors and materials reinvent this timeless High Jewelry piece.
Like a discreet homage to Paris, the city of elegance, Van Cleef & Arpels links ‘Haute Couture’ with ‘Haute Joaillerie’. The Zip necklace embraces the creative state of mind of the times: through many designs and tassels, it holds the promise of constant invention and surprises.
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