Van Cleef & Arpels was a relative newcomer, in comparison to its Place Vendôme neighbors, when it was founded in 1906. Yet, its meteoric ascent into the rarified world of haute joaillerie signaled its acceptance by the international social elite. Guided by Alfred Van Cleef and the Arpels brothers, Charles and Julien, the house masterfully blended cutting-edge craftsmanship with elegant design and exquisite gemstones throughout the twentieth century.

In 1925, Paris hosted the Exposition Internationale de Art Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes which introduced the world to the Art Deco movement – a movement that would dominate design for the next fifteen years and would prove to be influential throughout the century to come. Pavilions around the Grand Palais and on the banks of the Seine displayed architecture, furniture, bookbinding, fabrics, glass and porcelain, silver and of course, jewelry. Jewelry displays covered five hundred square meters with almost four hundred exhibitors. The exhibition featured completely new designs with groundbreaking original ideas.

The rise of Art Deco design brought about a stark contrast from jewelry produced during the decades prior. Towards the end of the 1920s and into the 1930s, jewels became bolder in response to the new machine-age aesthetic. Geometric elements replaced naturalistic features and among beautiful vividly colored pieces, magnificent diamond and platinum jewels emerged.

While countless bracelets were made during this period, the scale, proportions and craftsmanship of this Van Cleef & Arpels masterpiece is unmatched. The wide frame is indicative of the late 1920s and within its platinum borders old-cut diamonds evoke a harmony of symmetry and movement. The bracelet itself is a romantic ballad to the height of the Art Deco era.

This magnificent diamond bracelet displays not only the evolutionary pinnacle of the transformation of the single-line bracelet, but also effortlessly reveals how powerful the absence of color can be. The black and white motif is highly Art Deco and the delicate use of platinum allows the diamonds to float across the wrist, drawing the eye to the impressively-sized diamonds set at the center.

A true highlight of the era, this bracelet was featured in the exhibition The Jazz Age: American Style in the 1920s. Displayed at both the Cleveland Museum of Art in Ohio and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York, every museum-enthusiast who had the privilege of attending the exhibition will undoubtably remember this stunning jewel.

This incredible Van Cleef & Arpels diamond bracelet serves as a striking reminder of the firm’s ability throughout it’s history to lead the jewelry world in master craftsmanship and superior design. Highly coveted and exceedingly sought after, Art Deco jewelry continues to fascinate and intrigue collectors. It is without question that amongst the most notable jewels of this period, this bracelet has emerged as one of the most impressive and memorable.