Does luck ever go out of style? In the case of Van Cleef & Arpels and its hugely popular Alhambra line, the answer to that question is no, and reinventing it is how they keep that luck at bay. This time, the French maison introduces Delicate Metamorphoses, new pieces that can be worn in multiple ways.
The original design appeared in 1968 and quickly became a symbol of the free-spirited 1960s. Alhambra was inspired by two places: the quatrefoil shapes of Spain’s Alhambra Palace, and the four-leaf clovers collected in the garden of Jacques Arpels, nephew of the founder. “To be lucky, you have to believe in luck,” he would say.
Magic Alhambra arrived in 2006 and marked the first time the maison played with different clover sizes. The new collection continues the idea of mixing motif sizes, which started with Magic Alhambra in 2006, but this time adds transformability—a long necklace that becomes a short necklace, and then a bracelet, thanks to hidden clasps. It’s the first time this feature has appeared in an Alhambra piece.
Even after all these years, each new stone or shade feels like a fresh chapter. A different colour can give the whole collection a new personality. This time, the family of rings, bracelets, a watch, and necklaces is built around the four-leaf clover, edged with tiny gold beads. Now one is set in guilloché rose gold with white and grey mother-of-pearl. The other is guilloché white gold with chalcedony and white mother-of-pearl, giving a cool, luminous finish.
The new Vintage Alhambra reversible rings use a smooth turning mechanism that reveals a second face: chalcedony or grey mother-of-pearl on one side, and a diamond framed in guilloché gold on the other. A Sweet Alhambra watch also joins the line, pairing guilloché white gold with chalcedony and diamonds.
Alhambra has lasted because it’s classic but still feels modern. Everyone from Grace Kelly to Becca Bloom and the men of TikTok have made it their own. With Delicate Metamorphoses, Alhambra continues to evolve, a lucky charm and proof that good luck never goes out of style.
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