Van Cleef & Arpels’ Treasure Island Collection Is A Bibliophile’s Dream Come True
In the sun, sand and surf of Phuket, we discover Van Cleef & Arpels’ spectacular Treasure Island high jewellery collection inspired by a classic novel and rich with interpretive beauty.
By Renee Batchelor - published
From the poolside of my villa in the Trisara hotel in Phuket I spy a tiny island in the distance, a lone tree sprouting from its neat, mound-like shape. It strikes me how this is an almost stereotypical representation of an island—the kind you would find sketched in a children’s book. This distant “mirage” cements just how fitting a venue this stunning locale is for the Asian unveiling of Van Cleef & Arpels’ Treasure Island high jewellery collection.
After all, this collection from the storied Maison is inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic coming-of-age tale, Treasure Island, and comprises three chapters that encapsulate the themes and atmosphere of the book: the adventure at sea; exploring the island and the treasure hunt. Ripe with symbolism, this is one of the Maison’s strongest high jewellery launches ever.
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Everything from sailor’s knots to parrots to pirates to treasure maps to actual treasures serve as the inspiration for glittering gem-set necklaces, exceptional clips and dazzling drop earrings. The precious gemstones used in this collection also reflect its varied inspirations. You’ll find amidst the classic trio of emeralds, rubies and sapphires, vivid coloured stones like a turquoise cabochon, a blue-green tourmaline, spessartite garnets and a necklace strung with lavender jadeite beads. This is a collection bursting with colour and culture. The third theme, for example, has colourful pieces inspired by Mayan treasures and Indian jewellery, that one might just uncover amongst the ruins of a shipwreck.
The Dieu du vent clip with a Mayan divinity cloaked in diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires.
This second launch presented in Phuket in late February showcased new pieces following the inaugural launch of the collection in Miami last November, where around 100 pieces were presented. This event offered me the rare opportunity to marvel at these exquisite creations up close, including the Coquilles Mystérieuses bracelet in gold, diamonds and sapphires that were fresh from the Maison’s workshops.
The Coquilles Mystérieuses bracelet with Mystery-set sapphires.
As a longtime admirer of the brand’s brilliantly whimsical jewellery like its Winking Cat brooch from the 1950s, I was delighted to see stunning new interpretations of classic tropes, such as its figurative pieces. One of the highlights for me were three pirate clips named after the main characters in the book—narrator Jim, doctor David and the legendary Long John Silver. Crafted in white and yellow gold with the House’s signature marquise-shaped diamonds to represent the faces, these highly-collectible, sculptural clips were clothed in dazzling rubies, sapphires and pink sapphires.
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The Pirate John clip.
One of the most striking pieces on display in Phuket was the Palmeraie merveilleuse, a fully articulated gold necklace crafted to mimic palm leaves—an homage to the tropical vegetation mentioned in the book. Hugging the neck precisely with its pleasing, voluminous shape, the star of the piece is a glittering detachable pendant—an emerald cabochon weighing 47.93 carats set as the centre stone surrounded by diamonds and gold work.
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The Palmeraie merveilleuse necklace with a 47.93-carat emerald cabochon.
This jaw-dropping creation is also one of the favourites of Dorothée Henrio, Van Cleef & Arpels’ managing director of Southeast Asia. Says Henrio, “Palmeraie merveilleuse is a masterpiece, with the exceptional emerald from Colombia. The stone has a very intense colour. Someone told me earlier on, that they really wanted to touch it! The emerald was also the first stone that was selected for the collections nearly four years ago.”
Other highlights from the collection include the Palmier Mystérieux clip that features a palm tree that is the Mystery set with velvety green emeralds and three interchangeable motifs—a boat of diamonds, a sun and a chest of precious stones. This piece playfully embodies all three chapters of the collection, as well as Van Cleef & Arpels’ technical prowess and pioneering gem-setting technique.
The making of the Palmier Mystérieux clip.
On achieving this delicate equilibrium with each new collection, Henrio explains, “We want to create joy, but also maintain this subtle balance between Van Cleef & Arpel’s heritage and its uniqueness. What really characterised the collection is the great diversity of all these creations, that express the spirit of what the writer, Stevenson, wrote about. We also revisited some of the pieces from the Maison’s patrimony and heritage. You will see lots of contrasting colours inspired by the 1950s and the 1960s, along with gold work, volume and figurative elements.”
As I left the island after this brief but immensely fruitful sojourn, I was excited to learn that the Treasure Island collection is one that the Maison intends to revisit in future chapters around the globe, with new creative expressions of the theme, breathing life and a worldly charm to high jewellery.